Cotopaxi Horseback Riding Tour from Quito & Volcano

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (41 reviews) 100% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationExcellent quality

1/23

Duration7h–8h

GroupPrivate

LanguagesEN · ES

PickupAt your hotel

The horse stumbled on loose rock—then the view opened up

You ride horseback through Cotopaxi National Park with two guides—one English-speaking, one a traditional chagra—choosing between 2 and 4 hours in the saddle. The route takes you past wild horses and up to the volcano viewpoint, with a stop at Limpiopungo Lagoon and lunch included. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Quito bookend the day, so transport and park logistics are already arranged.

7h–8h

Step-by-step itinerary

Cotopaxi horseback riding and trekking

Travel to Cotopaxi National Park
Receive horseback riding instructions and equipment
Horseback ride through Cotopaxi landscapes
Trek around Limpiopungo Lagoon
Have lunch in Cotopaxi
Return to hotel in Quito

The Experience

The drive out of Quito takes you south along the Avenue of the Volcanoes, and the landscape shifts fast. Within an hour you're at the entrance to Cotopaxi National Park, where your English-speaking guide meets you and a traditional chagra—a local horseman from Machachi—hands you the reins. The horses are calm, used to riders of all levels, and the guides know exactly how to pace the ride to match what you want that day. You can do two hours if you're testing the waters, or push into four hours if you want to really get into the high country.

The trails wind through highland grassland with Cotopaxi Volcano sitting there the whole time, massive and snow-capped, getting closer as you climb. The chagra points out wild horses grazing in the distance and knows the terrain like he's lived it—because he has. Your guide handles the logistics and translation, so you're free to focus on the rhythm of the ride and the air getting thinner. At around 14,700 feet, you reach the parking lot viewpoint, and the lagoon comes into view below: Limpiopungo Lagoon, ringed by mountains and still enough to mirror the sky.

Lunch happens in the park itself, which is something most tours don't arrange—you eat without having to leave, without losing the light or the moment. After you ride back down, the drive back to Quito takes the afternoon. The whole day is structured so you're not managing transport or timing or worrying whether the guides know the park; that's already handled. You just show up at your hotel in the morning and ride.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Quito, private transportation to and from Cotopaxi National Park, a professional English-speaking guide for the full day, a traditional chagra instructor, horseback riding safety equipment, park entry, lunch, and a visit to Limpiopungo Lagoon. You choose whether to ride for 2 hours or extend to 4 hours depending on your pace and interest.

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Real Dreams Tour

Is this one for you?Pick this tour if you want to ride in Cotopaxi National Park without arranging your own transport, guides, or timing—the pickup from Quito and the inclusion of both an English speaker and a local chagra means you're set up to ride rather than manage logistics.