Cotopaxi Full Day Tour: Explore Snow-Capped Volcano and National Park from Quito

Embark on a full day tour from Quito to explore the majestic Cotopaxi Volcano and its surrounding National Park. Experience breathtaking views and immerse yourself in the beauty of Ecuador’s countryside.

Duration: 12 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Quito - Direct pick-up from your hostel or hotel in Quito to begin the trip to Cotopaxi (the exact time will depend on which neighborhood you are located in).

Pick up time will be confirmed via chat.

  • Machachi - A quick stop for breakfast
  • Cotopaxi National Park - Enter Cotopaxi National Park and visit interpretation center.
  • Laguna de Limpiopungo - Visit the Limpiopungo Lagoon, a stunning glacial lake in the shadow of the Cotopaxi Volcano.

Visit the José Rivas Refuge, the main base camp for the volcano. Continue to a scenic lookout point to take in some unbelievable panoramic views of the Cotopaxi Volcano

  • Refugio Cotopaxi (Jose Ribas) - Visit the José Rivas Refuge, the main base camp for the volcano. Continue to a scenic lookout point to take in some unbelievable panoramic views of the Cotopaxi Volcano.
  • Cotopaxi Province - After all the activities, depart to Quito on a direct bus.
  • Quito - You will be arriving back in Quito around 8:00 pm. We will drop you off at your hotel/hostel in Quito, as long as it’s within our pick up/drop off areas.
What's Included
  • Hotel pick up and drop off
  • Guided hike of the Cotopaxi National Park
  • Hike to the Jos Rivas Refuge
  • Visit to the Interpretation Center Mariscal Sucre
  • Guided Limpiopungo Lake trek
  • Onboard bilingual Hop guide
What's Not Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Additional Information

Embark on a day-long expedition from Quito to behold the majestic Cotopaxi Volcano, a resplendent snow-topped volcano nestled within Ecuador’s rural expanse. Seize the opportunity to traverse various segments of Cotopaxi National Park while basking in the awe-inspiring scenery of the Cotopaxi Volcano. This day-long outing from Quito to Cotopaxi presents an excellent reprieve from city life, allowing you to return to Quito on the same day.

Location
Quito
Direct pick-up from your hostel or hotel in Quito to begin the trip to Cotopaxi (exact time will depend on which neighborhood you are located in).
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.4
(20 Ratings)
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108philippv
Jul 5, 2023
Awesome Cotopaxi - Our group consisted of 9 people speaking Spanish or English. So, our guide had to cope with both languages, what he did very well. Doing so, Josue proved a profound knowledge about Ecuadorian vulcanos and the flora & fauna of this habitat. The tour was very well organized, being picked up from the hotel a superb confort ! I can only recommend visiting Cotopaxi with Josue and the Ecuador Hop Team.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Micaelayawney
May 12, 2022
AMAZING experience! - Amazing experiences and people to meet are sure to be found when you book with this company! I booked both a full-day Quilotoa tour as well as a full-day Cotopaxi tour with them and both were incredible experiences with amazing guides! I have to thank Alex, as well as our driver and other guide whose name I unfortunately forget for a beautiful Quilotoa tour - super knowledge, friendly, and welcoming guides + driver! I also have to thank Adrian (guide) and Carlitos (driver) for the BEST experience at Cotopaxi. They both were super knowledgeable, friendly, welcoming, funny, and just wonderful people! Everyone that I met on both of these tours as well were amazing people, now friends. And the experience at Quilotoa and Cotopaxi...well, you're just going to have to go see it for yourself! Clean buses, amazing, friendly, high-energy, and knowledgable guides, great routes, great timing, beautiful sightseeing! Book book book with this company. There's not much more that I can say. Thanks again Ecuador Hop and special thanks to Alex, Adrian, Carlitos, and the other guide + driver! Enjoy!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
1michelle21
Jan 25, 2020
Cotopaxi was my best time with Ecuadorhop - I booked the Quito to Banos bus trip with the overnight in Cotopaxi (we stayed at Wim hostel instead of Chuquiagua), the Quilotoa overlook, and a swing tour in Banos. Here's what was great: -what happened:pick up in Quito at 6:34 (punctual to their 6:30 scheduled time!) at our hostel. Brought to a bus with everyone else that went to Cotopaxi. Had breakfast at Chuquiagua lodge. Left our luggage at the lodge for the overnight stay. Went to mountain!!! Hiked for 1-2 hours up and took option to go to see the glacier (instead of resting at the Chalet and drinking cocoa). Went to lagoon at base of mountain quickly. Bathroom stop. Back to Chuquiagua for lunch. We called our hostel (Wim hostel was amazing) he picked us up and dropped us back at the Lodge in the morning). At 8am the following day we went with the Ecuadorhop bus to the Quilotoa loop overlook (5 minutes hike) but the Cotopaxi overlook was just pulling off the side of the road on the highway to take pix. (so glad we did the hike!!). Here, some stayed to do the full day Quilotoa hike and return to Quito. We continued on the bus to Banos (no lunch only brief icecream/snack stop) arriving at 3:30pm. At 4:30, after quickly checking in to hostel, we joined the $10 Banos tour to the house of the tree, then the swing at the edge of the world, then a candy shop (no dinner). End at 6:30. -Cotopaxi was amazing. We gave ourselves a day to acclimate in Quito after flying in from sea level. Good decision for avoiding altitude sickness. We drove up a long bumpy road to a parking place to hike up the mountain. We went straight up! -It was 35F so I was warm enough with me fleece and down (and gloves and long underwear). -You have to walk slow because it is 4500m up there. Then some went to rest at the Chalet/refuge for 45 min while we continued with no break to the glacier. The clouds were thick but briefly parted for us to see the amazing glacier view and also my friend tasted the glacier stream water (not guaranteed safety :)). Probably at about 5000m. It was so beautiful. -The way down was steep through the dirt (maybe some volcanic ash) to make a faster desent). I slipped but brought trekking poles to help. -Erica was our guide with Besttrip (brother company that actually runs the tour to Cotopaxi) and Paula was our the leader from a local indigenous tribe who led us up the mountain. Both were excellent at getting us engaged and telling us important details about our surroundings. -Daniel was our guide on the bus from Quito and then on to Quilotoa. He was very helpful and helped me to feel like I was seeing something with him for the first or second time even though this is his everyday job. He was also an excellent guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Felipedall
Jan 11, 2020
Great company - I made the cotopaxi one day tour and was alright with the tour. The guides (Jackie and Paulina) and the meals were awesome. As a suggestion to staff, I suggest giving more time to people who want to reach the glaciars.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
760ra
Dec 29, 2019
Exceptional - I had the privilege of visiting the Cotopaxi Volcano and National Park. We had an excellent driver who knew the terrain well. Our guide Daniel and Carmen was very informative. Carmen is Quechua and we learnt a lot from her and her admiration of the land her people lived on for years before the conquestidores came to the Americas. Ecuador Hop is an excellent company in the tourism industry and I will definitely use their services in the future.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
974deirdref
Jan 4, 2024
Cotopaxi - Good trip Bus was somewhat old and very bumpy road. Not sure if we were altitude sick or just sick from sitting over the wheel in the back of the bus. Tip try and sit up front if you can. Tour guide Adrian was excellent.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Luisdiegos2015
Sep 29, 2023
Excellent experience - It has been an excellent experience, it is one of the most beautiful volcanoes I have had the opportunity to see. I recommend it 100%. An important tip: the tour operators do not provide much information about appropriate clothing, so it is important to wear appropriate clothing, such as sports shoes, comfortable pants, a coat, sunscreen, sunglasses, etc.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ellen
Mar 5, 2020
Great Adventure and Tour - We were picked up at our hotel, which was super convenient around 7:45 a.m. First we went to an ecolodge for breakfast, which served us pancakes with fruit and yogurt, bread and coffee and juice. Then we drove up to the parking area on Cotopaxi, which is around 16,300 feet we figured. The road up was bumpy and slow going and we couldn't believe the bus made it up there! When we got out to hike it was sleeting sideways with a wind that just about knocked us over! It was howling! Some people went on ahead up to the lodge, but we decided to turn back as we didn't have the right coats to stay dry and warm with us. The volcano was enshrouded in clouds the entire time so we didn't have much of a view. When everyone came back we went down to the lagoon and did a short narrated nature hike, where it was sunny and a lot warmer. We ate a late lunch at the ecolodge and made it back to our hotel around 6:30 p.m. It was a good adventure. We paid $49 per person.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Julia
Jan 5, 2020
Cotopaxi from Quito - We bought our tickets for this full day tour from the TI in the Plaza Grande. It included breakfast and a late lunch, which we had at the same place. Food was simple, but good. Our tour guide Sofia was very good and attentive. On the way they stopped at a few places for pictures. Part of the drive to where the hike starts is very bumpy. And I mean very bumpy. We were the oldest people on the tour (60+) and we could not make it up to the end, but most of the younger people did. It is not an easy hike at 15,000+ feet. I think everyone was feeling the altitude to one degree or another. But Cotopaxi was amazing and we saw beautiful scenery and wild horses and a fox. It was a good day trip from Quito to get out of the city and see nature.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amanda_c
Jan 19, 2024
Weather - The weather was too bad to make the trek. It was a long way to go to sit on a bus all day. Just a shame.
Review provided by Viator
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