Quilotoa Lagoon was formed when a now-extinct volcano collapsed and the resulting crater was filled with a startling emerald-green lake, the color resulting from volcanic minerals. Just south of Quito, the village and lagoon of Quilotoa have become a popular day-trip destination, affording spectacular views and photo opportunities.
Laguna Quilotoa, a blue-green volcanic crater lake, sits in the rugged Andean countryside south of Quito. With this tour, escape the busy streets of Quito for an all-inclusive day in the Andes, and see Quilotoa Lake from two different lookouts on the crater rim with views of Cotopaxi in the distance. En route back to Quito, spend some time craft workshops in Tigua and La Victoria.
Journey to the beautiful Quilotoa volcano, driving through stunning mountain scenery and stopping to visit local Andean communities, during this day trip from Quito. Travel along the spectacular ‘Avenue of Volcanoes’ passing beneath its towering peaks, eventually stopping at a village of an indigenous community, to explore a local home and learn about their daily life. Finish your day with a trip to the lagoon inside Quilotoa volcano. This day trip includes a guide, entrance fees, round-trip hotel transport, and lunch.
Don’t let limited time in Quito stop you ticking off two of the country’s top natural attractions—visit both Cotopaxi National Park and the Quilotoa Lagoon in just one day on a private tour that lets you set the pace. Letting someone else drive means you can soak up the scenery, while a private guide ensures you’ll explore according to your own agenda.
Check out two of Ecuador’s top natural attractions—the Cotopaxi Volcano and Quilotoa lagoon—and their natural landscapes with ease on this day trip from Quito. Head to Cotopaxi National Park to see its snow-capped volcano—stopping to drink coca leaf tea on route to reduce altitude sickness—before visiting Limpiopungo Lagoon and Quilotoa’s turquoise caldera lagoon. Plus, during your trip, stop to browse a local market or two.
Venture away from the city and head into Ecuador’s more rural areas for a 3-day adventure. See volcanoes in Cotopaxi National Park, learn about indigenous culture in Tigua, swing over the Toachi Canyon, zipline over a river, and much more over the course of the tour. Avoid the hassle of planning and booking several hotels and activities with this package.
Let a guide accompany you on the steep, downhill path to the shores of Quilotoa, a picturesque crater lake nestled in the Ecuadorian Andes. On this private day trip from Quito, you’ll visit an indigenous market where local farmers and craftspeople trade their goods. En route, admire stunning landscapes via the Avenue of the Volcanoes. Lunch and private vehicle included.
Escape the hustle and bustle of Quito and spend a day immersed in Ecuador's natural landscapes on this full-day tour to Quilotoa Lake. Join a small group and head to the turquoise waters of the volcanic crater. Hike down to the waters, where you have free time to explore the area. End your day with a visit to an artisan workshop in Tigua and the Toachi River Canyon.
Spend the day exploring the stunning natural landscapes of Ecuador on this full-day Quilotoa Lake hiking tour from Quito. Your expert guide will lead you through tropical forests to one of the area's most beautiful lagoons. Make stops at a quiet village and local markets as part of this incredible day away from the city.
Don’t let limited time in Ecuador stop you visiting the majestic Quilotoa Lagoon, an emerald crater lake surrounded by mountain landscapes. Reach the natural wonder the easy way on this full-day tour from Quito, ideal for nature lovers. Stop at a traditional craft market before arriving in Quilotoa National Park and opting to hike or ride a mule (own expense) to the rim of the dormant volcano. Lunch and transfers are included.
Get to know a wonderful place full of magical and colorful landscape discover the Quilotoa lagoon 138 kilometers from the city of Quito, we will go through your hotel or accommodation and go to beautiful places, such as the population of Tigua to know their ancestral ability in making handicrafts, then we continue towards the volcanic landscape known as the caldera, where upon arrival we descend for half an hour on a spectacular walk to this Quilotoa lagoon, on the way we can see deer, rabbits, foxes, wolves among other animals that inhabit this place, back arriving again at the top where we can get the best pictures. Returning to the city of Quito, we visit the town of Sumbahua to learn about its interesting handicrafts.
Explore the incredible landscapes and nature of Ecuador with this excursion to the Quilotoa Lagoon. Located just outside the capital city of Quito, pass through historic towns such as Tambillo and indigenous communities, such as Tigua, on your journey. Upon arrival at the lagoon, learn about the ancient volcanic eruptions that caused its formation, before kayaking on the smooth water and riding a mule.
Let a guide work out the transportation details on a day trip from Quito to Quilotoa, so you can make the most of your destination. Enjoy views of the Ecuadorian Andes and hike down to the shores of the shimmering caldera lake, where emerald-colored waters reach deep in the extinct volcano. Stops are made at the indigenas market and the Quichua community of Zumbahua before lunch.
Designed to delight lovers of natural landscapes, this 2-day tour from Quito transports you to two of Ecuador’s natural highlights, Cotopaxi National Park and the Quilotoa Lagoon. Travel with ease through volcanic landscapes, hike to the summit of the Cotopaxi Volcano, go downhill bike riding, and visit the indigenous markets of Saquisili and Pujili. Plus, you’ll trek to the shores of the Quilotoa Lagoon. One night accommodation, four meals, and all activities are included on this tour, which requires a good level of fitness.
- All Inclusive: Professional Bilingual Guide, Lunch and Tourist Visits.
- Tourist Transport from Quito - Quilotoa - Quito
- Hiking and horseback riding on the same tour if you decide to return on horseback
- Visit indigenous market
- Visit indigenous house
- Visit Mirador del Quilotoa
- Visit and descent to Laguna del Quilotoa
- Visit to the Toachi River Canyon
- Professionalism and Quality of Service
- Shared Tour: Every Thursday and Sunday
- Private Tour: Every day.
Embark on an extraordinary adventure with our Full-Day Quilotoa Tour, with expert guides and off-the-beaten-path exploration that redefines your travel experience. Discover the stunning Quilotoa Crater Lake while savoring the beauty of the Andean landscape, connecting with indigenous communities, and enjoying a delicious Ecuadorian lunch. We prioritize sustainability and respect for nature, while providing comfortable transportation and creating unforgettable memories. This tour promises a unique combination of adventure, culture and natural wonders that sets it apart from the rest. Reserve your seat today and make your travel dreams come true in the heart of the Ecuadorian Andes!
The Quilotoa Volcano, a of the natural wonders of Ecuador !! This lagoon is located in the crater of this volcano, which is why it has many minerals which make its color changes constantly, on the Quilotoa tour, you will appreciate this wonder, along with the typical indigenous markets, located in areas near the volcano, this depends on the day of the tour, it is an impossible adventure to lose !!
Enjoy two day trips for one. This is a perfect tour for people who love adventure and out door activities. The journey is full of nature, wildlife and stunning scenic view. We will cross over a large part of the avenue the volcanoes, towns or villages. On the way, there are corn, potato and barley fields located at the bottom of the rugged hills. Indigenous communities who are located beside of the roads show their gastronomy, culture and ways of living and working.
Hike to the spectacular Quilotao Lagoon on a full-day, guided hiking trip from Quito that includes transport, a market visit, and lunch at a local restaurant. You’ll encounter vibrant Andean cultures, trek into a collapsed volcanic caldera, and visit a mountain village known for traditional artwork. This small-group tour is limited to 12 people for personal service from the guides.
Embark on a journey down Ecuador’s “Avenue of the Volcanoes” during this full-day excursion from Quito. Join a small group and head towards the Quilotoa volcanic crater lake. Along the way, visit the small town of Machachi, see the local market at Pujili, and learn about native cultures in Tigua. Your tour culminates with a visit to Quilotoa where you can walk down to the bottom of the crater.
Visit one of Ecuador’s most beautiful lakes and enjoy a day of adventure on this 2-day, small-group tour from Quito. See the turquoise waters of Quilotoa Lake, tucked deep in the Andean highlands, and then visit the “Swing at the End of the World” which looks out over the Tungurahua Volcano. The next day, visit Baños for a cable car ride over the Pastaza River and a visit to the Devil’s Cauldron Waterfall.
Enjoy a full-day tour of one of Ecuador's most important natural attractions.
Enjoy Ecuador Tour Operator takes you to Quilotoa, a volcanic crater lagoon in the Cotopaxi Province, 2 hours 40 minutes from Quito.
We will make a stop at a craft painting workshop in Tigua, a small town that has great artists who make paintings on sheepskin with acrylic paint, in which they teach us about their day-to-day life.
On this tour we will get to know one of the most beautiful places at the Ilinizas Ecological Reserve, if we have a sunny and clear day we will have the opportunity to observe the Quilotoa lagoon and its characteristic turquoise blue color.
We will visit the viewpoints made by the community of Quilotoa and also you will have time to visit the restaurants, handicraft shops, etc.
To finish we will have an exquisite lunch and we will return to Quito.
Quilotoa Lagoon
Excursion to the Quilota Lagoon is considered one of the most beautiful in the world, get to know its green-turquoise waters and enjoy the best landscape,
In the Quilotoa community, you can do various activities such as kayaking around the lagoon, horseback riding and walks around the crater, Boat ride (optional) - NOT INCLUDED
Enjoy a beautiful trip to one of the most impressive craters, Laguna del Quilotoa, during the trip you can enjoy tourist attractions in the area such as the Tigua Workshop and wooden masks, you can also observe from a natural viewpoint in the Toachi Canyon in the parish of Zumbahua, and you could not miss the visit to the Quilotoa Lagoon where you can have lunch and then the walk inside the volcano or walk around the volcano.
Diego is a fantastic guide. It was a well paced, well planned itinerary. Thanks to Diego we learned a lot and had an amazing, unique day. Also, he was early to pick us up, his car was clean and he is a great driver. Scenery and activities were spectacular.
great experience but not for the faint of heart for those in later years.
i enjoyed the trip a lot. i loved visiting the family on the way to learn about their food, their animals, medicines etc. the volcano was beautiful, i found with the altitude i was not able to climb down and back, but waited at the top with some breathtaking views. it is a very long ride up and back with some stunning views of canyons and volcanos. i didn't learn as much as i would have liked about the country, people etc but still delightful.
This was a fun, challenging, and rewarding experience. Adrian was the tour guide. He did an amazing job taking care of everyone. We learn a lot about the indigenous around Quilotoa. The views are breath taking! Seriously, don't miss this tour. Note, the hike out of the crater is very difficult if you are not acclimated to the high altitude. However, Adrian was very patient and made sure everyone was able to complete the hike. We took lots of breaks :).
Misa our tour guide was amazing, he was very knowledgeable and kind. He gave us good information and maintain us informed along the trip. Visit to the indigenous village was very interesting too, it was nice to see some traditions, the home structure and how they live in the highlands of Ecuador. The weather was amazing also we were able to see all the Avenue of volcanoes they were all cleared so this was a plus.
Pedro has a phenomenal tour guide. I still can't believe we were able to do so much in one day, and we were incredibly lucky with the weather and wildlife sightings. I'd recommend this tour to anyone visiting Quito.
Great day with a great tour guide and a great driver. Weather was horrible but there’s not much you can do about it. Be aware that sometimes you go to the volcano and you don’t see much because of the weather but that’s part of it. Everything was perfect. It was a long day, but the car was very comfortable. This was scheduled to be a group tour but we were the only ones so it was a private program. That made it even more exciting.
The trip was very enjoyable. Our guide was lovely and very informative. I would say that the hike back up to the top of the crater is very difficult and the guide didn't do the walk with us so I would recommend getting a horse. It was a good way to see the lake though.
The views were absolutely beautiful, and the guide Julio was nice and took lots of pictures of me. You first go down into the crater, and then climb back up. The hike was easy on the way down, but quite steep and difficult on the way back up, mostly due to the high elevation. One thing I didn’t like is that on the way back up, I was walking very slowly, and the guide just left me behind (I couldn’t even see where he was). He waited for me at the very top, which I got to about an hour later. Since it was a private tour, I feel he could’ve made more of an effort to stay with me rather than racing ahead.
Excellent tour. Guide (Victor) was informative and gave us so much education and guidance about all our stops / sights. Included history and cultural info and made sure ALL our needs were met. The lagoon was amazing and the rim hike gorgeous. Not easy but not the down and then steep & altitude gain of the lagoon hike. Wild flowers abound in colors and views beyond the crater were amazing. Bring snacks for the starving but sweet dogs in the plaza and LOTS of water for yourself! We had perfect weather and LOVED this tour. Great value as well! And an authentic delicious meal at the end. Can’t recommend enough!
Our tour guide Kevin, is the best.
Very caring, very knowledgeable, he will take care of you. We glad had him being our guide, the tour is adding 3x times more fun because of him.
The drive to get there is long, about 3.5 hour/each way. But the lagoon is so much nicer in person than in the pic, the pic on internet always looks boring to me, until I get there to see.
Prepare for some good hike, hiking stick must have or ask if they can rent to you.
It’s located at higher latitude, so hiking up be prepared, or you can spend $10 to ride the horse up.
Frequently Asked QuestionsQ:What's the best way to experience Quilotoa Lagoon?