Day 1: Quito to Cotopaxi
Your highest tour of this holiday! The National Park Cotopaxi is named after the highest (5,897 meters) with snow covered volcano, the Cotopaxi. From your hotel you´ll be brought to the National Park. On your way from Quito to the park you can see the Cotopaxi (when the weather allows). It will take about 2 hours to get to the entrance of the National Park Cotopaxi. From here it is a one hour drive to the parking lot of the volcano
It can be very cold at this heigth, so we advise to put on layers, rainclothes and good hiking shoes. You drive to the parkinglot at 4,500 meters from where you walk to 4,800 meters. The climb is “just” 300 meters, but due to the heigth it can be hard. Your effort will be rewarded: at the refugio you have a beautiful view over the National Park and other volcanoes like the Ruminahui. You can buy a sticker as a souvenir in the refugio.
Make enough stops on your way up and drink a lot of water, in that way you increase your chances to reach the snow. Do you feel light in your head? Get down and you will feel better. After the tour you will drive to a beautiful hacienda where you can take a rest at the fireplace.
Day 2: Cotopaxi
The next day you will be picked up for a spectacular ride through the highlands of Ecuador. You will see amazing green colorplaids, have impressive views over the area and on the fields on which people are working while you are driving by. You will pass places in which it seems that time stands still. You make a stop at the Quilotoa Crater Lake. Once arrived at the lake you´ll have the opportunity to walk to the azure lake.
In 1797 the crater erupted and left an enormous crater which filled with rainwater. Nowadays the water in the crater has a remarkable color due to the algae, and the color changes every time, depending on how the sunlight enters the water. Due to the high alkaline content, there are no animals living in the lake. Swimming isn´t possible either, due to the high acidity. And besides, the lake is freezing cold! If you have the plan to walk down to the lake, remind that you need to climb up again! It is very steep. For about $10 per person, you can climb back on the back a horse, but don´t expect them to walk fast. The horses will rest every few minutes. After you´re visit to the lake you´ll be brought to Latacunga, where you will stay the night.
Day 3: Cotopaxi
This morning your trip concludes after breakfast.
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