From Quito, it’s about a 3-hour drive south and it’s easiest to get there by car. An organized tour from Quito would be the best option. For a cheaper alternative, you could first take public transport to Latacunga. From here, you can take another bus or hire private transportation to Quilotoa. There’s a small town at the top of the caldera which has some hostels, restaurants, and a parking lot. When entering the small town, there is a 2 USD1 fee per car. This is the only fee and gives everyone access to the lake. We got there at around noon and after parking the car, we first headed to a viewing deck at the tip of the caldera. There are several great spots to take pictures of the lake.
After taking some pictures, we headed down the trail to the lake. It’s mostly rocky but in some parts, there is gravel/sand. It took us about 35 minutes to get down to the lake. There’s a small shop by the lake where you can buy some snacks and drinks. You can also rent kayaks for 30 minutes (3 USD), 1 hour (6 USD), and 3 hours (10 USD). We rented some Kayaks for 30 minutes and managed to row about halfway into the lake. We got a bit wet from kayaking, so after giving the kayaks back we dried off in the sun by the small pier on the lake. We then went for a short walk by the shoreline before heading back up. The hike up is steep and more challenging but you can rent mules for 10 USD to take you back. I walked back up and it took me about 50 minutes. The altitude makes it harder and I was very out of breath by the time I got back up.
We then had some lunch at a restaurant in the town before heading back to Quito. On the way back, we stopped at the Toachi River Canyon which is a short 20-minute drive into the journey. It’s quite an amazing sight as it looks like the ground has been torn apart. It was a quick 15-minute stop for pictures before continuing on our way back. Whilst on the highway back to Quito, we caught a glimpse of the towering Cotopaxi volcano. The skies where quite clear and we could see other volcanos in the area which made for a great drive back.
