Laguna Quilotoa

Laguna Quilotoa is the highlight of the Quilotoa Loop, 14 km north of Zumbahua. It's a volcanic crater lake, sitting at an elevation of 3,900 m, with stunning views of both the lake and the mountain ranges surrounding it.

Understand
The small village of Quilotoa lies to the southwest of the lake, and basic accommodation run by the local indigenous people is available. Zumbahua is the next nearest town. Quilotoa developed itself since its early days into one of the most important tourist attractions of the country, and the government provided the infrastructure to support it. The Quilotoa crater is protected by the Reserva ecológica Los Illinizas.

The volcano consists of a 3-km wide caldera, or volcanic crater, surrounding a 224-meter deep lake.

Local communities around the Quilotoa Lagoon are great places to experience the traditional culture, explore artisan markets or try regional food.

History
The Quilotoa Volcano is the most westerly volcano in Ecuador, whose last eruption has been dated back to 1280 and the lava flows reached the Pacific almost 200 km away. After this eruption, the magma chamber crashed and it created the visible caldera with a diameter of three kilometers and a lake inside that is around 250 meters deep. The only remaining signs of volcanism activity are fumaroles at the bottom of the lake, a smell of sulfur on the shore and on the eastern side of the lake also some hot springs are bubbling.

The name is from the local Quechua language and is a combination of the words "quiru" (for tooth) and "Toa" (for princess), and describes the different color tones reflected by the waters.

Landscape
The surroundings of the crater are essentially rural with lot of livestock farming, sheep, cows and goats.

Flora and fauna
The fauna is mainly birds. It is possible to observe hummingbirds, eared doves and falcons playing near the cliffs. The lobo del páramo (mountain wolf) lives in the region, but the chance of encountering one is small; you will more probably see rabbits.

The flora is very poor, the principal plant is the chuquiragua, with orange flower. The hummingbirds feed on the nectar of them. The vegetation is very fragile; stick to the trails to avoid damaging it.

Climate
At 3,800 metres altitude there is a mountain climate that can quickly change from warm and sunny to cloudy and very cold. The nights are cold.

By bus
There are several buses a day from Latacunga. To guarantee getting a bus it is best to arrive in the morning. The journey takes 1hr 45min on the asphalted road to Quilotoa hamlet and costs $2.0 (February 2018). In the morning, buses leave at 06:00, 07:30, 08:00, 10:00 and 11:00 (February 2018). The last bus departure from Quilotoa to Latacunga is at 17:00. From Latacunga there are more buses each day running to Zumbahua, a small town approximately 14 km north of Quilotoa. Taxis or ride share can be arranged from Zumbahua to the Laguna ($5).

One-day tours can be organized from Latacunga. They will bring you through the village of Tigua to see local painters. Then they will bring you to the crater and down to the lake. The includes lunch and costs around $40.

Fees and permits
The entry for pedestrians is free but it costs $2 to enter the village with your car. Unlimited access to the crater and the lake is included in this price.

Get around
Quilotoa is very small village and everywhere is 5-minute walk.

The Quilotoa Loop is a ring-shaped trail which connects remote villages in the high Andes in Ecuador in Cotopaxi region.

See
Hike down to the laguna. It takes approximately 45 minutes to walk down and about 90 minutes to walk back. It's a very steep, unpaved path and at this altitude needs a relatively good level of fitness.

Horses or mules are available to ride back up for $10. It is best to make arrangements with a handler before you walk down.

Do
Hike along the Quilotoa Loop in either direction. The next villages are approximately 12 km in either direction through beautiful Andean mountain scenery.

Hike around the crater lake: 3½–4½ hours. It's only about 9.5 km but it's all up and downs. There are views of the Cotopaxi in the distance. The trail follows the rim of the crater passing through the Monte Juyende (3940 m), the highest of the hike's several view points. Beware, there are numerous paths and getting on the wrong ones may put you in danger; there are very narrow trails right over huge cliffs. You should get a map and review it with locals before you leave.

You can bathe in the lake, although it does have a light foul smell and is very cold. For the less adventurous, canoes can be rented to navigate on the lake for $2 per hour.

Buy
There is a small tourist crafts market near the entrance to the laguna walk.

If you want to buy provisions, there are few small grocery stores in Quilotoa, however the choice is very limited and the price is elevated.

Lodging
There are many places to stay and new ones are being built:

Camping
Camping near the Laguna is permitted; however, there is no drinking water there.

Stay safe
Do not forget that you are at 3,900 meters high and the weather can change very quickly.

The crater loop may be problematic if the rain starts while you are at the middle.

Don’t go without a map, and knowing precisely which path to take. According to alpine difficulty rating standards such as the French Hiking Federation, alternative trails reach maximum levels of technicity, effort and danger. Acrophobic people should know that some parts of the trail are very high.

Go next
Latacunga