Trekking in Ecuador

If you like adventure, hiking, and natural beauty, Ecuador is for you! With gorgeous paramo grasslands and mountainous landscapes, Ecuador is a great destination for trekking. The country is teeming with wildlife, home to llamas, alpacas, wild horses, wild rabbits, deer, and the elusive but majestic Andean condor. A multi-day trek is the perfect way to take in the superb scenery and spot native wild animals.

 

  • The perfect place to reach nice trekking trails
  • 20 minutes from the Cotopaxi National Park
  • Proper camping equipment and food
  • Certified and bilingual guides
  • Lodging in an Andean Hacienda that is full of history
  • Leisure facilities in Papagayo Hacienda: gym, sauna, hot tub, and yoga classes
  • Perfect place to acclimatize to the altitude
  • You can add some climbing tours to your stay, for example the famous Cotopaxi

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Tours Ideas

Tour 1

Quilotoa Loop Trek
6 days 5 nights

Day 1: Hosteria Papagayo:  Sits snugly at 3,100 m (10,170 ft), and spending the night here is the best way to acclimatize before you begin your trek. Day 1 is dedicated to arriving at PapaGayo, organizing food and equipment, and getting prepared for tomorrow. Rest well tonight as tomorrow begins your trek!

Day 2: Sigchos Trek: Today’s route includes rivers, suspension bridges, and Andean valleys. You will pass by remote Andean communities throughout the day.

Day 3: Chugchilan Trek: Trekking among the Andes is one of the best ways to see native wildlife and flora. The trek to Chugchilan is quite picturesque. Witness the vibrant colors of the Andes and again pass by traditional Andean towns. Time seems to stand still here among the peace and harmony. There are some steep areas along today’s trek, but in general there is not much variation in the terrain.

Day 4: Quilotoa Trek: Depending on the weather conditions, we will choose one of the route options to reach Quilotoa Lagoon; however, all three are excellent options that present an abundance of Andean flora and fauna. Pass by more indigenous communities and then arrive at Quilotoa lagoon, one of the most beautiful lagoons in the country. You will spend the night near the lagoon, which will allow you to stargaze at night.

Day 5: Andean Activities: We have scheduled two relaxing activities today. Ecuador is one of the largest exporters of roses in the world, so a visit to a rose plantation is a must. On the rose plantation tour, you have the opportunity to witness the entire process from planting to exportation and appreciate the variety of roses and their colors. Admire these gorgeous roses that stand from 2 - 5 meters tall. In the afternoon, you will enjoy a yoga class at PapaGayo.

Day 6: Transfer out: Sadly, our adventure is over. You will have a transfer from PapaGayo to Quito

Included: 

  • Lodging at Hosteria Papagayo (the days you don't camp)
  • Trekking with a specialized and bilingual guide
  • Camping equipment
  • All meals
  • Transfers in/out

Not Included: 

  • Airplane tickets
  • Tips and personal expenses
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Extra activities

Tour 2

Ilinizas and Cotopaxi Trek
7 days 6 nights

Day 1: Hosteria Papagayo:  sits snugly at 3,100 m (10,170 ft), and spending the night here is the best way to acclimatize before you begin your trek. Day 1 is dedicated to arriving at PapaGayo, organizing food and equipment, and getting prepared for tomorrow. Rest well tonight as tomorrow begins your trek!

Day 2: El Chaupi Trek Beginning at Papagayo, we will walk to Ilinizas. We will walk through the traditional village of El Chaupi and then through the Andean Paramo and forest until we arrive at Ilinizas where we will make our camp. Trek distance: 14 km (8.7 miles)

Day 3: The Boliche Route:  Today we will walk in the direction of ecological park Boliche, which is located next to Cotopaxi national park. We will walk through quaint indigenous villages where we have the opportunity to meet some amazing people. Trek distance: 15 km (9.3 miles)

Day 4: Cotopaxi National Park Trekk: We will walk along a path into Cotopaxi National Park, crossing a water channel, walking along the slopes of Rumiñahui volcano, and arriving at Lake Limpiopungo where we will make camp. Many native birds and ducks make their home in the lake, and we highly encourage a light hike around the lake. Trek distance: 15 km (9.3 miles)

Day 5: Cotopaxi refuge trek:  Today is a bit more challenging, as we are hiking up to the Jose Rivas refuge at Cotopaxi. After this final adventure, a car will pick you up and take you back to PapaGayo.

Day 6: Relaxation Day: We have scheduled two relaxing activities today. Ecuador is one of the largest exporters of roses in the world, so a visit to a rose plantation is a must. On the rose plantation tour, you have the opportunity to witness the entire process from planting to exportation and appreciate the variety of roses and their colors. Admire these gorgeous roses that stand from 2 - 5 meters tall. In the afternoon, you will have a cooking class where you will learn how to prepare a traditional Ecuadorian dish.

Day 7: Transfer out: Sadly, our adventure is over. You will have a transfer from PapaGayo to Quito

Included: 

  • Lodging at Hosteria Papagayo (the days you don't camp)
  • Trekking with a specialized and bilingual guide
  • Camping equipment
  • All meals (except dinner on days 1, 5 and 6)
  • Transfers in/out
  • Cooking clasess

Not Included: 

  • Airplane tickets
  • Tips and personal expenses
  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Extra activities

Are you looking for other adventures?

Climbing in Ecuador

Tours and information

Horseback Riding

Tours and information

More information?

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Lodging in an Andean Hacienda

Explore the country’s diverse trekking among Andean mountains and glistening lagoons. PapaGayo offers multiple trekking programs. The hacienda is the perfect hub to relax before and after your trek. Spend some time acclimatizing to the altitude here at 10,500 ft (3,200 m) before you depart on your trek. We offer private tours, certified guides, and daily departures. We provide the food and camping equipment during the trek. You’ll want to spend several days at the hacienda after your trek, enjoying our first-class facilities and a restaurant with healthy nutritious meals. Try our leisure facilities such as a gym, sauna, hot tub, and yoga classes. The hacienda is surrounded by lush greenery, and there is a 2-hour trail on our grounds that is waiting for you to explore.

Trekking in Ecuador

In a country that has a glorious range of hiking, a trail is always within your reach. The terrain of the Ecuadorian Andes is composed of an array of snow-capped summits, paramo grasslands, and misty cloud forests. With diverse and dramatic scenery, a multi-day trek is the perfect way to explore Ecuador’s sprawling landscape.

Perfectly situated among the Avenue of Volcanoes, Papagayo is an ideal and charming location to begin and end your trek. The most popular treks from Papagayo are around Cotopaxi and the Quilotoa crater. Below we highlight details of our treks:

Quilotoa Lagoon:

The Quilotoa trek is a customizable multi-day trek around a glistening turquoise crater lake. You can choose to do it in a day trip and walk down into the crater, kayak, and hike back up or you can walk around the crater with options of doing it between 2 – 4 days depending on where your start your trek. Your loop itinerary can be custom-built, and there is no wrong way to do it! This trek is considered the most popular in Ecuador, probably due to the ease and comfort of doing this multi-day trek. There is accommodation available all along the loop, from basic hostels to nicer ones equipped with hot tubs to quaint local houses where the families open up their homes to you for the night. Contact our experts at Papagayo to help plan your Quilotoa trekking experience!

PapaGayo Cotopaxi

Address: Panamericana Sur Km 26
Email: [email protected]
Office: +593 (2) 231 0002 / +593 (2) 367 0042
Mobile: : +593 (9) 8 044 8812

Copyright Hosteria Papagayo © 2019. All rights reserved.

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