Quilotoa Loop

Information

Distance

38.0 km

Duration

3–5 days

Max elevation

3,914 m

Country

Ecuador (EC)

Difficulty

Moderate to strenuous — elevations of 2,700–3,914 m; steep rocky and muddy descents between villages; acclimatization in Latacunga is recommended

Best Season

June–September (Ecuador's dry season; clearest weather and driest trails)

Permits & Fees

No official permit required; a small entry fee of ~2 USD managed by the local community to enter the Quilotoa caldera area

Description

The Quilotoa Loop is a ~38 km village-to-village trek across the high Andes of Cotopaxi Province, Ecuador, typically completed in 3–5 days with nights in small community-run hostels along the route. The classic direction runs southward from the town of Sigchos through Isinlivi and Chugchilan before reaching the rim of the Quilotoa volcanic caldera (3,914 m), where a stunning turquoise crater lake — 3 km wide and 250 m deep — spreads across the Andean skyline. Throughout the trail, hikers pass tiny villages still practicing traditional terrace farming on steep slopes, along with llamas and sheep grazing freely in high grasslands. No formal permit system exists; only a small community-managed entrance fee is collected at the caldera rim. The best conditions are from June to September during Ecuador's dry season, when the trail is firm, the skies are clear, and the lagoon shines in its most vivid turquoise hue.

Trail Highlights

Laguna Quilotoa — a turquoise-green volcanic crater lake at 3,500 m elevation, 3 km wide and 250 m deep; the authentic Andean villages of Isinlivi and Chugchilan; terraced fields on steep slopes; free-roaming llamas; and dramatic views of the Ecuadorian Andes without the tourist crowds.