Description

Quilotoa is a beautiful volcanic crater with a lagoon of green waters inside. The volcano is in the Cotopaxi Province and has a crater of approximately 3 kilometers in diameter and the lagoon is 375 meters below the Crater Viewpoint, with a calculated depth of up to 250 meters. Quilotoa continues to receive constant volcanic monitoring although its current activity is low, its waters owe their green color precisely to the minerals and gases expelled by the volcano; They are somewhat toxic and this has hindered the emergence of life within. In the volcano surroundings have settled some ancestral indigenous communities, now distributed in the picturesque towns of Zumbahua, Chucchilán, Tigua, Isinlivi and Sigchos.

Elevation Table
PlaceElevation
Highest Summit3933m
South Crater Viewpoint3882m
Lagoon3508m
Zumbahua3515m
Sigchos2868m

Photos

Crop fields, Zumbahua

Crop fields, Zumbahua

Quilotoa lagoon

Quilotoa lagoon

Going down to the lagoon

Going down to the lagoon

Climbing and Hiking

  1. Trail from the South Viewpoint to the Quilotoa Lagoon
  2. Trail from “La Virgen” to the Ilinizas Refuge. Easy, 2 - 3h, one way.
  3. Quilotoa Loop
  4. Circumvallation along the Crater Rim
  5. South Viewpoint to Chucchilan
  6. Sigchos to Isinlivi
  7. Chucchilán to Isinlivi
  8. “Cañón del Toachi” Viewpoint - Toachi River
  9. Click for more information

Flora

Gentianella sp.

Gentianella sp.

Lamourouxia Virgata

Lamourouxia Virgata

Caiophora contorta

Caiophora contorta

How to get

Western Cordillera; 32 kilometers in a straight line west of Latacunga. There are three approach routes to Quilotoa:

  1. Normal approach “Zumbahua”: From Latacunga take the Pujilí - Zumbahua road (western direction); alternatively, when you go up from the coast, you can take the Quevedo - La Maná - Zumbahua road. You enter the town of Zumbahua and continue by paved road, approximately 12 additional kilometers, to the viewpoint of the Quilotoa Crater.
  2. “Chucchilán” approach: This is a longer approach and requires a hike from the town of Chucchilan to the north side of the Quilotoa crater. The easiest way to get to Chucchilán is to continue by car from Zumbahua in the direction of the crater viewpoint, almost reaching the viewpoint you can find on the left a paved road that goes to the Chucchilán community, a total of 29 kilometers from Zumbahua, an approximate time of 40 minutes.
  3. “Sigchos” approach: An approach for the more adventurous that also offers beautiful landscapes. it's a two-day hike between Sigchos and the Crater Viewpoint on the north side. You could spend the night in the existing hostels at Chucchilan or Isinlivi. This route may require a prior study of the maps and knowledge of navigation with compass or GPS. it's recommended to obtain more information at Sigchos before starting the hike.

AmbatoCentral North SierraLos Illinizas Ecological Reserve