Hoy quiero contarles sobre uno de los lugares más impactantes que visité en Ecuador: el Parque Nacional Cotopaxi. Esta reserva ecológica es, sin dudas, una de las más impresionantes y hermosas del país. Con su imponente volcán nevado como protagonista, ofrece paisajes que quitan el aliento y una conexión directa con la naturaleza andina. En este artículo les voy a compartir todo lo que se puede hacer dentro del parque, cómo llegar por cuenta propia y por qué vale tanto la pena incluirlo en cualquier itinerario por Ecuador.
He Cotopaxi National Park It is a very popular option among mountaineering and hiking enthusiasts, and for anyone who loves admiring beautiful landscapes without having to undertake any difficult trekking.
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Cotopaxi Volcano
What makes this National Park so beautiful and interesting to visit is the presence of the second highest volcano in Ecuador at 5,897 meters (after the Chimborazo with 6,263 meters) rising above relatively flat terrain.
Las vistas que se tienen del Volcán a kilómetros de distancia, así como también las que podemos observar desde la parte superior son realmente fabulosas.
He Cotopaxi It is one of the favorite peaks for mountaineers in Ecuador. To climb it, it's essential to have the proper equipment and make sure you hire a professional mountain guide.
The most used route to ascend, and as far as some excursions go, is the one that starts from the Jose Rivas Shelter which is at 4,864 meters on the northern slope of the volcano.
Where is Cotopaxi National Park?
Cotopaxi National Park is located on the border of the provinces of Pichincha and Cotopaxi, just 33 km northeast of the city of Latacunga and 50 km south of Quito.
How to get to Cotopaxi Volcano on your own
The two cities that are used as a base to reach the Cotopaxi Volcano due to their proximity are: Quito and Latacunga.
Public transport buses depart from both of them daily, traveling along Route 35, which borders Cotopaxi National Park, although none will drop you off near the entrance.
In my case I chose the city of Latacunga as my base, since it was in an ideal location to visit the Park and also to Visit the Quilotoa Lagoon (as I told you in this article).
From Latacunga we have to go to the bus terminal and take some transportation that goes north (to Quito) along Route 35.
Although the bus makes stops along the way, the trip is relatively short. To be sure where you need to get off, I recommend asking the driver or a passenger to let you know, otherwise you risk missing the bus.
Cuando bajamos, ya sea que lleguemos de Quito o Latacunga, notaremos que estamos en medio de la nada, solo ruta a nuestro alrededor. Y en principio es verdad, pero no hay que desesperarse por que no es tan así (más adelante les cuento).
Algo que me hubiese gustado saber desde un principio, es que desde la parada en la ruta hasta la entrada del Parque hay un largo trayecto de ruta asfaltada sin ningún tipo de transporte público que nos acerque. Entonces, esto nos deja 2 opciones para poder visitar el Parque:
- Option 1: Hitchhike or walk to the entrance (not recommended)
- Option 2: Hire a guide with a car or a taxi
Visit Cotopaxi National Park on your own
Honestly, I don't see this option as possible, and I can tell you this from my own experience.
Fui con toda la intención de visitar el Parque Nacional Cotopaxi por mi cuenta, como trato siempre, pero las distancias son enormes para hacerlo caminando, y no solo para llegar a la entrada, sino para recorrer los puntos de interés en el interior del Parque, es decir que se hace imposible recorrerlo sin un medio de transporte privado.
Visit the Park with a tour or guide
For the reasons stated above, we will then be forced to hire transportation or an excursion to visit Cotopaxi Park.
Whether we're in Quito, Latacunga, or even on the route we took by bus on our own, we'll find agencies or guides who can take us privately.
For example from Quito we have This excursion covers Cotopaxi Park and Quilotoa Lagoon on the same day, or we have this another 2-day tour that runs along the Avenue of the Volcanoes, with a visit to Cotopaxi included.
If, on the other hand, you're like me, at the bus stop along the route, what you can do is go to a restaurant or inn in the area and ask if they know someone who can take you to the Park.
I hadn't even made it into the place when an older man in his pickup truck stopped me on the street and asked if I was interested in the tour.
He told me what we were going to see, where he was going to take me, and how much he would charge. I agreed without hesitation.
After a while, another traveler who was on his own also joined the tour. The price improves as more participants participate, so he ended up charging us around $25 for a complete tour of the park up to the Jose Rivas Shelter including.
Excursion to Cotopaxi National Park
When I saw the entire journey I needed to take to get to the park entrance, I realized that walking was crazy.
At the entrance of the Park, right where you have to announce what you are entering, there is the Park Museum in case they want to make a stop. We kept going because we weren't really interested.
The next stop would be, after walking for a while, the Limpiopungo Lagoon.
Most tours include this stop in their circuits. The rock type and geography of the area demonstrate the consequences left by ancient volcanic eruptions. Plus, if you like taking photos, it's a great spot to get incredible views of the volcano and the lagoon.
Another stop that the tours usually make is at a chuquirahua forest (a floral species native to the Andes) at 4,200 meters.
The last stop on our tour would be the Jose Rivas Shelter, located at 4,864 meters above sea level. The ascent to the volcano's summit begins from this refuge.
Most tours don't take you here, mainly due to time and distance issues. The van must climb a long way up a cobblestone road along the side of the volcano to reach a parking lot. From there, the only way is on foot.
As we get out of the truck, we feel the weather change compared to when we were at the lagoon. Now we have to bundle up because the cold and wind at altitude are relentless.
We started climbing slowly so as not to run out of air—remember, we're at almost 5,000 meters above sea level—and in 15 or 20 minutes we reached the refuge.
There we can rest for a while, drink hot chocolate, eat something if we want, or simply admire the panoramic views of the horizon.
From here, with the help of the weather, we can see hundreds of miles in all directions. Take advantage and ask the guide anything you want.
Later, after walking a bit around the shelter, it's time to return.
We follow the same route we came until we are dropped off at the restaurant that the guide and his family run, a few meters from the route where we had found him.
From there, there's no other option than to take the bus back to the city where we're staying.
Reflexiones finales de la visita al Volcán Cotopaxi
The Cotopaxi Volcano had a strong pull on me. Even from Latacunga, where I saw its conical shape standing alone, I heard it whispering to me to go (as if it were Sauron luring Frodo :D).
In my opinion, the best part of the walk was the views I had of the volcano from the entrance road to the Park and from the Limpiopungo Lagoon. Era tan imponente verlo erigiéndose del llano, que hizo olvidarme de todo el trajín que tuve que hacer para llegar al Parque y volver.
If you enjoy mountainous and volcanic landscapes, this is a must-see. Just compare whether it's better to book a tour from the city where you're staying or from the route itself. Then, just let the guide guide you.
And this is the end of this article on how to spend a day in the Cotopaxi National Park. Remember that you can do more images of Ecuador in this album, and if you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them below.
See you on the next adventure!
How are you doing? I wasn't planning on paying for a guide, to be honest. Thanks for the advice.
What year did you go? I understood you couldn't go to the shelter, so I wanted to go alone. Is it open?
Hi Maca! I went in November 2016. I don't know if it's open now, to be honest. Besides, when I went, it was almost summer and there was no snow on the trail. I don't know if it's as accessible in winter. The distances are very long to hike, even if you don't go to the refuge, there are long stretches. Perhaps, instead of a 4x4 with a guide, you could save a bit by taking a taxi or a private car.