Quito sits at 2,850 m with volcanoes, cloud forest and the biggest indigenous market in South America all within a few hours’ drive. That is the real argument for using the city as a base: you can be standing below a glacier by mid-morning and back in the Old Town for dinner.
Below are the five day trips we run most often. All of them are shared tours confirmed from a single passenger, with a certified bilingual guide, transport and lunch handled by us. We are direct operators with our own fleet, so the bus, the guide and the plan are all ours.
1. Cotopaxi Hike and Bike – 10 hours, $61
The highest active volcano in the world at 5,897 m, and the day trip most people come to Quito for. Our transport takes you to the parking lot at 4,600 m, so the altitude is handed to you rather than earned. From there you hike past the Jose Rivas refuge at 4,800 m towards the perpetual glacier at 5,100 m, with no ropes, no crampons and no experience required.
Then you ride down: around 45 minutes of downhill biking to the Limpiopungo Lagoon at 3,850 m. Bike and helmet are included, and the descent is optional if you would rather stay in the van.
- Best for: real altitude without technical climbing
- Departures: Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
- Included: bilingual guide, transport, lunch, bike and helmet, park permits
See the full itinerary on the Cotopaxi Hike and Bike page, or read our Cotopaxi day trip guide first.
2. Quilotoa Culture and Hike – 12 hours, $56
An emerald lagoon inside a volcanic crater, reached through the parts of the Andes most itineraries skip. The day opens at a working indigenous market where lowland produce is traded for highland produce, not a market built for tourists: Saquisili on Thursdays, Pujili on Sundays.
Then the painters of Tigua, the photo stop above the Toachi Canyon, and the crater rim at 3,900 m. The hike down to the shore and back up takes about three hours, and the way up is where the altitude makes itself felt.
- Best for: hikers who want culture and landscape in the same day
- Departures: Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday
- Carry cash for: lagoon entrance $2, Toachi Canyon $1, optional kayak $3, optional horse back up $10
Details on the Quilotoa Culture and Hike page, or see how to visit Quilotoa.
3. Otavalo Cultural and Shopping – 12 hours, $56
Quito to Otavalo is two hours by direct bus. We take a full day and turn it into six stops, because the point is not arriving, it is everything on the way.
You stand on the equator at the Quitsato solar clock, watch bizcochos come out of the oven in Cayambe, look over San Pablo Lake with Imbabura behind it, then get free time in the Plaza de los Ponchos, the largest indigenous handicraft market in South America. The afternoon belongs to the Cuicocha crater lagoon at 3,068 m and 45 minutes in Cotacachi, a town that lives from leather.
- Best for: shopping, culture and easy walking, no hard hiking
- Departures: Tuesday and Saturday, the days of the biggest fair
- Level: easy
Full stop-by-stop breakdown on the Otavalo Cultural and Shopping page.
4. Mindo Adventure and Sweet – 12 hours, $56
West of Quito the Andes fall away into cloud forest and everything changes: warmer air, dense green, and more birds than you can keep track of. Mindo is the day trip that feels like a different country.
The day mixes wildlife, adrenaline and dessert – hummingbird refuge, waterfall walk, the tarabita cable car across the valley, a zip line over the treetops, and a chocolate factory at the end. Canopy, chocolate factory and butterfly farm are paid on site, so you only pay for what you actually do.
- Best for: birdwatchers, families and anyone who wants variety over effort
- Departures: Friday
- Level: easy
See what the day includes on the Mindo Adventure and Sweet page.
5. Half Day Walking Tour Quito – 3 hours, $15
Quito’s Old Town is best understood on foot and best explained by someone who lives in it. Three hours from the Basilica del Voto Nacional at 10:00 a.m., through colonial church facades, the places where the city’s history actually happened, and the legends locals still tell about them. It ends with traditional sweets and Ecuadorian chocolate.
- Best for: your first day in Quito, or an afternoon-free schedule
- Departures: every day
- Level: easy
Book it on the Half Day Walking Tour Quito page.
So which one should you pick?
- One day only, want the volcano: Cotopaxi Hike and Bike
- One day only, want the photograph: Quilotoa
- You want to shop and meet people: Otavalo
- You want warmth, birds and no altitude: Mindo
- You just landed and need to move gently: Half Day Quito
- You have two days: combine Cotopaxi and Quilotoa and sleep in Machachi, so day two starts at 8:30 a.m. instead of before dawn
One practical note: arrange your days by altitude, not by preference. If Cotopaxi or Quilotoa is on your list, give yourself a day or two in Quito first and your body will thank you at 4,600 m.
Book directly with the operator
Every tour on this page is operated by us, not resold. That is why we can confirm from one passenger and tell you honestly which day suits you. Browse all our day tours and multi-day trips, or message us on WhatsApp at +593 98 094 2338 and tell us how many days you have in Quito. We will build the order for you.
