Do I need experience or technical climbing equipment?

No. Our transport reaches the parking lot at 4,600 m and the hike up to the refuge is done without technical equipment. No previous experience is required.

How high do we actually go?

Parking lot at 4,600 m (15,092 ft), José Rivas refuge at 4,800 m (15,748 ft), the highest point of the day. The day starts with an acclimatization stop at 2,945 m.

Is the bike descent obligatory?

No, it is optional. It takes around 45 minutes downhill to the Limpiopungo Lagoon at 3,850 m, and bike and helmet are included in the price.

Can I ride a horse instead of hiking and biking?

Yes. A 3-hour horseback ride can replace the hike and the bike descent for $50 extra, with prior reservation.

How cold does it get up there?

Average temperature on the tour is around 5C / 41F. Bring warm clothes, a windbreaker, gloves and neck and ear protection.

Which days does it run and where do we meet?

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Pick-up at Foch Square at 7:10 a.m. or at Zular Coffee Shop (San Blas Square) at 7:20 a.m.

Cotopaxi Hike and Bike

Ride down one of the highest active volcanoes on Earth

From $61 Per person. Shared tour.

10 hours

Day Tours from Quito

Cotopaxi Hike and Bike — Ecosportour, Ecuador

Difficulty: Moderate
10-hour day from Quito
Hike to the refuge at 4,800 m
Bike and helmet included
Lunch and park permits included
No previous experience needed

Duration
10 hours
Difficulty
Moderate
Departure
Foch Square at 7:10 a.m. / Zular Coffee Shop (San Blas Square) at 7:20 a.m.
Departure days
Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Languages
English, Spanish

Tour overview

Cotopaxi is the highest active volcano in the world at 5,897 m (19,347 ft), and its national park is the second most visited protected area in Ecuador after the Galapagos. This 10-hour day puts you on its flank and back in Quito by evening.

Our transport takes you all the way to the parking lot at 4,600 m, so the hardest part is already behind you. From there you hike up to the José Rivas refuge at 4,800 m, the highest point of the day. No technical equipment. No previous experience.

Then the reward: around 45 minutes of downhill biking from the parking lot 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.

The day opens with a technical stop at 2,945 m for acclimatization and photos, with Pasochoa and Rumiñahui on one side and Corazón and the Ilinizas on the other. Shared tour, four departures a week, lunch and park permits included. $61 per person.

Itinerary

Entrance to Cotopaxi National Park

The day begins with an acclimatization stop at 2,945 m, with Pasochoa, Rumiñahui, Corazón and the Ilinizas in view. Apart from Galápagos, no protected area in Ecuador receives more visitors, and the tour covers the entrance permits.
Hike to José Rivas Refuge (4,800 m)

Transport drives up to the parking lot at 4,600 m, so the climb to the refuge — the highest point of the day — starts from there. No technical gear or previous experience needed. For $50 extra, booked in advance, a 3-hour horseback ride can replace the hike and the bike descent.
Downhill biking

Around 45 minutes downhill from the same parking lot where the hike began. Bike and helmet are provided, and riding is optional: you can stay in the van instead.
Limpiopungo Lake viewpoint

The descent finishes at 3,850 m, well below the refuge.
Lunch included

A menu-type lunch. Extra food, drinks, snacks and gratuities are not covered.

What's included

Included

Bilingual Spanish-English guide
Authorized tourist transportation
Menu-type lunch
Bike and helmet
Protected area entrance permits

Not included

Extra food and drinks
Snacks
Gratuities

What to bring

Comfortable, warm clothes
Windbreaker
Gloves, neck and ear protection
Camera
Sunscreen
Comfortable shoes for mountainous and sandy terrain

Good to know

Do I need experience or technical climbing equipment?

No. Our transport reaches the parking lot at 4,600 m and the hike up to the refuge is done without technical equipment. No previous experience is required.
How high do we actually go?

Parking lot at 4,600 m (15,092 ft), José Rivas refuge at 4,800 m (15,748 ft), the highest point of the day. The day starts with an acclimatization stop at 2,945 m.
Is the bike descent obligatory?

No, it is optional. It takes around 45 minutes downhill to the Limpiopungo Lagoon at 3,850 m, and bike and helmet are included in the price.
Can I ride a horse instead of hiking and biking?

Yes. A 3-hour horseback ride can replace the hike and the bike descent for $50 extra, with prior reservation.
How cold does it get up there?

Average temperature on the tour is around 5C / 41F. Bring warm clothes, a windbreaker, gloves and neck and ear protection.
Which days does it run and where do we meet?

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Pick-up at Foch Square at 7:10 a.m. or at Zular Coffee Shop (San Blas Square) at 7:20 a.m.