On the 3rd day on our trek, we reached the lip of the the crater, and just minutes later we were gazing down at the blue/green of Quilotoa Crater Lake. After several days hiking through farmland and along the hillsides of Ecuador we had reached an elevation of 12,770 feet.
We were tired, completely out of breath, and amazed at the gorgeous lake.
The stunning Quilotoa Loop hike offers sweeping views of the high Ecuadorian Andes in the Cotapaxi region. Hiking from village to village, this challenging hiking route is one of the best treks in South America and can be done on your own with no guide.
Typically done as a 3-day hike, you will spend most of your time walking up a limestone river valley through farmland and up and down steep slopes above the valley floor all while ascending to the rim of the Quilotoa Crater.
Quilotoa Loop Stats
Here is a snapshot of the Quilotoa Loop Hike. There are several options for hiking the trail, so you will likely see different trail mileage and elevation gain. The Quilotoa Loop trek can be done in either direction and is typically done over 3 days. The stats below describe hiking the loop from North to South (or from Sigchos to Quilotoa).
Distance: 24 miles
Elevation Gain: 7,000 feet
Difficulty: Challenging
Highest Elevation: 12,770 feet
Descent (or elevation gain in the other direction): 4,000 feet
Important to Note: the Quilotoa Loop isn’t actually hiked as a loop! It is a one way hike that is made into a loop with the busses.
Where to Stay on the Trek
The Quilotoa Loop is an established trekking trail and while the trails are somewhat well marked, there are established hostels and lodges to stay along the way. The most common places to stay are in Isinlivi and Chugchilan. Many hikers also spent the first or last night at Sigchos or Quilotoa.
Each lodge or hostel servers dinner and breakfast and will pack you a lunch for the day for a few dollars. Here are the two places we stayed:
Llullu Llama Mountain Lodge – it was our favorite place we stayed while in Ecuador. The common spaces are fabulous, the view is great, the rooms are comfortable and there is a sauna/hot tub that you can rent by the hour.
Hostal Cloud Forest – We stayed in this popular and great hostel. The cost for the night is reasonable and includes dinner and breakfast. You can get a bed in a shared room or book a family room or double as we did. There is a fun common space with pool tables and other games.
Tips for the Quilotoa Loop Hike
Pack light and stay in hostels. You can leave your extra gear in Latacunga and it is lovely to hike the a lighter pack
Download Maps.me to help you navigate along the trail
Pack warm and waterproof clothing since you will be hiking at elevation
Enjoy the incredible scenery along this stunning and challenging loop
Don’t underestimate the elevation. If you are coming from sea level, give yourself time to acclimate.
Enjoy the excellent lodging options along the way
Be respectful of the locals and the farmland you will be travelling through. This includes practicing leave no trace and shutting all gates to keep animals contained
Get bag lunches from the hostels along the route
Refill your reusable water bottle at each hostel along the way (they all have big jugs of filtered water)
Be aware of the dogs along the way. We didn’t have any trouble, but if you are concerned about dogs, carry hiking poles or pretend to pick up a stone and the dog will likely scamper
Get health insurance in case you have an emergency on the trail.
Wear sunscreen! We forgot one day when it was cloudy and got toasted
See a complete guide to Hiking the Quilotoa Loop.
Have fun out there,
Gretchen
This sounds like a great adventure. Completing such a challenging hike feels so rewarding!
In terms of difficulty level, is it comparable to anything you've done before?