Cotopaxi National Park

Cotopaxi National Park

Cotopaxi National Park
4.5
National ParksNature & Wildlife AreasVolcanos
About
Named for the highest active volcano in the world (5,897 meters), this national park is dedicated to protecting llama and other animals such as bears, wolves, puma and deer.
Duration: More than 3 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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  • giovannaBorneo
    Lugano, Switzerland1,005 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful landscape
    The Cotopaxi volcano of 5,872 m high, is the second highest mountain in Ecuador after the 6310 m of Chimborazo and is one of the most famous attractions of Ecuador, is located in the Sierra region, not far from Quito, is also one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the Andes. If you have time do this excursion you will not regret it, between the famous Cotopaxy, the Limpiopungo lagoon and the 3 peaks of the Ruminahui volcano the landscape is really beautiful. You arrive by car at about 4000m and with a little luck you can see it free from the clouds, it happens to see wild horses, cows, foxes and quiet deer grazing. When we were there there there was a cold wind and several clouds, we were able to see for a few minutes free its perfect snowy cone, beautiful. If you are prepared and in good physical shape you can tackle the climb to the José Rivas Refuge at 4,864 m. and climb it with guides. Otherwise settle for a tour of the Limpiopungo Lagoon
    Visited November 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written August 8, 2024
  • Peter R
    Dartford, United Kingdom1,371 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Breathtaking
    About two hour’s drive outside Quito (depending upon traffic) is the Cotopaxi National Park. On the day we went although there were mainly clear blue sky’s with clouds rushing over the top of the snow covered Cotopaxi volcano, the wind was howling and we were glad we had bought our thick coats. We parked up by the lagoon near the foot of the Cotopaxi and did the walk around the lake seeing lots of wildlife.
    Visited September 2024
    Traveled as a couple
    Written October 30, 2024
  • Brandon Xavier M
    San Miguel de los Bancos, Ecuador12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Experience in Cotopaxi National Park
    A magical place within Ecuador, feel the incredible energy transmitted by the giant Cotopaxi, enjoy the landscape, flora and fauna. If you want to know Ecuador you should visit the Cotopaxi National Park obligatorily. The first time I went as a student, but I'll come back whenever I can.
    Visited March 2024
    Traveled with friends
    Written February 4, 2025
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles666 reviews
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25
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galadiel67
Chiavari, Italy3,782 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023
We arrived at the park on a bus from Quito to Latacunga. Left on the road, we reached the overpass where the park guides' off-road vehicles are located. We hired our guide who, for 50 Dollars (3 pax), accompanied us throughout the long visit to the park. He tells us that the pueblito, the gateway to Cotopaxi, where he was born, now has much less water because the large American forestry company that has purchased a vast area between the town and the park, uses it for the cultivation of two different pine species. but the company also provides jobs and therefore...
The visit starts from the refuge - ticket office, where coca "reinforcements" are also sold for those who, like us, want to reach the 4,800 m of the Carlos Rivas refuge, continues through the park gates. The first stop is the Limpiolungo lagoon and then you get to the car park where the path to Carlos Rivas starts and where the guides stop waiting for customers.
The climb, short but very tiring due to the altitude, takes place on the black and gray debris of the Cotopaxi volcano, the warrior of the pantheon of primitive Ecuadorians. During the walk the weather changed at least 4 times: first cloudy, then it snowed, then we enjoyed a glimpse of sunshine, then it rained... In any case it was really cold.
The arrival at the refuge is, for a normal tourist, an epic moment! Chocolate bread is a well-deserved award.
Returning to the car park, the visit continues with a stop at the visitor center near the botanical garden. The visitor centre, with signs and educational displays, is truly interesting and fun.
The hours pass quickly, captured by that unique, barren and powerful environment.
On the way back the Cotopaxi greeted us: a beautiful rainbow accompanied us towards the exit and grateful greetings to our guide.
Google
Written February 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Samburux
6 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
We had a challenging yet exhilarating hike up Cotopaxi volcano. Our guide Giovanny Tapia from Happy Gringo was fabulous as was our local Indigenous guide who I know by his Spanish name - Segundo. Segundo guided my husband and two teenagers up the windy path, while Giovanny kept a slower pace with me. The views were second to none. We all reached our goal to get to the refuge- hiking from the parking lot at about 4,600 meters to the refuge at about 4,865 meters. My oldest son and husband went on with Segundo to the glacier at about 5,000 meters while my younger son and I descended with Giovanny. This was an amazing experience! Thank you Giovanny and Seguno!
Written January 3, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Fuzihus
Houston, TX120 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Couples
What a stunner! It was a beautiful drive from Quito to Cotopaxi with so much to see and absorb. We stopped at a quaint little restaurant on the way, with our guide Lincoln, and we drank coca leaf tea to acclimatize to the high altitude. The restaurant owner had a few llamas and roosters hanging around, and very clean restrooms! The views in Cotopaxi National Park are spectacular and if one is lucky, on a clear morning, one can see all the way to the snow capped top. We saw magnificent wild horses on the way up. It was extremely cold and windy at the top, and no climb up any mountain can be done without hiking boots, thermals and warm clothes. It was very hard to breathe at 14,000ft so every step is laborious. But this volcano should not be missed! On our descent, we did the 2 hr hike around the lake and that was incredibly beautiful. We saw all kinds of birds as well as more wild horses, and a vast array of flora and fauna. Be prepared for rain as well, because every afternoon is moist due to dense cloud cover. Completely worth every minute and every cent!
Written August 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Astrid W
Bogota, Colombia134 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 • Solo
What a beautiful and quiet place. It’s about 1.5 hours away from Quito. You hace to pay and register at the entrance and you need to drive for a while before reaching a lake and even longer before getting to the Refugio which is the highest spot they’ll let you get in when the volcano is active. It can be cold, so wear a jacket and some more. The views are awesome, nature is great here, and if you’re lucky, you’ll see the volcano quite clearly.
Written January 1, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

virginiaLB
Elliniko, Greece22 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2020
I don’t recommend visiting the park during Covid- I don’t know what it’s like prior to covid. The rules are inconsistent and the Park Rangers make it very difficult for tourist. The first problem, they would not let us into the park with our own taxi, even though we had a letter from our lodge saying we were staying in the park. We had to change to one of their drivers and were charged an unreasonable amount for the ride. Second problem, we were in a car arranged with our lodge to explore the park when a ranger stopped us again. He would not let our driver take us anywhere, he forced us to turn around even though two tourist were already in the car during a pandemic where tourism is dead in this country. Our lodge knew nothing of this nor did we read anything about this online. The ranger also informed us we could not even hike around on our own through the endless marked trails, even though there was a bike race of 20+ bikers entering the park in their own cars and biking. The bottom line is the park is running a monopoly and making it very difficult for tourist to enjoy on their own and nothing is listed online with the rules. It is an inconsistent mess. The lodge is amazing, and it’s no fault of theres.
Written November 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rodney B
Waukesha, WI1,152 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021 • Family
We visited the park on a tour with two of our teenaged kids. There are bathrooms shopping booths, and a restaurant at the entrance. After picking up some sweaters we headed in and drove the road up to a parking area below Cotopaxi. We then hiked up to the refugio. Having spent 5 nights in Quito really help us acclimate as we made it up to the refugio at almost 16,000 feet with no problems. The refugio has a café, bunks for those hiking to the summit, and a small bouldering cave. We then easily hiked down and had lunch in the park at Restaurante El Gran Volcan. The food was good. During lunch we watched the lightning over Cotopaxi as afternoon thunderstorms are common. After lunch we went horseback riding. The horses were really easy to ride and it was really fun riding around the volcano and the beautiful scenery. Before leaving we stopped at the Lake Limpiopung and saw the local waterfowl. This is a beautiful volcano and national park!
Written November 1, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Patricio L
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022
The place is very beautiful, and the Cotopaxi looks incredible. It was a great experience to go. The only bad thing is that you need to walk to get to the top, and that leaves you exhausted.
If you want to go to Cotopaxi I recommend you go with warm clothes and with boots because the ground is slippery.
Written March 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

boots1967
Lexington, KY47 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021
We hired a driver/tour guide to take us between Quito and Banos and he arranged for a Naturalist so that my husband could walk to the refuge (I sustained a knee injury in Banos and had to stay in the car, unfortunately). You can't enter the park without a naturalist. The area driving into the park is beautiful - mountains, flowers, interesting terrain. We saw two foxes and a hawk. The photos from my husband's walk were phenomenal and some of the best from our vacation. We were lucky and got to see the top of Cotopaxi the day we were there.
Written July 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

wired
Toronto, Canada51 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020 • Couples
You can see it from a distance but driving up to it on switchbacks is the way to go. Once you get to the parking lot at over 12,000 ft., you have the option to walk higher to the rifugio which is a hut whee you can get food and has bathrooms. Be advised that it's pretty windy and cold up there so gloves, a hat and warm layers are advised. The scenery driving down is pretty good too. Once you get to the road at the bottom there's a small restaurant and a very good souvenir shop a few miles away.
Written February 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Eric Z
1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
Cotopaxi National Park is an impressive natural wonder located in Ecuador.
Cotopaxi National Park is one of the highest volcanoes in the world.
The park is home to a wide range of ecosystems including high altitude grasslands, forests and wildlife such as Andean condors and llamas.
My recommendations for visiting the park would be to drink plenty of water and take it easy as the weather in the park can be unpredictable with heavy rains, hail and strong winds. I recommend wearing waterproof clothing.
In short, Cotopaxi National Park is a beautiful and unique destination that offers visitors an unforgettable experience.
Written March 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Cotopaxi National Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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