Quilotoa Lagoon and Indian Markets: One-Day Breathtaking Plunge from Quito
4.9
25 Ratings
Quito

This day trip offers you the chance to explore the stunning Quilotoa Crater Lake, which is situated roughly 2.5 hours to the south of Quito. This unique emerald-hued lake is truly extraordinary. The trip also includes a visit to a nearby indigenous marketplace and a trek down to the water– you can even take a dip if you’re so inclined!

Duration: 11 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

Quilotoa, an emerald colored lake located inside a volcano crater, is one of the Andes’ gems. At 3800m, the lake is also a host to surrounding indigenous communities. The drive to Quilotoa passes through the Zumbahua canyon and various indigenous towns and farmlands.

Depending on the day, we will visit either the Saquisilí (Thursdays), or Pujilí (Sundays) indigenous markets so you can appreciate the contrast between these and those of the Imbabura province (Otavalo).

We then arrive at the Quilotoa National Park and begin our descent to the lake, you can hike back up or rent a mule to take you back up. After lunch we will visit Shalala, a community well known for their handicrafts.

Weather in Quilotoa is very unpredictable, so we recommend being prepared with warm and waterproof clothing (layers always help).

Itinerary

  • Pick up at 7am in the New Town (Magic Bean Cafe)
  • Pick up at 7:15am in the Old Town (Plaza San Blas)
  • Leave towards Saquisili / Pujili / Indian markets (it depends on the day)
  • Arrive to Quilotoa followed by trek around the crater
  • Lunch
  • Arrive to Tigua community
  • Return towards Quito

Points of Interest

  • Francisco de Caldas e1-75

  • Plaza Foch

What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • Pickup and drop-off from designated meeting points
  • Driver/guide
  • Lunch
What's Not Included
  • Entrance fees ($2 entrance to park)
  • Breakfast
  • Additional fees (mule $10 or canoe ride $5, Toachi cañon $1)
Additional Information
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Location
Francisco de Caldas e1-75
Francisco de Caldas
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(25 Ratings)
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Trina_f
Jul 30, 2023
Quilotoa and cultural tour must do! - Excellent tour. Guide (Victor) was informative and gave us so much education and guidance about all our stops / sights. Included history and cultural info and made sure ALL our needs were met. The lagoon was amazing and the rim hike gorgeous. Not easy but not the down and then steep & altitude gain of the lagoon hike. Wild flowers abound in colors and views beyond the crater were amazing. Bring snacks for the starving but sweet dogs in the plaza and LOTS of water for yourself! We had perfect weather and LOVED this tour. Great value as well! And an authentic delicious meal at the end. Can’t recommend enough!
Review provided by Viator
Kristen_s
Jun 21, 2023
Magical Day - Our day visiting Quilotoa Lagoon was beyond our expectations. The van was waiting for us at our meeting point and it was very comfortable. We were all glad we had a window seat because the views to and from the lagoon were breathtaking. Our first stop was at a gas station/restaurant. We were glad to take a quick break and very very happy we decided to listen to our guide and got snacks and a drink to take for later in the day. After a gorgeous climb into the mountains, we stopped at a local family's home to see how some Highlander families live. This was so special. The homeowners were incredibly welcoming and kind. I loved this part of the day. Even though we had seen pictures of Quilotoa Lagoon, seeing it in reality was magical. We were lucky enough to have a cloudless day and words cannot do it justice. Most of the group decided to walk the trail to the Lagoon. I choose to go down part of the path but did not venture further because it was very steep decline with a lot of sand and loose soil. Two members rode the horses back to the top and they were so happy they did. The others who chose to walk back up described it as extremely difficult. (Except for the teenagers who of course had no problem). This is where the drinks and snacks came in handy. After we all recovered, we had lunch at a local restaurant. It was delicious. We had options of veggie, beef or chicken. Everyone really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. The ride home was just as spectacular as the ride there. One other very important reason our trip was so successful was our guide, Estuardo and our drive, Alex. Both were very professional, patient and kind. Estuardo went so far as to have a birthday cake and sing happy birthday to our teen who turned 15. That is true hospitality. I would recommend this tour with all my heart.
Review provided by Viator
Sonia_r
Dec 8, 2022
We kicked the day off... - We kicked the day off with a yummy breakfast at a local market, visited an indigenous group who shared their way of living with us - which was super insightful before we had time to spend at the Quilotoa lagoon. We rented a kayak for 20 minutes- which was fun before we headed back up. We all did it below an hour and we’re rewarded with a delicious lunch nearby. Our guide was super caring and fun.
Review provided by Viator
Beccblue33
Aug 8, 2022
Fun and professional, highly recommend - Amazing day at Quilotoa! Easy to book, friendly staff, driver and guide were great! Very beautiful volcano and something you cannot miss if you are in Ecuador!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Neeha_b
Jan 20, 2022
Fun day - Had a great time at the lagoon as well as exploring some of the other stops. Didn’t feel rushed at any spot. Great trip to enjoy the Andes scenery.
Review provided by Viator
Cyrvalotehotmail
Nov 26, 2021
Excellent really full day tour - Great day in the mountains. Pedro, the guide for our group of 10, was superb. Indian markets very interesting. Mountain scenery spectacular. Saw many animals, including llamas and, unexpectedly, dozens of guinea pigs living freely in the home of an old farmer we visited. Highlight, of course, was Quilatoa Lake. We walked all the way down, but at 77 I was happy there were horses available to bring us back up, and it was a fun experience to ride. This tour with Community Adventures is highly recommended and great value for money.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ahabaito
Oct 8, 2021
Beautiful and challenging (or take $10 for the mule ride) - Had a great tour with Alex to the indigenous market. If you think you will want to eat something at the market, don't eat breakfast before you go, hold out. I really liked the fried corn cakes with fresh cheese [I think they were arepas]), the lamb was good and the fruit was good. It is a bit of a drive out from Quito, but that is just because of where it is. If you get carsick, take some dramamine or something. I did and I enjoyed the ride and the food stalls a lot more at the indigenous markets. Alex told us a lot of history and lore. He loves what he does and likes to share how beautiful his country is, and it shows. One of the coolest things in the market besides munching on food was just backing up enough to see over the stalls to the snowy mountain behind. It was a beautiful day. Quilotoa was beautiful and of course, I loved taking pictures of the flowers and the water. I wimped out marginally and went out on the little spit of land that extends out into the crater and spent my time up there instead of going all the way down where the kayaks are. The color of the water is amazing. I took lots of rest breaks on the way back up. A very good day. I slept like a rock after that hike.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cassief334
Apr 21, 2021
Must Do - This tour was amazing. Carlos was a fantastic guide. I was the only person on my tour that didn’t speak Spanish and he took his time to translate for me. We went on a cloudy day; however, the lake was still very blue. The markets were fun to stop at along the way. As well as the stop to see the indigenous artwork. I enjoyed trying the food at the markets. Dress warm!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Therese_w
Nov 6, 2020
Wonderful and caring tour guides - Our tour guides Andrea and Alex were excellent. Not only were they very knowledgeable, but also very considerate. There love for their country was evident and clearly cared that we enjoyed our trip. Easy going, lovely folks that made it feel Like we spent a lovely day with friends. Highly recommend Viator and these particular guides. 👍🏽
Review provided by Viator
Lily_f
Sep 29, 2023
great experience but not for the faint of heart for those in later years. - i enjoyed the trip a lot. i loved visiting the family on the way to learn about their food, their animals, medicines etc. the volcano was beautiful, i found with the altitude i was not able to climb down and back, but waited at the top with some breathtaking views. it is a very long ride up and back with some stunning views of canyons and volcanos. i didn't learn as much as i would have liked about the country, people etc but still delightful.
Review provided by Viator
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