Visiting Volcan Cotopaxi and the surrounding Cotopaxi National Park is a day exploring one of Ecuador’s legendary peaks. The full day trip starts in Quito, when you are picked up from your hotel by your guide. From there the tour travels by private transport an hour and a half to two hours south to the park. The 5,897 meter, snow-capped volcano rises out of the flatlands, majestically towering over the towns and villages in its wake. Its name means “Smooth Neck of the Moon,” in English; and it has been held as sacred since before the Inca. The reserve is home to foxes, pumas, bears, wild horses, and wolves. Bird’s living in the area include spot-billed ground-tyrants, the streak-backed canastero, and Andean snipes. Once inside the park’s borders, the adventure begins. Options …show more content…
The contrasting views from below the glacier and the lagoon are breathtaking, alternating between sweeping panoramas of the surrounding peaks and cities, to the reflection of the volcano in the placid waters of the lagoon. The flatlands of the park are lush with flora, growing amid the rocky outcrops leading to the higher elevations. After exploring the park, the next stop is lunch a nearby historic hacienda,and a guided walk around the property. Horseback and bicycle rides can be arranged for an additional fee. The trip concludes with a drive back through the highlands to Quito, where you will arrive by 6pm in time for relaxation before dinner. How to Get There Cotopaxi National Park is less than 2 hours from Quito. Your driver and guide will pick you up in the morning at your hotel and return you back to Quito in the late afternoon. Highlights • Explore the Avenue of Volcanoes with a visit to Cotopaxi National Park • Dive into the culture of the Southern Highlands with a lunch visit to a historic