Cotopaxi Volcano Tour from Quito – Day Trip to the Andes

Recommended by 100% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Quito, Ecuador

Great choice

5+ bookings last month.

8 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Group discounts
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Explore our promoted experiences

Quito, Ecuador

2 days - Trekking Altar Volcano & Yellow Lagoon Visit From Quito

from $570

Price varies by group size

Quito, Ecuador

Antisana volcano private tour; birding and hike in the Andes

from $130

Price varies by group size

Quito, Ecuador

Quilotoa Loop Tour from Quito – Discover Crater Lake & Villages

from $220

Price varies by group size

Viator earns higher commissions on experiences featured here

Overview

Don’t worry about matching the pace of a large tour group or waiting for other travelers during this private full-day excursion to Cotopaxi National Park. Instead, go at your own speed alongside a professional guide as you hike the Cotopaxi Volcano, marvel over the Limpiopungo Lagoon, and enjoy a traditional Ecuadorian lunch, ideal for travelers who want a personalized experience.

Explore the Cotopaxi National Park at your own pace during this full-day excursion
Hike the Cotopaxi Volcano and visit the Limpiopungo Lagoon
Benefit from the insight and undivided attention of your personal guide
Convenient hotel pickup and drop-off, as well as breakfast and lunch, are included

What's Included

Professional guide
Transport by private vehicle
Lunch
Pick Up / Drop Off
Entrance to Cotopaxi National Park

Breakfast
Alcoholic Beverages

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

- We pick you up at your address in the city of Quito. - Pick up outside the Metropolitan Area of Quito has a cost of USD 35 per person.

Operating hours
.8:00 am

Itinerary

Cotopaxi National Park

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Cotopaxi Volcano

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Laguna de Limpiopungo

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

San Juan De Pastocalle

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Cotopaxi National Park

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
May be operated by a multi-lingual guide
Not recommended for travelers with back problems

Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Most travelers can participate
This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Bruce_B

My wife and I had a fantastic private trip to Cotopaxi with our guide Andres and driver Santiago. I climbed Cotopaxi almost 30 years ago and wanted to revisit the Jose Ribas refugio. I wasn't sure if my wife was up to the hike up to the refugio, but Andrés and Santiago were very patient and we all made it. We're both in our mid 60's. The weather was great and the views were truly spectacular. Andres was very knowledgeable about the area and the geology. His English was very good and he brought great energy to the trip. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Cotapaxi and would recommend a small group or private group trip if you want to be assured of a rewarding day out.

Reviews

5.0

based on 70 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Wonderful trip to Cotapaxi

Bruce_B, Mar 2026

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Thank you so much for your kind and detailed review! It truly means a lot to us. We’re especially happy to hear that your return to Cotopaxi after so many years was such a meaningful experience—and even more special that you were able to share it together. Reaching the José Ribas Refugio is no small achievement, and we’re glad Andrés and Santiago could support you every step of the way with patience and encouragement. It’s wonderful to know you enjoyed the weather, the breathtaking views, and Andrés’ knowledge and energy throughout the day. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to both him and Santiago they’ll be thrilled to hear this. Thank you again for trusting us with your trip. We hope to welcome you back to Ecuador soon!!

Great way to spend a day

anja_h, Feb 2025

Do it! It was strenuous but Pedro made it a great day. He guided me to base camp and showed me the beauty of Cotopaxi. Great lunch, too

Response from Host, Mar 2025

Thank you for your review! We’re glad you had a fantastic experience with Pedro, making the hike both rewarding and enjoyable. Cotopaxi’s beauty is truly special, and a great lunch is always the perfect way to end the adventure. Hope to see you on another tour soon!

Our guide was very...

Kyndal_S, Oct 2023

Our guide was very knowledgeable and made the experience very enjoyable. Cotopaxi was beautiful and worth the trip.

Response from Host, Oct 2023

hi Kyndal ! We're delighted to hear that you had an enjoyable experience with our knowledgeable guide, and we agree that Cotopaxi is truly beautiful and worth the trip. Thank you for choosing us! Regards Real Dreams Team

Carlos was an amazing...

Diana_V, Jan 2023

Carlos was an amazing guide Scenery was fantastic Saw a volcano steaming Walked around a lagoon to look at birds

Response from Host, Jan 2023

Dear Diana, thank you very much for taking the time to write to us and letting us know how your visit to the Cotopaxi Volcano Tour was, the landscape that you were able to enjoy precisely these days, the volcano is active and this added to the Limpiopungo lagoon, the landscape of flora and wildlife is spectacular. Carlos our tour guide will be very well informed and will complement your visit for an unforgettable experience. We are very glad that you enjoyed this. Regards

Cotopaxi- great success!

Kristen_W, Jan 2023

Pedro was full of great information, took us to wonderful restaurants and led us all the way to the glacier and back safely. Jimmy - our driver - handled the rough terrain expertly too. Overall fantastic day!

Response from Host, Jan 2023

Hi Kristen We appreciate your time to write your comment about your experience of the Cotopaxi Volcano Tour. Pedro was in charge of taking you to the best places and in this case to the best restaurants so that your experience is unforgettable. Having reached the glaciers of the Cotopaxi Volcano is a privilege and a great pleasure to do so. Jimy, the driver, knows the roads very well and I take them safely at all times. Thanks again ! Regards

Challenging, but worth it.

Debbie_G, Jan 2022

This was extremely challenging, and I probably should not have done it on my first day in Ecuador. And definitely not with a heavy-ish pack. Nonetheless, the view is amazing and the hike well worth it. The tour guide was great and very helpful and patient. Highly recommend!

Response from Host, Apr 2022

We are very happy that you enjoyed your visit to Cotopaxi National Park and we thank you for your review.

New Year at Cotopaxi

Julie_G, Jan 2022

At the end of our 10 day Galápagos excursion and just a few short hours before returning home, my husband and I decided to visit Cotopaxi. What I liked best about this company is that they we were willing to pick us up from our airport hotel. Other companies refused and wanted us to meet them 40 minutes into Quito central. This company picked us up at 7 am promptly at the hotel. Our guide, Marcelo, was great. He was really enthusiastic about the day excursion and we learned about the national park. We learned that during the December/January season, it is best to go as early as possible for great views. We got lucky to see Cotopaxi in all its glory, but after the hike cloud covering obscured views of it. Additionally, we left the park around 2 pm and there was an enormous line to get in. Marcelo explained it was the first Sunday of the new year, so the park was packed. But we got lucky because we arrived so early. The hike itself wasn’t too challenging — it’s shorter than it looks! After we left the park, we had a few hiccups finding a restaurant but Marcelo handled it professionally. We got back to the hotel at 4, which made it about an 8-9 hour day.

Response from Host, Jan 2022

Hello dear friends Julia Thank you for your comment, this helps us to continue improving our quality of services. It was a total pleasure to pick you up at the Hotel in Tababela. Our tour guides are always with the best energy and knowledge to make your experience unforgettable and rewarding. We hope to see you again! Best regards

Excellent, exceptional

Marcela_M, Jan 2026

Amazing, our guide Andres exceptional, his knowledge and accompaniment was incredible, I appreciate every minute of this tour

Auto-translated

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Muchas gracias, Marcela, por dejarnos tu opinión sobre el Tour al Cotopaxi, nos alegra saber que disfrutaron del tour junto a Andrés, esperamos tenerlas pronto de regreso por Ecuado. Un fuerte abrazo!!