We begin our tour by picking up passengers from designated hotels starting at 6:30 am . We continue along the Pan-American Highway South, enjoying its beautiful landscapes, diverse ecosystems, and the majestic Andes Mountains, arriving at Cotopaxi National Park at approximately 9:00 am.
Once we arrive at the National Park, we will visit the Park Museum and the beautiful Limpiopung Lagoon, where its waters are surrounded by small hills and knolls. From there , it is possible to appreciate the traces left by ancient volcanic eruptions . Here , you can also observe a wide variety of birds, herds of llamas, and some mammal species such as rabbits and deer.
We will take an interesting 2-hour hike to the splendid Chuquiraguas forest at 4200 meters above sea level (weather and time permitting). There we will learn about the representative plants of this national park, such as: chuquiragua, cushion plant colonies, mosses, lichens, romeliums, the tree of God, and mortiño.
Next, we`ll head to the foothills of the impressive Cotopaxi volcano, where we`ll take a short hike within the park . After that, we`ll visit the Quilotoa volcano , where we`ll see its crater and captivating turquoise lagoon. We`ll also take a short walk around the volcano, as this location offers some of the most beautiful and photographed scenery in the country.
We will have free time for lunch (not included) . You will have the option of eating inside the park while enjoying the incredible views of the Cotopaxi volcano, or you can also eat outside the National Park.
Our return to Quito will be at approximately 5:00 PM , where transportation will drop us off at the hotel.