The Quilotoa Loop: Lodge to Lodge Trek
Do your feet itch for the rugged trail? Do your lungs crave fresh mountain air? Does your curiosity yearn for an adventure that you can’t just read about in a tourist brochure? Then join Andean Discovery for five days of hiking or horseback riding along one of South America’s most scenic routes: The Quilotoa Loop.
Hidden in plain view just a few miles off the Panamerican Highway, this is one of Ecuador’s best-kept secrets. A bumpy ring road will take you off-the-beaten-path into Cotopaxi backcountry. The agrarian working landscape has a remote and relaxing atmosphere that feels a world apart from well-trodden cities and the much-visited Galapagos Islands.
Pairing exercise with exploration, you’ll wander through vast patchworks of hilly farmland, homey huts preserved in time, and trek in the shadow of snow-capped volcanoes. You will hike from lodge to lodge, with your guides infusing your journey with historical context, geological expertise, and cultural significance along the way until you reach the region’s most beloved icon: Quilotoa Lake. Locals believe this stunning water-filled crater has no bottom, and offers a portal to an underworld. Whether or not you believe these legends, Quilotoa Lake’s blue-green waters look magical and feel truly special, shimmering between volcanic rims.
In addition to spectacular nature, this route has cultural significance as well. The isolation of the loop has preserved traditions of the Kichwa-speaking people for centuries, which you can experience as you pass by locals along the way and enter the homes of villagers, who are known to invite strangers in for coffee and homemade bread. Make new friends and learn about their local customs as you sip a hot drink by the campfire.
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The Quilotoa Loop: Lodge to Lodge Trek
Do your feet itch for the rugged trail? Do your lungs crave fresh mountain air? Does your curiosity yearn for an adventure that you can’t just read about in a tourist brochure? Then join Andean Discovery for five days of hiking or horseback riding along one of South America’s most scenic routes: The Quilotoa Loop.
Hidden in plain view just a few miles off the Panamerican Highway, this is one of Ecuador’s best-kept secrets. A bumpy ring road will take you off-the-beaten-path into Cotopaxi backcountry. The agrarian working landscape has a remote and relaxing atmosphere that feels a world apart from well-trodden cities and the much-visited Galapagos Islands.
Pairing exercise with exploration, you’ll wander through vast patchworks of hilly farmland, homey huts preserved in time, and trek in the shadow of snow-capped volcanoes. You will hike from lodge to lodge, with your guides infusing your journey with historical context, geological expertise, and cultural significance along the way until you reach the region’s most beloved icon: Quilotoa Lake. Locals believe this stunning water-filled crater has no bottom, and offers a portal to an underworld. Whether or not you believe these legends, Quilotoa Lake’s blue-green waters look magical and feel truly special, shimmering between volcanic rims.
In addition to spectacular nature, this route has cultural significance as well. The isolation of the loop has preserved traditions of the Kichwa-speaking people for centuries, which you can experience as you pass by locals along the way and enter the homes of villagers, who are known to invite strangers in for coffee and homemade bread. Make new friends and learn about their local customs as you sip a hot drink by the campfire.
- TRIP LENGTH 5 days
- STARTING AT $1,490
- DEPARTURE DATES Daily
*Prices based on 4 travelers
- Visit the majestic Lake Quilotoa
- Stay in family-run mountain lodges
- Enjoy some of Ecuador’s breathtaking landscapes
- Learn about preserved traditions of the Kichwa people
- Travel through remote Andean villages and passes
- Private tour with Andean Discovery guides
- All lodging in double or triple occupancy
- All activities per itinerary
- Most meals
- Airport transfers
- Detailed pre-departure materials
- Dedicated Andean Discovery US & South American staff assisting you every step of the way!
- International round-trip airfare to Quito
- Fees for passport and travel insurance
- Gratuities
Llullu Llama Eco-Lodge | Quilotoa, Ecuador



A cozy eco-lodge situated in the Ecuadorian Andes right on the famous Quilotoa Loop, Llullu Llama fits naturally into the landscape with comfortable rooms, a soul-warming fireplace and a sauna to relax in after your explorations.
Mama Hilda Lodge | | Quilotoa, Ecuador



Located in the sleepy mountain town of Chugchilán, Mama Hilda Lodge is a family-run business that has been receiving guests for generations. Mama Hilda, her children, and grandchildren, who assist with the daily operation of the lodge, will make you feel at home right from the time you arrive. Fuel up with authentic, homemade pasta from the nearby Italian Monastery and take a stroll through town to get a glimpse of locals milling about. The newly renovated lounge allows you to have a cold (or hot) beverage at night as you prepare for the next day's adventure on the Quilotoa Loop.
Shalala Lodge | Quilotoa, Ecuador



Part of a sustainable community tourism project, Shalala Lodge is owned and operated by 65 families from the community of Quilotoa. Perched at 12,500 feet above sea level, this high altitude lodge boasts incredible access to the mystical Lake Quilotoa and a network of hiking trails. Rooms are modern and cozy and the lodge boasts a unique lookout platform on the edge of the crater.
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