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COTOPAXI · BAÑOS · QUILOTOA · 3 DAYS

Ecuador Volcano Road Trip from Quito.

Three days. Three landscapes. Zero chance of getting bored.

Hike a volcano. Bike through the páramo. Chase waterfalls. Swing over the Andes. Descend into a volcanic crater. Then somehow be back in Quito three days later.

Book the Road Trip See the Adventure
FROM US$299 per person · 4+ travellers
DURATION 3 Days Quito to Quito
LANDSCAPES 3 Worlds volcano · waterfalls · crater
STYLE Active hike · optional bike · optional kayak
THREE DAYS. DON'T WASTE THEM.

Ecuador changes quickly. So do you.

This isn't three day tours stitched together. It's one journey through three completely different versions of Ecuador.

Start beneath Cotopaxi, one of the great volcanic silhouettes of the Andes. Hike toward the José Rivas Refuge at 4,864 metres and, if conditions and confidence allow, trade hiking boots for a mountain bike on the descent.

Then the road drops toward Baños de Agua Santa, where high altitude páramo gives way to greener valleys, waterfalls, cloud forest and the foothills of Tungurahua.

One final change of direction takes you toward Quilotoa, where an emerald crater lake, Indigenous communities and one deceptively steep walk back to the rim close the loop.

THE ROAD TRIP

Quito to Quito. Ecuador does a lot in between.

01 Quito Old Town departure
→
02 Cotopaxi hike + optional bike
→
03 Baños waterfalls + swing
→
04 Quilotoa crater + culture
→
05 Quito three days later
CarpeDM travellers jumping in front of Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador
DAY 1 · COTOPAXI Apparently altitude affects judgment.

First stop: one enormous volcano and the sudden urge to jump for a photograph.

THE ADVENTURE

Three days. No filler.

Volcano first. Waterfalls second. Crater lake for the finale.

DAY 01
QUITO → COTOPAXI → BAÑOS

Go up. Then point the vehicle south.

06:30

Meet at the CarpeDM Adventures office at Antepara and Los Ríos in Quito's Old Town.

07:00

Depart Quito for Cotopaxi National Park.

09:30

Enter Cotopaxi National Park.

10:00

Introduction to the volcano, surrounding landscape, vegetation and wildlife with your guide.

10:30

Reach the high parking area around 4,600 metres and begin the hike toward the refuge.

12:30

Reach the José Rivas Refuge at approximately 4,864 metres, then begin the return toward the parking area.

13:00

Equipment check and optional mountain bike descent toward the Limpiopungo area.

14:00

Arrive around Limpiopungo Lake.

15:00

Lunch.

15:30

Continue south toward Baños de Agua Santa.

18:00

Approximate arrival in Baños and check in.

One volcano down. Tomorrow gets wetter.
DAY 02
BAÑOS · WATERFALL COUNTRY

The Andes discovered a water park.

07:30

Breakfast.

09:00

Head down beautiful mountain roads through the waterfall corridor, surrounded by cloud forest, steep valleys and dramatic Andean scenery.

11:00

Hike toward the famous Pailón del Diablo, one of the signature waterfalls of the Baños region.

13:00

Lunch.

14:00

Drive toward Casa del Árbol.

15:00

Visit the famous swing above the valley at Casa del Árbol.

16:00

Return to your accommodation.

16:30

Rest, wander Baños or simply enjoy having nowhere else to be for the evening.

Volcano yesterday. Waterfalls today.
DAY 03
BAÑOS → QUILOTOA → QUITO

Go down. Then earn your way back up.

06:30

Breakfast and prepare for the final day.

09:30

When the schedule aligns with local market days, explore Saquisilí on Thursday or Pujilí on Sunday.

10:30

Continue toward Laguna Quilotoa.

13:30

Lunch and begin the descent from the crater rim toward the lake.

15:00

Explore the lakeshore with the option to kayak on Quilotoa's emerald water.

15:30

Begin the ascent back toward the crater rim.

16:30

Begin the return drive toward Quito.

19:00

Approximate arrival back in Quito.

Going down is optional. Coming back up isn't.
FIND YOUR SLOW FLOW STYLE

How this journey travels.

Not every experience creates impact in the same way. Here's where the Cotopaxi, Baños & Quilotoa journey sits in the CarpeDM travel framework.

TRAVEL APPROACH
△

Traditional

Three Ecuador icons in three days: Cotopaxi, Baños and the emerald crater of Quilotoa.

◒

Responsible

Local accommodation, local meals and time in the communities and landscapes that make this route more than a collection of viewpoints.

≈

Slow Flow

Don't collect three destinations. Move through them. Hike the volcano. Follow the waterfalls. Descend into the crater. Let the road between them be part of the journey.

TOUR DNA
👥 Small Group
▰▰▰▰□ Active
3D Road Trip
▲ Volcanoes
≈ Water + Trails
IMPACT CONNECTIONS
8 Decent Work
& Economic Growth
11 Sustainable Cities
& Communities
12 Responsible Consumption
& Production
15 Life
on Land
THE SLOW FLOW DIFFERENCE

Three days can become a checklist. Or they can become a journey.

CarpeDM travellers with mountain bikes below Cotopaxi volcano
OPTIONAL DESCENT Gravity finally starts helping.

Around thirty minutes on the bike for confident, experienced riders who want another way down the mountain.

DAY 2 · BAÑOS

Yesterday was thin air. Today has waterfalls.

Baños sits where the Andes begin changing their mind.

The high, exposed landscapes around Cotopaxi give way to greener valleys beneath Tungurahua. Roads trace the mountainsides. Waterfalls spill into the gorge. The vegetation gets thicker.

And somewhere above it all is a swing that became famous for making perfectly rational adults behave like children.

Casa del Árbol swing above the Andean landscape near Baños Ecuador
Baños Ecuador waterfall landscape
CarpeDM travellers experiencing a traditional Ecuadorian market
MORE THAN LANDSCAPES

The road has people on it.

Quilotoa is more than the photograph waiting at the crater rim. The surrounding region is home to Indigenous Kichwa communities where language, agriculture, markets and family traditions remain part of everyday life.

Depending on the day and route, the journey may include a local market and an opportunity to learn more about the communities living in this high Andean landscape.

Travel slowly enough and the scenery starts talking back.

CarpeDM Adventures group overlooking Quilotoa crater lake Ecuador
DAY 3 · QUILOTOA Going down is optional. Coming back up isn't.

The crater makes a spectacular first impression. The climb back to the rim makes a lasting one.

THE PRACTICAL STUFF

We handle the road. You bring the curiosity.

INCLUDED
  • Breakfast ×3
  • Lunch ×3
  • Transportation throughout the three day program
  • Accommodation in Baños / route accommodation as scheduled
  • Professional guide
  • Mountain bike
  • Helmet
  • Knee pads
  • Elbow pads

We usually work with Le Petit Jardin Hotel or similar. If you prefer a higher category of accommodation, the price may vary.

NOT INCLUDED
  • Additional snacks and beverages
  • Optional kayaking at Quilotoa
  • Optional horse at Quilotoa
  • Dinners
  • Entrance to Pailón del Diablo
  • Entrance to Casa del Árbol
  • Tips

Mountain biking is optional and lasts approximately 30 minutes. Riders should be experienced and confident controlling a bike on mountain terrain.

YOUR CREW. YOUR ROAD TRIP.

Three days. Four simple prices.

The more travellers sharing the journey, the lower the per person price. Same three day route. Same CarpeDM flow.

Private One traveller · private departure
US$799 per person
2 Travellers Shared departure
US$499 per person
3 Travellers Shared departure
US$399 per person
4+ Travellers Shared departure
US$299 per person
Book the Road Trip Questions first? Talk to us on WhatsApp →
CarpeDM travellers overlooking Laguna Quilotoa in Ecuador
CARPEDM ARCHIVES

Some things age well.

Jackets change. Cameras change. Haircuts make questionable decisions of their own.

Quilotoa keeps doing this.

We didn't discover Ecuador last Tuesday.

GOOD QUESTIONS

Before you get in the car.

How active is this three day trip?

This is an active itinerary. Cotopaxi includes a high altitude hike toward the refuge, Baños includes walking around the waterfall route, and Quilotoa involves descending into the crater and climbing back toward the rim. You can choose not to participate in optional biking or kayaking.

Do I have to bike at Cotopaxi?

No. Mountain biking is optional. The ride is approximately 30 minutes and is intended for experienced, confident riders. Helmet, knee pads and elbow pads are provided.

Is kayaking at Quilotoa included?

No. Kayaking is optional and paid separately at Quilotoa.

Are entrance fees in Baños included?

Entrance to Pailón del Diablo and Casa del Árbol is not included in the tour price.

What accommodation do you use?

We normally work with Le Petit Jardin Hotel or a similar accommodation. A higher category can be requested, although the price may change.

Do we always visit Saquisilí or Pujilí?

The market visit depends on the operating day. Saquisilí is scheduled for Thursday and Pujilí for Sunday when the itinerary aligns with those market days.

SLOW FLOW · ROAD TRIP EDITION

Cover ground. Don't rush through it.

Three days is enough time to see a lot. It's also enough time to notice something.

The altitude changes. The vegetation changes. The food changes. The people change. Even the way water moves through the landscape changes.

Slow Flow isn't about moving slowly for the sake of it. It's about leaving enough space between the photographs to understand where you actually are.

COTOPAXI · BAÑOS · QUILOTOA

Three days ago, Quito.

Since then: one volcano, a waterfall corridor, a swing over the Andes and a lake inside a crater.

Not bad for a long weekend.

Book the Adventure
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