Quilotoa Loop hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Quilotoa Loop is a village-to-village hike in the Andes of Cotopaxi province in central Ecuador. It links the market town of Sigchos with the Kichwa farming villages of Isinliví and Chugchilán, crosses the deep canyon of the Río Toachi twice, and ends on the rim of Quilotoa, a volcanic crater about 3 km wide that holds a green-blue lake. There is no official managing body and no permit: the route is marked by the communities with red and yellow arrows and signboards, and you sleep in family guesthouses and lodges that serve dinner and breakfast.

The route

This guide walks the trail from Sigchos south to Quilotoa, the direction most guides and most hikers use. You gain height slowly, from about 2,850 m in Sigchos to 3,900 m at the crater, and keep the crater for the last day. Walking the other way is mostly downhill, but you start at the highest point before you are used to the altitude.

The route as mapped on OpenStreetMap is about 34 km, split into 3 stages of about 11.4 km each, with about 2,600 m of climbing in total. Guides give 34 to 40 km. The first day drops from Sigchos to the Río Toachi and climbs to Isinliví. The second goes down to a wooden bridge over the Toachi, climbs the canyon wall past the Toachi canyon viewpoint at Chinaló and follows the road into Chugchilán. The third is the hardest: it goes through La Moya and Guayama Grande, climbs about 1,100 m to the crater rim and follows the rim path to Quilotoa village.

Highlights

• The Toachi canyon: a deep, eroded canyon with cliffs of volcanic ash, crossed on day 1 and day 2
• Isinliví and Chugchilán: small farming villages with views of patchwork fields on steep slopes
• The first view of Quilotoa: the moment you reach the crater rim on day 3 and the lake far below
• The crater rim path: the last kilometres along the edge of the caldera to Quilotoa village
• Laguna Quilotoa: you can walk down to the lake from the village and climb back, or walk the whole crater rim, about 10 km, on an extra day

When to walk the Quilotoa Loop

The driest months are June to September, with clear mornings, strong wind and cold nights. December to February is also possible but wetter and colder. In the rainy months, roughly October to May, rain usually comes in the afternoon, the canyon paths turn to slippery mud and landslides are more likely, so start early. At Quilotoa night temperatures can fall close to freezing at any time of year.

How many days do you need?

The standard plan is 3 walking days with nights in Isinliví and Chugchilán, and many people add a night in Sigchos before they start or one at Quilotoa at the end. Spend at least a day or two at 2,800 m or higher first, for example in Quito or Latacunga, before you walk. With less time you can start in Isinliví (there is a bus from Latacunga) and walk two days to Quilotoa. A rest day in Chugchilán or Isinliví is easy to add.

Getting there and away

From Quito take the metro to Quitumbe, the last station in the south, next to the Quitumbe bus terminal. Buses to Latacunga leave every 30 to 45 minutes and take about 1.5 to 2 hours (US$3 to 4). From the Latacunga bus terminal there are buses to Sigchos (about 2 hours, US$2 to 3) and to Isinliví. Times change often, so check at the terminal the day before. From Quilotoa, buses to Latacunga stop at the entrance gate on the main road, about 15 minutes' walk from the crater, roughly every hour (about 2 hours, US$3). Many hostels in Latacunga store your big bag for about US$1 a day, so you can walk with a light pack.

Accommodation, money and phone signal

Nights are in family guesthouses (hostales), lodges and hosterías. Most include dinner and breakfast (half board) for about US$15 to 35 per person, and many sell a packed lunch. Book ahead for weekends, public holidays and July and August. Ecuador uses the US dollar. There are no ATMs on the trail and almost nobody takes cards, so bring enough cash in small notes from Quito or Latacunga for lodging, food, buses, the US$2 Quilotoa community fee and small fees such as the US$1 Toachi viewpoint. Mobile signal is patchy in the canyons; guesthouses usually have Wi-Fi.

Difficulty

The Quilotoa Loop is a moderate hike, but not an easy one. The paths are steep, loose and narrow where they go into and out of the canyons, and very slippery after rain. The altitude, from about 2,550 m at the river to 3,880 m on the rim, makes the climbs feel harder than the numbers suggest. Day 3 is the toughest, with more than 1,100 m of climbing.

Waymarking is fair but not complete. Look for the red and yellow arrows, wooden signboards and red dots on rocks, and carry an offline map with the route (for example OpenStreetMap or Maps.me). Between Chugchilán and Quilotoa the marks are weakest and some signs are for hikers going the other way and lead down to the valley floor: once you reach the crater, stay on the path closest to the rim. Landslides change the paths: a slide moved the path before Chugchilán, the steeper "adventure" variant past Guayama San Pedro lost a bridge in 2023 and can be closed after rain, and some old paths have gone. Ask at your guesthouse every morning which way to take.

What to pack

You do not need a tent, stove or sleeping bag. Bring warm layers and a hat for the evenings, a waterproof jacket, sun cream, sunglasses and a sun hat, walking shoes with good grip, poles, a headlamp, 1.5 to 2 litres of water with a filter or tablets (tap water is not safe to drink), snacks, a small first-aid kit with blister care, a power bank and cash in small notes.

Safety

In an emergency call 911 (ECU 911) for an ambulance, police or the fire brigade. There is no dedicated mountain rescue team on the loop, and help on the canyon paths may take hours to arrive. The nearest hospitals with a 24-hour emergency service are in Sigchos (stages 1 and 2) and Zumbahua, about 12 km south of Quilotoa (stage 3); the provincial hospitals are in Latacunga. Farm dogs can be aggressive: do not run, and carry a stick or poles. Walk with others if you can, start early and tell your next guesthouse when you expect to arrive.

In September 2026 Ecuador declared a 60-day state of emergency in eight provinces, mostly on the coast, and in the canton of La Maná in western Cotopaxi. The highland villages of the loop are not included, but expect police and military checks on the roads. Check your government's travel advice, use registered taxis and keep valuables hidden on buses.