Hiking to the José Ribas refuge

How hard is the Cotopaxi hike?

Harder than it looks, but not technical. The trail is short and well trodden, yet it is steep, the sand slides under your feet and you start at about 4,500 m, so every step takes more breath than usual.

Most fit adults who have spent a day or two in Quito reach the refuge without trouble. What makes the hike tiring is the air: at this height each breath holds much less oxygen than at sea level, so your heart and lungs work hard even at a slow pace. Reviewers of the flagship tour call it challenging, strenuous and worth it, and that is a fair summary. Nobody needs ropes, hands or climbing skills on this trail.

• Pace: very slow, with short stops every few minutes. Guides set a rhythm you can keep while talking.
• Surface: loose red and black volcanic sand on zigzags. Going up, shorter steps help; coming down, the sand is soft and forgiving.
• Wind and cold: often the hardest part. The car park and the refuge are near freezing on many mornings, with wind on top.
• Feeling unwell: tell your guide early if you get a headache or feel sick. Going back down is the fastest fix, and turning round at any point is completely fine.

How long does it take to hike to the Cotopaxi refuge?

45 to 60 minutes up from the car park at about 4,500 m, and about 30 minutes back down. Allow around two hours in total with a rest at the refuge.

The trail is about 1 km long and gains roughly 350 m of height. Fast walkers who are well used to altitude can do it in a little over half an hour; most visitors take close to an hour, and that is the pace guides plan for. The summit climb listing gives 40 to 50 minutes for the same stretch, for climbers who are already acclimatised.

At the top, most groups rest for 20 to 30 minutes inside or beside the refuge. You can usually buy a hot drink there, which is welcome in the wind. The way down is faster because the sand is soft and you can take long, sliding steps. On the Cotopaxi day trip with the refuge hike (4.8 from 390 reviews), the whole stay in the park lasts about 4.5 hours, which leaves time for the visitor centre and Limpiopungo lagoon as well.

What does a Cotopaxi refuge day look like, hour by hour?

An early start, a drive of about 1.5 to 2 hours, registration at the gate, the hike from the car park, a lagoon stop and a late lunch, then back in Quito between 17:00 and 18:00. Times shift a little with traffic and the group.

• 6:30 to 7:30: pickup in Quito, often around La Mariscal and Plaza Foch, La Carolina or the Old Town, depending on the tour.
• About 8:00 to 9:00: a breakfast stop on the Panamericana, often near Machachi, at about 2,900 m. Buy gloves or a warm hat here if you forgot them.
• About 9:00 to 9:30: the park gate, usually Control Caspi. No ticket is needed to enter the park; you register at the gate with your passport. Gates admit visitors from 8:00 to 15:00.
• About 10:00: the visitor or interpretation centre, then the dirt road up through the páramo to the car park at about 4,500 m.
• About 10:30 to 12:30: the hike to the José Ribas refuge, a rest at the top and the walk back down.
• About 13:00: Limpiopungo lagoon at about 3,800 m, a flatter walk with views of Rumiñahui and, with luck, the cone.
• About 14:00 to 15:00: a late lunch on the way back, paid on the spot on most tours.
• 17:00 to 18:00: back in Quito.

Some tours swap the order and visit the lagoon first. The aim is the same: be high up early, while the volcano is most often clear.

The flagship refuge day: pickup at Plaza Foch, La Carolina or the Old Town, a bilingual guide, the visitor centre, Limpiopungo lagoon and the hike to the José Ribas refuge, with about 4.5 hours in the park. Breakfast and lunch stops are paid on the spot. Rated 4.8 from 390 reviews.

★ 4.8 (390) · 9 hours · Full refund up to 24 h ahead

Explore the day trip with the refuge hike →

Which Cotopaxi tours include the refuge hike?

Four of the homepage tours do: the refuge day trip, the full day, the hike-and-bike day and the private horseback day. The two Cotopaxi and Quilotoa days and the short alpaca-and-lagoon visit do not go to the refuge.

This matters more than anything else when you book, because many listings simply say Cotopaxi. If the hike is the reason you are going, check the itinerary for the José Ribas refuge or its altitude, 4,864 m. The most booked tour on this site, the Cotopaxi and Quilotoa day (4.1 from 687 reviews, the lowest rating on the homepage), is a sightseeing day with a lagoon walk at the foot of the volcano and a long drive to the Quilotoa crater; it has no refuge hike. Cotopaxi or Quilotoa helps if you are torn between the two.

Among the refuge tours, the full day with lagoon and refuge (4.9 from 36 reviews) is the longest at 11 hours, with a Machachi stop, the interpretation centre and about an hour up to the refuge. The table compares every tour on this site that visits the park.

Can you go above the refuge to the glacier?

Sometimes, with a guide and only when the park allows it. Some guided tours continue above the refuge towards the glacier edge at about 5,000 m when conditions are good. Stepping onto the glacier itself is climbing and needs a certified guide and gear.

Above the refuge the trail keeps climbing over dark scree for about 30 to 45 minutes to the point where the ice begins. Whether you may walk that stretch depends on the park authority and on IG-EPN monitoring of the volcano, and the rules can change at short notice, so your operator confirms on the day before. Most refuge day tours turn round at the hut.

If the 5,000 m mark is your goal, the guided hike to 5,000 m with gear is built around it: a private certified guide, a 4x4 to the car park, a rest at the refuge and then on towards the 5,000 m mark, with a waterproof jacket, gloves, a beanie and trekking poles lent to you. It is a new listing without reviews yet, and the upper section still runs only when the park allows it. It stays a hike: crampons, ropes and the ice belong to the two-day summit climb. Whether the upper area is open this week is explained in is Cotopaxi open.

Can you hike up and bike down Cotopaxi?

Yes. Several tours combine the refuge hike with a mountain bike ride from the car park down to Limpiopungo lagoon. The ride takes about 30 to 45 minutes on a dirt road that is bumpy but not technical, and a van follows.

The refuge hike and bike ride down to the lagoon (4.2 from only 18 reviews) is the hike-and-bike day on the homepage. You walk up to the refuge, rest for about 30 minutes, walk back to the car park, then ride 30 to 40 minutes downhill to Limpiopungo, or stay in the van if you prefer. The bike, helmet, guide, lunch and park entry are included; the breakfast stop and hot drinks at the refuge are extra. The operator says it is not suitable for children under 6, for people over 65 or for anyone with heart or breathing problems.

For keener riders, the Cotopaxi single-track bike ride (5.0 from only 3 reviews) takes a 4x4 to the car park at about 4,500 m, offers the refuge hike as an option and then follows a single-track trail down to the lagoon at about 3,800 m with a biking guide. Brakes do most of the work on the way down; wear full gloves, because the wind is cold.

Can kids hike to the Cotopaxi refuge?

Fit older children often manage it at their own slow pace. Younger children usually stay at Limpiopungo and the lower viewpoints, which are just as impressive and much gentler.

There is no single age rule for the refuge trail, and operators set their own limits, so check the listing before you book. Children feel altitude like adults do but may not say so clearly, so watch for tiredness, a headache, crying or loss of appetite, and go down early if they appear. Anyone with heart or lung conditions, and anyone who is pregnant, should check with a doctor before going up.

A good family plan is a day with an easy option built in. The private horseback ride and refuge hike (5.0 from 23 reviews) starts with about 1.5 hours on horseback with a chagra horse guide, no experience needed, then lets each person choose between the refuge hike and the flat Limpiopungo trail. If nobody in the family wants the hike at all, the short alpaca-and-lagoon visit and the Quilotoa days stay lower down; the altitude guide compares the easier options.

What do you need in your daypack for the refuge hike?

Warm layers, a windproof jacket, a hat, gloves, sunglasses, strong sunscreen, water and a snack. Shoes with a good grip matter more than heavy boots.

Cotopaxi sits almost on the equator, so the sun is fierce even when the air is near freezing. Expect temperatures around 0 to 8 °C at the car park and the refuge by day, with wind that makes it feel colder. Dress in layers you can open on the way up and close at the top.

• Layers: a base layer, a fleece or warm mid layer and a windproof, waterproof jacket.
• Head and hands: a warm hat, gloves and a neck gaiter or scarf.
• Sun: sunglasses, high-SPF sunscreen and lip balm.
• Feet: hiking shoes or trail shoes with grip; gaiters help keep the sand out.
• Water and food: at least a litre of water and a snack, as meals are not included on most refuge tours.
• Documents: your passport for registration at the gate.

Most tours stop at a roadside shop on the way where you can buy gloves and wool hats. For more on the cold and the altitude, see the Cotopaxi altitude guide, and for the other tours on this site, the homepage tour list.

Frequently asked questions