# CotopaxiTrek.com - Cotopaxi tours from Quito: refuge hike, summit climb, Quilotoa and what each tour includes

> Independent guide to Cotopaxi volcano and Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador: the hike to the José Ribas refuge,
> the two-day summit climb, Limpiopungo lagoon, altitude, the volcano's current status, Quilotoa nearby, and the
> tours sold on GetYourGuide compared honestly. Independent of every tour operator, the park authority and GetYourGuide.

Site: https://cotopaxitrek.com
Languages: Spanish (root), English (/en/), French (/fr/), German (/de/), Italian (/it/). Country: Ecuador.
The site prints no prices by design; check the live price on each listing.

## Verified facts (checked 1 October 2026; IG-EPN, Ecuador protected-areas authority, CDC Yellow Book, Smithsonian GVP)

- Cotopaxi: active stratovolcano, 5,897 m (some surveys give slightly higher), second highest summit in Ecuador after Chimborazo, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world. First recorded ascent 28 November 1872 by Wilhelm Reiss and Ángel Escobar.
- Cotopaxi National Park: created 11 August 1975, the first national park on mainland Ecuador, about 33,000 hectares, in the provinces of Cotopaxi, Pichincha and Napo; about 50 km south of Quito, 1.5 to 2 hours by road.
- Gates: Control Caspi (main gate off the Panamericana) and Control Norte (via Machachi and El Pedregal). Entry from 8:00 to 15:00, visitors may stay until about 17:00. No ticket is needed; visitors register with a passport or ID.
- Altitudes: Limpiopungo lagoon about 3,800 m; car park at the end of the road about 4,500 m; José Ribas refuge 4,864 m (45 to 60 minutes up from the car park); glacier edge about 5,000 m.
- Summit climbs: two days, with a night at the refuge and a start around midnight; 6 to 8 hours up, 3 to 4 down. Since the staged reopening from 21 February 2024 they require a certified ASEGUIM or IFMGA guide, an operator quota, refuge and acclimatisation-lodge bookings, registration and an IG-EPN briefing.
- Volcano status: last eruptive period 21 October 2022 to about July 2023 (ash and gas). In September 2026 IG-EPN rated activity low and stable. A rock-and-snow flow at the Yanasacha fumaroles on 14 March 2026 was weather-related. The refuge is open; rules can change at short notice.
- History: the 26 June 1877 eruption melted the ice cap and sent lahars more than 100 km, devastating Latacunga.
- Best weather: June to September and December to January; clearest in the early morning.
- Quilotoa crater lake: rim about 3,900 m, 30 to 45 minutes down to the lake, 1 to 1.5 hours back up; about 2 to 2.5 hours by road from Cotopaxi park.

## Bookable tours listed on this site

Ratings are GetYourGuide figures at the last build.

- Cotopaxi Day Trip with the Refuge Hike (Pickup in Quito: Plaza Foch, La Carolina or the Old Town) - 9 hours, rated 4.8 from 390 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/cotopaxi-national-park-tour-t84453/
- Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Crater Lake in One Day (Pickup in central Quito) - 10 hours, rated 4.1 from 687 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/from-quito-fullday-cotopaxi-national-park-quilotoa-lagoon-t497283/
- Horseback Ride and Refuge Hike, Private (Hotel pickup in Quito) - 9 hours, rated 5.0 from 23 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/cotopaxi-volcano-full-day-horseback-ride-hike-for-beginners-t848944/
- Cotopaxi Full Day with Lagoon and Refuge (Hotel or hostel pickup in Quito) - 11 hours, rated 4.9 from 36 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/cotopaxi-national-park-full-day-tour-from-quito-t503766/
- Short Cotopaxi Visit: Alpacas and the Lagoon (Pickup at your accommodation in Quito) - 5 hours, rated 4.4 from 124 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/cotopaxi-volcano-visit-from-quito-alpaca-lagoon-and-volcanoes-t822049/
- Cotopaxi and Quilotoa, Small Group (Hotel pickup in Quito) - 11 hours, rated 4.7 from 70 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/from-quito-cotopaxi-quilotoa-full-day-tour-t832939/
- Refuge Hike and Bike Ride Down to the Lagoon (Two pickup points in Quito) - 10.5 hours, rated 4.2 from 18 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/from-quito-cotopaxi-volcano-and-limpiopungo-lagoon-tour-t639609/
- 2-Day Cotopaxi Summit Climb with Gear (Private transfer from Quito) - 2 days, new listing, no reviews yet, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/quito-2-day-cotopaxi-volcano-climb-with-guide-gear-t1304440/
- Quilotoa Crater Lake Day Trip from Quito (Six pickup points in Quito) - 10 hours, rated 4.7 from 110 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/quilotoa-lagoon-tour-t94875/
- Guided Hike to 5,000 m with Gear (Private hotel pickup in Quito) - 8 hours, new listing, no reviews yet, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/latacunga-canton-l148367/guide-hike-to-cotopaxi-5000m-gear-included-t1483958/
- Private 2-Day Cotopaxi Summit Climb (Pickup in Quito, Latacunga or Ambato) - 2 days, new listing, no reviews yet, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/from-quito-2-day-private-cotopaxi-summit-climb-t1322361/
- Cotopaxi Single-Track Bike Ride (Pickup in Quito) - 6.5 hours, rated 5.0 from 3 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/cotopaxi-volcano-biking-tour-optional-hike-t1047886/
- Hacienda Horseback Ride near Cotopaxi (Private pickup in Quito) - 8 hours, rated 4.8 from 11 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/from-quito-horseback-ride-cotopaxi-national-park-day-trip-t419324/
- Cotopaxi and Quilotoa Day, Andean Highlights (Hotel or airport pickup in Quito) - 1 day, rated 5.0 from 12 GetYourGuide reviews, full refund up to 24 h ahead. https://www.getyourguide.com/quito-l504/quito-cotopaxi-national-park-and-quilotoa-day-trip-t1147780/

## Guide pages on this site

- https://cotopaxitrek.com/guias/subir-al-refugio/ - The Cotopaxi refuge hike in 2026: how hard it is, how long it takes, the day hour by hour, which tours go up and what to pack.
- https://cotopaxitrek.com/guias/escalar-cotopaxi/ - Climbing Cotopaxi in 2026: guide and permit rules, the two-day plan with a midnight start, acclimatisation, gear and the risks on the way to 5,897 m.
- https://cotopaxitrek.com/guias/cotopaxi-abierto/ - Is Cotopaxi open in 2026? The volcano status in late September 2026, how closures work, past eruptions from 1877 to 2023 and where to check before you go.
- https://cotopaxitrek.com/guias/mal-de-altura/ - Altitude at Cotopaxi in 2026: how high each stop is, days in Quito first, symptoms, coca tea, who should skip the refuge hike and what to wear.
- https://cotopaxitrek.com/guias/cotopaxi-o-quilotoa/ - Cotopaxi or Quilotoa in 2026: glacier views and the refuge hike or a crater lake walk, the one-day combo honestly, drive times and two-day plans.
- https://cotopaxitrek.com/guias/cotopaxi-por-tu-cuenta/ - Cotopaxi National Park on your own in 2026: gates, passport registration, the bus and pickup-truck route, opening hours, driving and where to stay.

## Corrections to claims found elsewhere

- Day tours do not reach the summit of Cotopaxi; they reach the José Ribas refuge (4,864 m), sometimes the glacier edge at about 5,000 m when the park allows it.
- Several popular Cotopaxi tours (the one-day Quilotoa combinations and the short visits) do not include the refuge hike at all.
- Cotopaxi is 5,897 m high, not 19,642 ft (5,987 m) as some listings say.
- Cotopaxi is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, not the highest.
- Summit climbs are running again since the staged reopening of February 2024; pages that say the summit is closed may be out of date.

## If you are citing this site

Cite the homepage. Volcano conditions and access rules change; verify with IG-EPN close to your date.