Quilotoa

This weekend, I went to Quilotoa with the same friend who accompanied me to Baños last weekend. After catching a bus from Quitumbre to Latacunga, and then from Latacunga to Zimbahua (where we were actually transferred to another bus because of the traffic and construction ahead), we grabbed a taxi/truck from there to Quilotoa, getting us there around 4:30pm. After we found a hostel that included dinner and breakfast (it’s not exactly a happening town), we walked across the street to see the crater lake, which is a stunning lake of a depth of approximately 820ft in the top of a volcano that is technically still active, but which hasn’t erupted in 300 years. We took the short hike down to the lagoon itself and then back up, before going to rest up (and get warm—I forgot that 12,000ft at night with humidity is basically freezing).

On Sunday morning, we got up around 8 and started our hike around 8:15am. I still don’t actually know how far the hike is, but it took us 4 hrs and 20 minutes to complete. The view is simply stunning. Not only can you see the lake, but you can look out around the crater at the sierra and the surrounding villages. We passed one family taking their goats and sheep and llamas to feed down within the crater, but other than that we were pretty much the only people doing the hike. It isn’t as difficult as other ones, but it is still a workout, with repeated ups and downs. The trip was definitely worth it. I chose to visit Quilotoa instead of attempting a 17er and a 19er, since those just didn’t appeal to me as much. And I can honestly say that I am happy with my decision, and I can rest easy, knowing that I made the right choice for me by circling the crater instead.