In Ecuador, Quilotoa can mean one of four different things. It can refer to the Quilotoa Loop, a hike of about forty kilometers through the central Andes in Ecuador. It could mean the old extinct Quilotoa Volcano. It might mean the small community overlooking the now lake filled crater of the volcano or it might mean Quilotoa Lake which is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Ecuador. We opted for a visit to the village and the lake. The views from the top are beautiful. The rough trail hiking down to the edge of the lake takes about 45 minutes if you stop at all to enjoy the view. The climb out is a tough one, but once you get back to the crater rim, you feel like you have really accomplished something.
Latacunga, about an hour south of Quito, is the base for most visits to any of the Quilotoa choices. We stayed there the night before and the night after our visit to Quilotoa lake. The small city itself is okay but aside from its proximity to Quilotoa, we would not recommend going out of your way to make a visit to the city.
As with previous short bus rides through the central Andes, the ride from Latagunga to the village for the start of our hike down offered some beautiful and interesting views.
The entrance to the little village before you encounter views of the lake and the rim.
Some of the views from the rim and then the trail down and back. Hard trail to come back up. Many people took the guided horses back from the lake's edge to the rim.
The photos of the patchwork fields are just splendid. It must have been chilly as I notice Isabell is wearing gloves in one photo but not in one of the later ones. Climbing back out maybe warmed her up. The views of the crater lake show so many beautiful colors. Your eyes and senses must get almost overwhelmed by all the glorious sights.
That’s so awesome, Ed! Looks like y’all are enjoying yourselves and doing well. Happy for you.