Quilotoa Lake guided hiking day

Enjoy an amazing guided hike to Quilotoa Lake. A day full of adventures and landscapes that will remain in your memories forever.

Andes

1 Day

Jan - Mar, Nov, Dec

Description

This hiking day to Quilotoa Lake will be an amazing cultural tour with its starting point in the Indian market of Saquisilí or Pujilí. On the way to the Quilotoa Lake we can admire beautiful Andean landscapes among the antique Toachi Canon in Zumbahua Valley.

We will finally get to the lookout of the lake at 3.800 meters above the sea level. Here starts the descent and after 45 minutes, we will be at the lake level. Once we enjoy the place and take fabulous pictures we will hike up to the lookout again, have lunch and start our way back to Quito.

Then, here you have an itinerary of the guided hike to Quilotoa Lake:

In the morning we leave Quito and drive towards Quilotoa Lake. During the tour we will stop in an Indian house. Then, we will visit the community of Tigua to see the beautiful crafts the local people make.

About 4 hours later we will reach the lookout where we can really appreciate the crater magnitude and the depth of the lake. If you want to walk we can descent by a trail that will take us to the bottom of the lake, where we can rest for a while. In the place there are also mules (optional) that help you to get to the lake more easily.

By the afternoon we have lunch in Shalala Quilotoa and finally, we’ll return to the city of Quito.

What to bring with you:

Small backpack, hiking shoes (better if waterproof), thermal pants, waterproof pants, long sleeve thermal shirt, an extra long sleeve thermal shirt, one fleece or polar, a windbreaker jacket, gloves, a cap, a buff, sunscreen, sunglasses, a water bottle and… A lot of energy!

It will be a very exciting hike in an amazing Ecuadorian paradise. Don’t doubt in contacting us if you are interested in this trip. We are happy to guide you!

Price includes

Guiding fee
Transport during the trip
Personal insurance
Permit and entrance fees
Drinks

About the guide

Fernando

4.6

(24)

Mountain Leader

ASEGUIM Guide from Ecuador

Fernando Iza was born and raised in the Cotopaxi Province of Ecuador and knows the country’s peaks intimately. He is an official ASEGUIM mountain guide with more than 18 years of mountaineering experience climbing in all of Ecuador, as well as in South America, Switzerland, France, and the United States.

Fernando has worked for mountaineering companies in Ecuador, Europe and the United States from a young age. Now, he has set up his own basecamp at Ilinizas Mountain Lodge, right next to Iliniza Volcano, Rumiñahui Volcano, and the famous Cotopaxi Volcano. He has summited Cotopaxi more than 637 times and has summitted Chimborazo Volcano close to 200 times.

Fernando got his degree in Tourism Technology at Cenestur Institute, and in 2021 started studying Business administration with Cuosera.

He has completed important courses such as:

Mountain Guides Course by ASEGUIM (Ecuadorian Association of Mountain Guides),
Mountain Guides Evaluation by ENSA (Ecole Nationale de Ski et d’Alpinisme) in October 2006. This event was organized by the Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador and ENSA of France
Pre-course UIAGM, an event organized by ASEGUIM and ENSA (Ecole Nationale de Ski et d’Alpinisme)
Wilderness first aid courses
Ecuadorian Red Cross courses
He speaks fluent Spanish and English, as well as a little German, French, Hebrew and Kichua

The most spectacular guided tours that Fernando has done.

Antisana South Peak Open new rout
Alpamayo
Matterhorn
Denali

Languages

German | French | English

Certificates

ASEGUIM

Request more information

What people are saying about Fernando

MICHAIL

Fernando is a very experienced guide, with a great know-how in hiking high altitudes. The hike was demanding, so having a guide who was responsible and knew how to coach us while climbing was extremely important. We could not make it to the top, but the adventure was absolutely worthy!

Carolyn

Had a really great trip climbing in the Ecuadorian Andes. Fernando is a very capable guide. His true passion is big, technical climbs and he is a less excited about the more basic acclimatization hikes. The lodging and food in El Chaupi is great. There was not a ton of advanced communication and the pre-trip prep each night before was a little sparse and lacking in detail. There was limited flexibility if we wanted to adjust the itinerary (such as including an extra walk to a lagoon, ect). Overall, a good experience.

Jana

There were no briefings about the upcoming itineraries, I’d mostly find along the way, what’s the plan. He would make changes to his moods. He didn’t inform me in adavance about the specifics of each refugio/ lodge/ camp concerning the distance from car, electricity and would make fun/made snide comments “your choice” of the things I packed at the aftermath, but offered no guidance. I have read from others that he is very knowledgeable and explained a lot- that hasn’t been my experience, he surely is an apt mountaineer, but he wasn’t actively explaining or showing things, he was just always on his cellphone. He could be very short, abrasive and inpatient. At one time even another climber intervened “to save me”

Sebastien

Our guide Fernando was great to adapt the trip for our two little girls. A great experience it was fir us all. Thank you.

frederic

Fernando and Sergio are very good guides, not only very safe and motivating in the mountains, but very nice between the climbs. And i have learned a lot too about the culture in the country. Their hotel near Illniza is perfectly located, safe and you are received as if your were at home with Fernando's family. And they will take care of everything, so you just have to concentrate yourself on the climbs. Thank you!