Cotopaxi Volcano

Cotopaxi is one of the most beautiful and iconic volcanoes in the world, a near-perfect, snow-capped cone rising to 5,897 metres south of Quito, and one of the highest active volcanoes on the planet. The jewel of the Ecuadorian Andes and the Avenue of the Volcanoes, it stands at the heart of a national park of windswept paramo grassland roamed by wild horses, offering hikes to a glacier-line refuge, mountain biking and, for the experienced and acclimatised, a demanding climb to the summit.

What you actually see

• The perfect cone - the majestic snow-capped volcano.
• The national park - the paramo grassland and wild horses.
• The refuge hike - the walk up to the mountain refuge and glacier line.
• Laguna Limpiopungo - the lake reflecting the peak.

When to go

The drier, clearer months, roughly June to September and December to January, offer the best chance of seeing the often cloud-hidden summit; go early, as the peak is clearest in the morning before cloud builds. It is a genuinely active volcano, so access can close during volcanic unrest.

Honest expectations

The summit is very often hidden by cloud, so a clear view is not guaranteed; an early start helps. It is a high-altitude environment, so even the refuge hike is breathless work, and the summit climb is a serious, guided, technical mountaineering ascent, not a trek. As an active volcano, it has closed during periods of volcanic unrest, so check the status.

Nearby

The Quilotoa crater lake, the town of Latacunga and Quito are within reach.