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Best Route for Hiking the Quilotoa Loop

November 6, 2022 By Travelsauro 4 Comments

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Do you know the James Bond movie where the bad guys are hidden under the lake of a volcanic crater? No, it’s not “Goldeneye”… it’s “You Only Live Twice”. Anyway, that place looks like something out of a Hollywood movie but if you go to Ecuador you’ll see it’s real.

Hiking the Quilotoa loop is one of the most rewarding things you can do on your visit to Ecuador. This loop can be a good part of your acclimatization plan before trekking Iliniza Norte or before attempting something more serious like a climb to the Cotopaxi volcano. In addition, you will be encountering small villages, visiting colorful markets, enjoying a surreal lagoon and getting lost a couple of times along the way, which usually makes for some good adventures.

Most people hike the Quilotoa loop starting directly from the lagoon, which I think doesn’t make much sense. Call me a purist if you want, but I think the point of a hike is getting to the highlight at the end, enjoying the place and the feeling that you are being rewarded for all your effort.

Therefore, the route I recommend starts at Sigchos, goes through Isinliví and Guayama, and ends at the Quilotoa lake. There are different routes depending on whether you want to visit other markets or villages. If you have the time you can make the Quilotoa loop much longer.

hiking the quilotoa loop lake

Route details

Total distance: 30 km approx. (Sigchos – Guayama – Quilotoa)
Time: 3 days
Difficulty: Medium
Maximum Elevation: 3,810 meters

Itinerary

Day 1: Latacunga – Saquisilí market – Sigchos -Isinliví
Day 2: Isinliví – Guayama
Day 3: Guayama – Quilotoa – Latacunga

Map

Best route for hiking the Quilotoa loop

Day 1: Latacunga – Saquisilí market – Sigchos -Isinliví

Most of the villages in the area hold a market once a week. We were about to start our trek when there was a Thursday market in Saquisilí, so we didn’t want to miss that. The market of Saquisilí is colorful, lively and a bit chaotic. It’s a good place to admire fabrics, hats and the clothing of the local culture in general. The animal market is very authentic, with a large guinea pig section (Yes, in Ecuador they are not pets; they go straight into the pot).

From Saquisilí we got a bus to Sigchos. When we arrived in Sigchos it was a bit late and getting dark so we hitchhiked and got a lift to Isinliví. When we got to Isinliví we barely had time to find a place to camp on the outskirts of the village before sunset.

hiking the quilotoa loop siquisili market

hiking the quilotoa loop saquisili market

hiking the quilotoa loop saquisili market

Day 2: Isinliví – Guayama. 8 hours of trekking

This is the toughest day of the hike. It’s a long way uphill and downhill along some beautiful valleys and cliffs. It’s not a busy route but you can meet some travelers, farmers and children grazing their sheep near small villages.

Sometimes the route is not well marked, so it’s pretty easy to get lost. It’s not a big deal, though; most of the time you’ll realize within a few minutes that you have taken the wrong way. I recommend finding someone to ask for directions to be sure you are on the right path.

hiking the quilotoa loop

hiking the quilotoa loop

Day 3: Guayama – Quilotoa – Latacunga. 6 hours of trekking

From Guayama there is a shortcut to get to the Quilotoa crater in about two hours. Once there, take your time to enjoy amazing views and take some pictures. You have to walk around the crater to get access down to the lake. The way down to the lagoon is steep and dusty but well worth it. Now that we have gotten to the crater, we are not going to give up being so close to the end, are we?

hiking the quilotoa loop lagoon lake

hiking the quilotoa loop lagoon

Budget for hiking the Quilotoa loop

We brought our own food and tent, so we spent only about $20, including transportation from Quito and food for 3 days.

ACCOMMODATION

There are several hostels and hotels in Sigchos, Isinliví and Guayama with prices starting at about $ 5.

FOOD

You’ll find a few small stores in every village. Also, most of the hostels serve breakfast and dinner (though it’s usually not included in the price).

TRANSPORT. HOW TO GET TO THE QUILOTOA LAGOON

Bus Quito (Quitumbe terminal) – Latacunga: $ 1.50
Bus Latacunga – Siquisilí: $ 0.75
Bus Siquisilí – Sigchos: $ 2
Bus Quilotoa- Latacunga: $ 2

TRAVEL INSURANCE

I highly recommend that you get a good insurance policy before you visit Ecuador. Trusted by thousand of adventurers, World Nomads is one of the best and more reliable options (without breaking your bank).

WEATHER. WHEN TO HIKE THE QUILOTOA LOOP

Although this route can be completed any time of the year, the best seasons are from June to September and from November to February.

TIPS FOR HIKING THE QUILOTOA LOOP

BEST CAMPING SPOT

Accommodation in Isinliví seemed a bit expensive to us since there is not much competition. Luckily, there is a very nice viewpoint a bit outside of town where you can camp for free in front of an impressive ravine. It’s close to something that looks like an open chapel.

hiking the quilotoa loop isinlivi
That’s the place!

BRING WARM CLOTHES

Nights above 2,000 meters can be quite cold. Bring enough warm clothing such as gloves, a hat, long pants, a jacket, etc.

COMPLETE THE ROUTE IN REVERSE ORDER

Although I recommend starting the hike from Sigchos, I must say that starting from the Quilotoa lagoon and doing the route in reverse is physically easier since you start from the highest point of the hike.


Next Read: Hiking the Huayhuash Circuit in Peru


Did you like trekking the Quilotoa loop? Leave a comment!

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Travelsauro
Travelsauro

Hi, I’m Miguel; Adventure traveler, scuba diver and hiking lover. I have been traveling the world for the last 12 years and I hope my experiences, photos and hiking routes inspire you to travel the world too.

ECUADOR, HIKING

Comments

  1. Rachel Wikoff says

    June 21, 2016 at 7:09 pm

    Hello! After stumbling across your Ecuador trip on Reddit my friend and I have booked our adventure to Quito 🙂

    We’re hoping to go from Quito > Sigchos via bus, then hike Sigchos > Isinlivi, camp out, hike Isinlivi > Guayama, camp out, Guyama > Quilota, then bus back to Quito. This is a little different from your original, so we have a couple questions:
    1. Y’all hitchhiked from Sighos to Isinlivi because you went to the market. Is there a hiking trail that we can follow instead of hitch hiking? We’re two chicks in our 30s so we’re wary of asking strangers for a ride.
    2. You mention the camping area in Isinlivi (thank you!) How is it at Guyama?
    3. Any water crossing? Do we need water shoes?
    4. Do you happen to have GPX data for the trail? You said it’s easy to get lost, so I’d like to plug it into my delorme so we stay on track.
    5. Do the people in that area speak Spanish? I’m fluent, but if they speak a local dialect we might be unable to communicate.
    6. Anything else you can share?

    Thank you so much for any help or pointers you can give us! We leave 7/2, start the hike 7/3 and come back to Quito for a few days.

    Cheers,
    Rachel

    Reply
    • Travelsauro says

      June 22, 2016 at 5:51 pm

      Hi Rachel, I’m glad the blog is hepful to you,
      1. Yes, there is a trail from Sigchos to Isinlivi.. no problem.. anyway, if you ask for a ride.. those people are super friendly and it’s not dangerous at all.. but yes, you can walk too..
      2. In Guyama there are some lodges, some houses where you can pitch your tent in the garden or you can even camp somewhere out of the town.. it’s pretty wild around.
      3. I don’t recall any big water crossing.. but I guess that depends on the season too.. normal hiking boots will do it.
      4. Sorry, I don’t have any GPS data.
      5. They have their own language, but all of them speak spanish.. no worries.
      6. Enjoy this trail, it’s a beautiful place! 🙂

      Safe travels and let me know how it goes!
      Miguel

      Reply
  2. Paul says

    May 4, 2019 at 1:11 pm

    Hi again,

    I am planing to do this hike and how about the water? Is it possible to get water from waterfalls or streams on the way? Or did you buy in the villages?

    Yours blog is really helpful 🙂 im planing all my trip in ecuador from your tips! Thanks a lot!

    Cheers
    Paul

    Reply
    • Travelsauro says

      May 8, 2019 at 1:19 am

      Hi Paul, how are you?
      Yes, you can get water from streams and also in the villages. But you don’t need to buy it. Just ask for tap water, they will give you some for free. It would be a good idea to bring a filtered water bottle, just in case.

      Reply

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