Hiking The Quilotoa Loop: A How-To guide For Travellers

If you love trekking through peaceful, pristine nature, then you won’t want to miss the Quilotoa loop in the central Highlands of Ecuador. As soon as I saw images of the glistening Laguna Quilotoa (Quilotoa Lake) online, I knew we had to visit. But, we didn’t want to simply drive to the lake – which sits at 3,914 m (12,841 ft) – we wanted to hike to it, and have the view as our reward for our efforts!

Every travel blog, guidebook, and traveller we spoke to said that we’d most likely get lost while trying to navigate the Quilotoa Loop. And, even though we love hiking and have done numerous independent treks, we get lost — often. Not only that, but the more research we did about the “loop”, the more we were confused because it didn’t seem to really be a loop after all.

We had to give it a try, regardless of what might happen.

The Quilotoa loop is an adventure in Ecuador we didn’t want to miss — in fact it ended up being a highlight of our entire trip to the country. read on for how to trek to Laguna de Quilatoa, what to pack, the best route, where to stay during the Quilotoa Loop, our top tips and more.

This post will help to demystify this outstanding trek in Ecuador.

This is the kind of scenery you can expect on the Quilotoa Loop!

Pule para:

What Is The Quilotoa Loop?

Which route is The Best?

Tips For Trekking to Quilotoa Lake

What to pack For The Quilotoa Loop

Accommodation on the Loop

Trekking Itinerary 

What Is The Quilotoa Loop? 

The Quilotoa loop is a beautiful hiking area in the central Highlands of Ecuador and if you’re into nature and being “out there”, then this is an adventure you’ll want to embark on.

However, the name is misleading. The Quilotoa loop isn’t exactly a loop, it’s more of an oddly shaped, circle’ish route, with a portion of it for trekking, and a portion for driving. There are a few ways to do the trek — there’s no right way or wrong way. 

The main villages of interest for tourists on the trek include: 

Latacunga – the starting point of the Quilotoa loop (for some travellers)

Tigua – views of Cotapaxi Volcano on the way here, farming and painting community

Zumbahua – pretty landscapes, and a Saturday market

Quilotoa – highest elevation on the loop, Quilotoa Lake, lots of shops and accommodation

Shalala – on the edge of the crater lake, with a lovely lodge

Chugchilán – Andean village, great hiking, cheese factory, horseback riding

Sigchos – mostly a transit place for tourists, the start of the loop trek for some

Isinliví – beautiful views, peaceful village, hiking, and good tourist accommodations

Saquisilí – known for its authentic Thursday market (animal market included)

Which route Is The Best?

Where you start the loop depends entirely on your travel itinerary, how much time you have, and how far you want to hike. Your first stop in the region is likely to be Latacunga. You won’t start your hike from here, but there are plenty of buses to take you to the numerous starting points along the trek.

The good thing about the Quilotoa loop is that you always arrive in a village for the night, so if you wanted to, you could take a bus out of the loop at any time.

I recommend considering which markets and sights you want to see (and which days they are on), and whether or not there are any side trips/day trips that you want to do from each village. once you’ve figured that out, you can then go ahead and start plotting your route. 

If we had more time, we would’ve stayed longer in the villages on the loop — they were so peaceful, and there were a few side trips and hikes we would’ve liked to have done. 

You can choose to hike clockwise, or counterclockwise. 

Hiking the Quiotoa loop Clockwise

If you choose to hike clockwise, your Quilotoa loop trek will most likely look like this:

Latacunga ⇢ Quilotoa ⇢ Chugchilán ⇢ Isinliví ⇢ Sigchos ⇢ Latacunga

After completing this trek in Sigchos, there are numerous buses from Sigchos to Latacunga, or you can even take a hired truck.

With this clockwise route, you’ll start in Latacunga (2,800m / 9,186ft) and arrive at the Laguna Quilotoa (3,914m / 12,841ft)  — enjoying the highlight of the trip at the start of the trek. But, unless you’ve already spent time at this altitude, I don’t advise you to do this as you might have issues acclimating to the elevation.

Gradually reaching higher altitudes is always best in my opinion.

Hiking from Isinlivi to Chugchilan – a gorgeous day
Hiking the Quilotoa loop Counterclockwise 

If you opt to hike counterclockwise you’ll get to enjoy the Quilotoa Lake at the end as your reward for the hard trek. We came across more travellers whowere hiking counterclockwise, rather than clockwise. This route also allows you to gain altitude more gradually, meaning you’re less likely to suffer from any altitude sickness symptoms.

We chose to do the trek counterclockwise. If you take this route, it would likely look like this:

Latacunga ⇢ Sigchos ⇢ Isinliví ⇢ Chugchilán ⇢ Quilotoa ⇢ Latacunga

We were in Otavalo prior to the Loop, so we took a bus from Otavalo to Latacunga and spent one night there. We knew we wanted to spend 3 nights on the loop, and that we wanted to make it to the Thursday market in Saquisilí. So when choosing our route, we had those things in mind.

Due to time constraints, we bypassed Sigchos altogether, and headed straight for Isinliví. but in hindsight – after seeing how wonderful this trek is – we would’ve added it onto our itinerary.  

View from the bus from Latacunga to Isinlivi

Our Quilotoa loop recommended route is:

Latacunga ⇢ Sigchos (by morning bus, explore Sigchos briefly, then hike to Isinliví)

Sigchos ⇢ Isinliví (by foot, 4 hours, spend the night in Isinliví)

Isinliví ⇢ Chugchilán (by foot, spend the night in Chugchilán)

Chugchilán ⇢ Quilotoa (by foot, explore Quilotoa lake and town and spend the night in Quilotoa)

Quilotoa ⇢ Latacunga (see the volcano crater again in the morning, leave by taxi, spend the night in Latacunga)

Latacunga ⇢ Saquisilí (day trip to Saquisilí market, return to Latacunga and leave by bus)

Tips For Hiking to Laguna de Quilotoa

Here are a few tidbits to help you during your Quilotoa loop hike:

Download Maps.me

This app is a lifesaver on the hike. We had Maps.me coupled with a paper map that we received from Llullu Llama and with that combination, we only got lost for 30 minutes. having now completed the trek and used a combination of both, I would suggest sticking with Maps.me. I think we ended up hiking longer than needed by having a combo!

But, if something happened to the app while you were hiking, having a paper map would be a great backup. Maps.me works offline, but since you’ll have a hard time connecting to wifi or data in the villages, make sure you download the map before you set off. everyone we came across on the trail had Maps.me, it’s a must. 

While you’re hiking, keep your eyes peeled for yellow and red signage along the trail, and dots painted on rocks to know you’re going the right way.

Follow the signs and coloured rocks to make sure you’re on the right track

Be aware of Dogs

There are quite a few dogs along the hike. some of them are owned and are protecting their property that you’re passing by, and some of them are strays.

We didn’t have any issues with the dogs, but some hikers have. Don’t run away from them and if they are coming closer to you, pretend to pick up a rock (or actually pick up one), as this motion tends to scare them off.

Of course, if they are becoming aggressive and are going to attack you, throw the rock! but if not, just fake them out. 

Our interactions with the dogs were completely fine

Purchase travel Insurance

The largest city is Latacunga and even that is a few hours away. You don’t want to find yourself stranded on the side of a mountain with no way to reach medical services quickly.

Purchase travel insurance and protect yourself against anything that could happen while hiking. There are numerous options, but world Nomads is a good bet for adventurous travellers. To read our comparison article of the top 4 travel insurance companies, click here. 

Don’t give Handouts to Children

Esta é difícil. during the loop hike, you’ll pass by small villages and homes set in stunning farmland. With that, you’ll also find sweet children asking for handouts — either money or candy.

Do not give in. All that does is encourages the parents to send their children out to ask for things from foreigners…when they could be in school instead, or simply enjoying being a child.

Kids about to bombard me and ask for money – they’re very sweet, but the responsible thing to do is to say no

There are better ways to support the communities, in the form of purchasing goods made by locals and taking some tours in each village as well. O que me leva ao meu próximo ponto…

Bring Some Cash

There are no ATMs and nowhere accepts credit cards. Make sure you have enough cash for your Quilotoa loop trek, including your accommodation, any extras at your hostel (booze and lunchpacks), local tours to nearby places, snacks from the small shops and any artisan products — for example, there is a man selling paintings along the loop. 

Leave Early’ish In The Morning

In February, it seemed as though the clouds constantly rolled in during the afternoon. We’d have beautiful, sunny mornings and then by about noon, the weather turned. I recommend starting your day fairly early (unless it looks socked in) so that you can enjoy a dry day of hiking. 

Be properly Acclimated

If you’re arriving in Ecuador from sea level, it’s best to take some time to properly acclimate before attempting to hike the loop. Quito is located at 2,850 metres (9,350 ft) and is a good place to spend a few days getting used to the elevation.

Laguna de Quilotoa sits at 3,914 m (12,841 ft). This is why I recommend hiking counterclockwise — travel from Quito to Latacunga (9,055 ft / 2,760 m) and gradually make your way up to 3,900+m. 

What To pack For The Quilotoa Loop

This is another major reason why we wanted to start and finish our Quilotoa loop trek in Latacunga. There are no porters for this hike so you’ll be carrying everything that you need. The less stuff you’re carrying when hiking up the side of a volcano, the better!

We left our luggage in a locked storage room at the hostel we stayed at in Latacunga (Hotel Rosim). The family-owned place was nothing to write home about, but it was clean enough, a nice breakfast was included and the family were very friendly and seemed quite trustworthy. 

The Lonely planet recommends leaving your backpacks at Hostal Tiana when heading out on the loop, so that may be a good option as well. 

Just pack the essentials for this trek, and lightweight items only

All you will want to bring with you is your passport, clothing, a small first-aid kit, and toiletries. We even left our electronics behind as they are way too heavy (luckily, they were still there when we returned), but use your own discretion when deciding whether or not to leave your valuables behind. 

The weather can turn regardless of which time of year you are trekking in this area. Be prepared for all seasons. We hiked in February and had a complete mix of spring, summer, and fall during our trip! keep in mind that the hostels on the loop might not be properly insulated and the wind can be biting.

Here’s what I recommend packing for the Quilotoa Loop:

Clothing and Footwear

Good pair of hiking shoes

Pair of shoes to wear at the end of each day (sandals or a closed-in shoe)

Socks for the duration of your trek (plus a bonus offer pair)

Thick socks for sleeping

Hiking pants (I always hike in Halle pants by Prana and Nick wears trekking pants by Columbia)

T-shirts for warm hiking days

Long-sleeved shirt for cooler hiking days (or to prevent sunburn)

Base layer for cool nights

Fleece jacket for cool nights

Raincoat (windproof and waterproof) for rainy days on the trail

Rain pants (windproof and waterproof)

Down jacket (they don’t take up much space, and can provide a lot of warmth if needed)

Toque (beanie) for cold nights

Ball cap for sunny days (the sun can be intense at this altitude)

Roupa de banho

Sleepwear

Equipamento

If you’re staying in the lodges and hostels along the way, you won’t need to bring your own tent. However, if you want to camp, most of the guesthouses offer this option. You won’t need a sleeping bag if you’re staying in the guesthouses, but you might want one. 

Tent and sleeping bag (op