Cotopaxi Volcano looms over the city of Quito. On a clear day, you can see it hovering in the background of the buildings. The entire week I was in the city, I didn’t see Cotopaxi once! I was quite disappointed. Regardless of the foggy days, we still decided to do a day trip to Cotopaxi National Park to get a closer look. Locals promised it would clear up when we got there. Hint: it did! What I loved about this destination is that it has something for everyone – the experienced mountaineer planning a hike to the summit, the casual tourist ready to hop out of their car and snap a few pictures before heading back to town, and the adventurous hikers ready to experience the park.

Day trip to Cotopaxi National Park

How long does it take to get to Cotopaxi National Park?

Wondering how long it takes to get to Cotopaxi National Park? This guide focuses on travel from Quito, but let check out how long it takes from the major cities:

Quito: ~2 hours & 20 minutes by car
Guayaquil: ~7 hours by car
Cuenca: ~8 hours by car

How do I get to Cotopaxi National Park?

I’ll disclaimer this and say that we drove, which is okay if you know where you’re going and have a big enough car that can handle the bumpy unpaved roads. However, as a tourist I would recommend taking a tour (or a bus if you’re on a budget).

Taking a Tour:

I can’t speak to the quality of these tours, I simply found them based on research. There are a few different price points, but the two below seemed the most promising and reasonable.

Tour Option 1:
- Cost: $60
- Company: Viator
Tour Option 2:
- Cost: $45
- Company: Viator

What I would pick: Personally, I would go with option 2, as it also includes a trip to the Quilotoa Lake, which I discuss in this blog post. However, both seem great!

Taking the Bus:

To be completely honest, after extensive research on this option, saving the ~$20/ person doesn’t seem worth the inconvenience. However, if you are more adventurous and on a budget, this one is for you. This blog post has everything you need to know about visiting Cotopaxi on a budget. Note: entrance into the national park is free and requires an ID.

Cost: ~$22 per person including the guide you hire when you arrive at Cotopaxi, and the bus fare.

Tips for visiting Cotopaxi

1 ) The roads are extremely bumpy. When you eventually enter the park, you’ll be met with unpaved roads, and as you go up, the air becomes quite thin. If you are driving yourself, I highly recommend going with a truck or SUV due to the extremely bumpy roads. Take

2) Be aware of the high altitude. The summit is 19,347 ft, but even entering the park and walking around, you’ll likely feel shortness of breath and a slight headache. Make sure to take your time!

3 ) when to visit: Avoid visiting Cotopaxi during rainy months (March-April) to get the most out of a visit to Cotopaxi National Park. The best months to see Cotopaxi are from June-October. We visited in March, and arrived quite early as we were told that if you arrive after 12 PM the chances of actually seeing the volcano are pretty low.