Ecuador 2022: Quilotoa

 Ecuador 2022

Quilotoa

The next day we headed out of Quito and our first stop was the volcanic lake of Quilotoa. We also drove through the Cotopaxi National Park.

The driving was occasionally, and mercifully, broken up by quick stops to take in views or shopping opportunities. The highlight of the day though was Quilotoa! Quilotoa crater lake is one of Ecuador’s best kept secrets. Tourists who are willing to set foot just a little off of the beaten tourist path are rewarded by views that will literally take your breath away....because it's high up in the Andes at nearly 13,000 feet. Quilotoa is a large volcanic crater with a mesmerizing emerald green lake in a typical indigenous community. 

Altitude affects everyone differently.

You can hike down to the lakeshore at the bottom of the crater, but it's important to remember that you'll have to hike back up as well. 

At the bottom we just looked around - no activities. It was chilly and we were on a schedule. 

When it was time to head up, Mike and Megan hiked it out. Nel and I decided to ride up on donkeys! I thought it would be a fun experience, but it wasn't as much fun as I had imagined as the donkey really struggled with my mass on his back and the guide didn't seem to be doing too much better if I'm being honest.

I swear I almost killed this poor little dude!

We all made it back to the top and I gave a huge tip to my ride. The area at the rim is mostly some small shops selling local artisan items and a few little places to eat.

I made a new friend.

One of the little stops we made on the day was this odd location that was just full of ice cream shops on the side of the highway. I have no idea why they were there - seemed completely random.

Look at the poster.