Toachi River Canyon

Explore Baños, the adventure capital of Ecuador. Get to know stunning places such as Cotopaxi Volcano as well as the Quilotoa Lagoon - an unbelievable turquoise lake in the caldera of an active volcano. Once in Baños, enjoy a number of wonderful activities set against a beautiful backdrop of waterfalls and tropical greenery. This short tour makes for a great escape from Quito. Day 1: Quito - Cotopaxi - Quilotoa - Baños Get picked up from your hostel or hotel in Quito to begin the trip to Baños. You will stop along the way for a quick breakfast before arriving in Cotopaxi. Observe the stunning Cotopaxi Volcano, one of the country's most famous sights. Visit the Toachi River Canyon lookout point with some free time to enjoy the amazing landscape of Quilotoa Crater Lake. Depart for Baños and visit the famous "Swing at the End of the World" at La Casa del Árbol. Take in an amazing view of the gorgeous mountain landscapes. Enjoy a free evening to explore some of the local attractions. Feel free to visit the nearby thermal baths which gave Baños its name and go for a relaxing dip in these healing pools. Stay overnight in Baños.  Day 2: Baños - Quito Spend the morning exploring Baños at your leisure. Then, get picked up at Juan Montalvo Park to begin the day's activities. Ride a cable car over the Pastaza River and experience 360-degree views of waterfalls, mountains, and beautiful jungle landscapes. Visit the stunning Devil's Cauldron (Pailón del Diablo) Waterfall. Return to Baños for free time. Around 4:30 pm, get ready to get back to Quito, arriving around 7:30 pm for drop off at your hotel/hostel.

Drive south from Quito to the Quilotoa area and visit its famous lagoon. Along the way, you'll admire the beautiful Andean landscape and stop at the Shalala viewpoint. Next, you'll visit the community viewpoint and descend to the lagoon. Once there, you'll have free time to hike and explore the area. You'll return on a path that connects the lagoon to the community viewpoint. It's an intense walk, so if you're not in good shape, simply climb on a mule that will pack you back to the viewpoint. After a lunch break, you'll also stop at a Tigua craft workshop, famous for its colorful products, and visit the Toachi's Canon.

Pick up from your hotel/hostel in Quito. Stop at to enjoy a delicious breakfast with stunning views. After breakfast, you will travel to Quilotoa, where you will visit the Toachi River Canyon and the traditional lookout point. Hike down to the shore of the Quilotoa Lagoon, where you can see this breathtaking volcanic lake up close, and enjoy your free time there. Take lunch at a local restaurant and before the way back to Quito, enjoy the extra free time exploring the Quilotoa community. Once back in Quito, you will be dropped off at your hotel/hostel.

Embark on a full-day tour to Quilotoa Lagoon from Quito with lunch included. Visit an indigenous market(only Thursday and Sunday), an indigenous hut, and more. Explore the Quilotoa Lagoon, a unique tourist attraction in South America and one of the 15 most beautiful volcano crater lagoons in the world. Start your tour with a visit to the Saquisili indigenous market (only on Thursdays). This market is famous as a market where animals are being sold or exchanged for other goods. See the different fruits, vegetables, and food that are typical to the area. Interact with the indigenous salespersons and purchase something if you'd like. Visit an indigenous hut on the way to Toachi Canyon. See the routine life of an indigenous family, how they live, what they eat, and how they cultivate their crops. Leave a small tip here (1 to 3 USD is reasonable) to the indigenous family. Stop at the Toachi Canyon to see the spectacular view. Finally, arrive at the spectacular Quilotoa Lagoon. Hike down to the shores of the lagoon, rent a kayak, or rent a horse to climb back up. After that, have lunch. Enjoy paintings, culture, and the landscape of Tigua. Make a short visit to the market of the town of Romerillos(only Sundays)

A tour of Quilotoa Lagoon is the perfect combination of natural and cultural beauty. We'll start early with a visit to Saquisili Market, where locals gather to sell fresh produce, agricultural products, textiles, crafts, livestock and more. On our way to Quilotoa we'll visit an indigenous family to learn about their way of life. We'll stop in Tigua, famous for its distinctive leather paintings, where local artists display their colorful works, and we'll make a drastic change of scenery by stopping at Toachi Canyon, where you can marvel at the stunning panoramic views of the canyon's natural beauty. Finally, we'll arrive at Quilotoa Lagoon, a volcanic crater filled with emerald green or turquoise waters. The perfect place to take pictures with the stunning landscape. You can stay at the lookout points to observe the panorama or if you wish, we'll ride down to the edge of the Lagoon on the back of a donkey, or you can do it on foot, all in one unforgettable day.

Our Tour begins in the City of Quito, along the way we can observe the landscapes of the volcanoes, including the Cotopaxi Volcano, and the customs of the Ecuadorian people. Enter the Toachi Canyon to observe the result of the eruption of the Quilotoa Volcano. Learn about the characteristics of the Zumbahua Community and its way of life. Walk in the Quilotoa Lagoon, located in the crater of a volcano. Tasting of traditional food in a unique restaurant, located in the Volcano crater. Live together and take photos with the alpacas of the moor.

This amazing and comfortable cultural private day trip starts at 8:00 a.m., from your hotel in Quito, driving through the "Avenue of the Volcanoes", and with a visit to the local indian Saquisili Market (Thursday)! The drive to Quilotoa Lake displays stunning views of the Andean mountains, passing the ancient canyon of the Toachi River, many indigenous communities and farmlands. Before lunch, in the location known as “Huayra Pungo”, we will visit a local indigenous hut, where you will have the opportunity to interact with the inhabitants of the hut and perhaps, to learn few Kichwa words, which is the native language of this region! After this especial life experience, sharing some minutes with local people, you'll have lunch at a local charming restaurant! Then we have the opportunity to visit the local and unique market of Zumbahua (Saturday), where we are able to see the ancestral trading system of exchanging goods without any currency, called trueque! The tour includes a steep hike down into Quilotoa Crater, where is a sparkling-emerald-lake inside the extinct volcano, located at 3.600 meters above sea level (11,811 ft). The way back to the top, where the parking area is located, takes about one hour, or there is an option of renting a mule or a horse, with a comfortable settle, for your way back!! It is going to be very helpful and comfortable being on a private tour, due to the high altitude, so you'll be assisted by your tour guide every moment, and especially you'll take your time in every activity to make this day trip the best lifetime experience! You will be back in Quito approximately at 5:00 p.m., after having enjoyed this exclusive and unforgettable tour!

Immerse yourself in an unforgettable day from Quito to the majestic and emerald Laguna Quilotoa. The adventure begins at the Tigua Gallery, where you can explore and acquire authentic works of traditional Ecuadorian art. Then, marvel at panoramic views from the Mirador del Río Toachi, anticipating the grandeur of the region. It is an incredible opportunity to be in contact with Andean people, their customs, worldview and peculiar way of life. Upon arriving at the community of Lago Verde, we approach the Mirador de la Laguna de Quilotoa, a must-see point on this excursion. From there we did a photo session with the most wonderful background, the emerald waters of Laguna Quilotoa. Along the way we observed indigenous farmers in their ancestral clothing, flocks of sheep, fields of potatoes, onions and barley, as well as steep peaks and a unique relief.