Cuicocha Lagoon on a sunny day

12 BEST Hiking Trails In And Around Quito, Ecuador

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LOOKING FOR THE BEST HIKING IN AND AROUND QUITO, ECUADOR!?

If you’re traveling to Ecuador’s capital and wondering where the best hikes are around Quito, I’ve got you covered! Dylan and I visited Quito over two weeks in October 2024 and explored many trails around the area. This post will cover a few of our favorites and other best hikes near Quito that other hikers have raved about. Let’s dive in!

  • Closest Hike To Quito: Rucu Pichincha via TeleferiQo
  • Best Hiking Trail Around Quito For Beginners: Peguche Waterfall
  • Top Trail For Swimming in Waterfalls: Nambillo Forest 
  • Best Hike For Lake Views: Quilotoa Crater Lake Loop
  • Most Popular Hiking Trail Around Quito: Cotopaxi National Park
Sam hiking around Quilotoa, one of the best places to hike around Quito!

12 Best Hiking Trails Around Quito: An Overview

Many mountains surround Quito, making it a fantastic place for hikers and trekkers to vacation. Nearby, you can find the Pichincha volcano, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Cayambe, Ilaló, Sincholahua, and many more. The dry season is from June to November, making these months a fantastic time to visit, but if you bring a rain jacket and take some precautions during the rainy season, you can enjoy the trails any time of the year!

Hiking around Quito map

12 Best Hiking Trails In And Around Quito

Ecuador is a fantastic place to get into mountaineering since it is the highest-elevation capital of the world! Dylan and I love to hike, but we didn’t know what we were getting into when we went on our first hike around Quito! However, if you love the outdoors and a good physical challenge, it’s a great country for that. Here are the best hiking spots near Quito, Ecuador.

Rucu Pinchinca - one of the best hiking spots around Quito

1. Rucu Pichincha via TelefériQo

Rucu Pichincha was the very first hiking trail Dylan and I did, and we loved it. It’s the closest trail to the city on this list because it’s on the outskirts of Quito. Rucu Pichincha is the tallest point in the city, and you’ll need to take a TelefériQo (cable car) up to reach the beginning of the hiking trail. You can take a taxi or Uber to the ticket booth. From there, it’ll take about 15 minutes to reach the top.

The Rucu Pichincha trail is a 10 km hike (6ish miles) round trip. It’s an out-and-back, beginning from the top of the TelefériQo and hiking to the summit. There is about 2,400 feet of elevation gain. Since the trail starts at almost 13,000 feet this hike is moderately challenging. It takes around three to four hours to complete, and we recommend starting in the morning!

Insider Tip: Aim to do this hike on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday because the cable car opens at 8 AM instead of 10 AM. Bring guayusa tea to help with elevation sickness, and don’t do this hike before you’re acclimated!

Dylan and I at Quilotoa

2. Quilotoa Crater Lake Loop

My all-time favorite hike from Quito was the Quilotoa Crater Lake Loop trek. Dylan and I took a day trip from Quito to complete the summit loop around the crater lake, and we recommend it to anyone who wants beautiful views and a challenging trek. It’s one of the very best day hikes in Ecuador, in my opinion! A volcanic eruption formed the crater lake, giving it pristine turquoise waters, ragged rocks, and surrounding open fields.

This trail is four hours away from Quito in the town of Quilotoa. You can do many hikes in Quilotoa, but Dylan and I did the 10km loop trail (6 miles) around the rim. There are over 2,500 feet of elevation changes, and it typically takes around six hours to complete. You must bring layers, snacks, and water, as this is an extremely challenging hike with a narrow path and steep inclines.

Insider Tip: Book a night in Latacunga before your trip so you can arrive early in the morning to avoid the afternoon fog. Pack a light jacket since it gets chillier the higher you go!

One of the most underrated hiking spots around Quito is Mindo's Cloud Forest in my opinion!

3. Mindo’s Nambillo Forest to Waterfalls

One of the less talked about hiking spots around Quito Ecuador is Mindo’s Nambillo Forest! Mindo is a small city in a cloud forest, perfect for forest hiking and enjoying the outdoors. I’m sure there are plenty of trails to wander in Mindo, but for this blog, I’ll be talking specifically about the ones on the other side of the town’s famous Tarabita cable car!

To get to the Tarabita cable car, take a taxi from town. After paying and riding the fast and beautiful cable car over the lush canopy, you’ll enter the Nambillo Forest, where you can choose between three different routes to reach a variety of waterfalls. Dylan and I took route 3 to the five waterfalls. It took about an hour and a half, not including swimming time!

Insider Tip: If you’re doing a day trip, take the 8 AM or 9 AM bus at the latest to get to Mindo for plenty of time before the last bus back to Quito leaves around 5 PM. Bring your swimsuit and bug spray!

Peguche Waterfall near Otavalo Ecuador

4. Peguche Waterfall Loop

Peguche Waterfall is a fantastic hiking opportunity around Quito for beginners. The waterfall is only an hour away from Quito near Otavalo. You can walk from the city center (perfect for visiting the largest Indigenous market in the world!) or take a taxi to the parking lot. It’s completely free to enter and has flat terrain with a well-maintained trail, making it great for beginners.

If you begin your hike from town, you’ll follow railroad tracks until you reach the beginning of the trail. It’ll take about forty minutes from town and twenty minutes from the start of the path. Once on the path, you can cross a few suspension bridges to reach the left or stick to the right, but you’ll get there from either side. Make sure to bring lots of bug spray!

Picture of Cotopaxi mountain

5. Cotopaxi National Park

Cotopaxi is one of the most popular hiking destinations near Quito because the volcano is breathtaking. There are many ways to hike Cotopaxi, and you can pick your route depending on your timeline, budget, and experience level. The entire trek to the summit involves extensive training and preparation, so if you’d like to go this route, we recommend committing months before your trip.

You can also do a day trip to hike to the first checkpoint. However, transportation can be tricky, so most people rent a car and drive themselves or book a tour. If you rent a car, make sure it can handle driving through bumps and rough terrain!

Insider Tip: Many of our bunkmates in Quito booked the Cotopaxi Hike and Bike Day Trip Tour and loved it. The tour includes lunch and transportation, and you’ll hike to the first refuge and bike down.

Fuya Fuya

6. Fuya Fuya

Fuya Fuya is a hike that I wish I had known about during our time in Quito! It’s another beautiful mountainous hike around a body of water, similar to Quilotoa, but arguably easier and closer to Quito. You can take public transportation to Otavalo and hire a taxi to take you to the trailhead at Laguna Mojando.

This loop hike is a three-mile round trip from Laguna Mojando. The trail has 2,000 feet of elevation change and usually takes three to four hours to complete. It’s a great way to begin mountaineer training in Ecuador, as it is moderately challenging yet not too far in distance.

Cross in Vilcabmaba during a hike

7. Ilaló Volcano

Ilaló is another volcano near Quito in the southeast. This is another great beginner-day hike around Quito that doesn’t require multiple hours of transportation. You can also conveniently arrive on public transport directly to El Tingo. Many people like this hike for training for more challenging routes in the area.

The Ilaló Hike involves hiking up the volcano with multiple viewpoints and crosses en route. You can hike the summit, a five-and-a-half out-and-back trail with over 2,200 feet of elevation gain. It usually takes around four hours to complete, and many enjoy it for its location and panoramic views.

Cuicocha Lagoon

8. Cuicocha Lake

The Cuicocha Crater Lake is another fantastic hike near Otavalo! Cuicocha is at the base of Cotacachi Volcano and is known for its beautiful lake with two lava volcanos in the center. To get there via public transportation, take the bus to Otavalo. From Otavalo, take the bus to Cotacachi. Then, you’ll have to take a taxi to the Laguna Cuicocha Visitor Center. It’s free to enter, but you must register!

You can walk as little as you’d like around the lake, but the most popular is the entire loop around the caldera ridge. This hike is almost eight miles long with an elevation gain of over 2,000 feet. It typically takes four and a half hours to complete and is a beautiful area for birding.

Insider Tip: Ask your taxi driver to meet you back at a specific time so you’ll have guaranteed transportation back. Many who have done this hike say five to six hours is a good buffer time.

Cayambe

9. Cayambe Volcano

Many go to Cotopaxi for hiking in the area, but Cayambe is a great hiking spot since it’s the third-largest volcano in Ecuador! The volcano is about 45 miles northeast of Quito, and you can reach it by public bus from the Ofelia station to the Cayambe bus terminal. You can hire a camioneta from Cayambe (4WD truck) to take you to the refuge.

There are plenty of hikes in Cayambe, ranging from beginner to trekking the entire summit, which is extremely challenging. Just like Cotopaxi, if you want to climb the summit, you’ll want to train and acclimatize before you go. One of the more popular day hikes is the Refugio Oleas Ruales, a four-and-a-half mile out-and-back hike.

Antisana Mountain

10. Antisana Volcano

Antisana Volcano is just behind Cayambe in height. It ranks as the fourth-highest volcano in Ecuador. It’s around 31 miles southwest of Quito, and the summit is considered one of the most technical climbs in Ecuador. To reach Antisana, drive to the reserved campsite (a four-hour drive) or take a private tour.

The trail starts at the campsite and is a 6.4-mile out-and-back hike that takes around six hours from start to finish. This is an extremely challenging hike because you’ll gain over 3,700 feet in elevation. The campsite starts at almost 15,000 feet, so you’ll want to be in good physical shape to attempt this one!

Insider Tip: Bring gloves, a hat, and a down jacket to stay warm as you reach higher elevations. Begin early in the day, and bring trekking poles if your knees bother you when hiking.

Photo of Pululahua Crater

11. Pululahua Crater

Pululahua is an agricultural community near Mitad del Mundo that offers many great outdoor hiking trails. To get there from Quito, take public transportation to Mitad del Mundo, then take a taxi or camioneta to the crater community. The most popular trails are El Chivo and Podoña Circuit.

Both hiking trails start at the Pululahua viewpoint. For the El Chivo trail, you descend into a volcanic crater and then up towards a lava dome. It’s an easy four-mile hike that takes about three hours. Podoña Hill is a challenging circuit that takes you through the wildlife. It’s almost nine miles with an elevation gain of over 2,700 feet. It takes about five and a half hours to complete.

Insider Tip: Arrive early and bring shoes with good tread. The Reserve is free to enter, though registration is required at the Visitors Center beforehand.

Pasochoa Hike

12. Pasochoa Volcano

Last but not least, we have the Pasochoa Volcano! It’s about forty miles south of Quito in the Guayllabamba River Basin. The trailhead is on private property, so you’ll need to pay to access the entrance. You can get there by taking a bus to Amaguaña and then hiring a caminoneta to the trailhead. Otherwise, you can hire a taxi or take a private tour.

The trail to the summit is less than a four-mile hike with a little over 2,100 feet of elevation change. It takes (on average) three hours to complete. It’s recommended to go early because the clouds can roll in mid-day and block the breathtaking semi-circle crater views from the top!

Photo of trail marker on Rucu Pichincha

Wrapping Up: 12 Best Hiking In and Around Quito, Ecuador

There you have it! Twelve of the best hiking in and around Quito, Ecuador. This blog post covers hiking trails for all levels, though remember that Ecuador is already extremely high in elevation, and these trails aren’t for the weak!

As a recap, some of the beginner hiking trails include Peguche Waterfall, Mindo’s Nambillo Forest, and Ilaló Volcano. Great moderate hikes for acclimatization include Rucu Pichincha, Fuya Fuya, and Quilotoa. The hikes that require training and preparation include Cayambe, Cotopaxi, and Antisana.

What hikes piqued your interest? If I ever return to Quito, I’m heading to Fuya Fuya and Cuicocha for those insane views! Happy trekking!