Quilotoa Lake

A few hours south of Quito, Quilotoa Lake is a striking 3km-wide volcanic crater lake which was formed over 800 years ago when a huge eruption caused the volcano to collapse. The lake is 250 metres deep, with everchanging hues of blue owing to the dissolved volcanic materials from its past eruptions. 

Sitting at an altitude of 3,800 metres, the landscapes around Quilotoa are beautiful, with the snow-capped mountains providing a majestic backdrop to the turquoise and emerald colours of the lake, surrounded by indigenous villages and rolling countryside. Hummingbirds, falcons and doves can be spotted around the lake. Nearby Tigua is a small town famous for its colourful masks and paintings on sheep hides.

The town of Quilotoa itself is perched on the edge of the lake, boasting a stunning viewpoint, a few accommodation options and restaurants serving traditional Andean cuisine. From the town, you can hike all the way around the lake, which takes around three to five hours. Visitors to the lake may also choose to walk for around 45 minutes down the steep path to reach the bottom, where kayaks are available to hire. The walk back up is tiring and can take more than double the time due to the altitude, and you will see locals offering mules to hire for those who don't fancy the steep incline.