One of the most Instagram-ed lakes in Ecuador is Quilotoa, a lake formed inside the caldera of a collapsed extinct volcano. This is in what is known as “La Sierra” or the mountainous highlands of the Ecuadorian Andes. The reason for it being so Instagram-able? Because it is located inside of a volcano that last exploded in 1280 , it is a lagoon of rainwater that collected and therefore the lagoon is rich of volcanic minerals . There are reports that these minerals also make it too acidic to swim in, however locals say it is safe. Before you try to find out, just remember, you are at over 11,000 feet above sea level so the water is going to be bitterly cold! Also since this was formed from collected rain water, aside from some algae there is no life to be found beneath the surface. And in case you were wondering it is estimated to have an average depth of 722ft and a max depth of 840 feet.
The colour of the lagoon, truly is gorgeous! It is like a mosaic of differing shades of blue, and when the sun peaks through it gives off this beautiful effervescent green too! When packing to visit, remember that you are still in the Andes, higher up than Quito and even if you are on the equator, it gets pretty chilly! So dress in layers!!!! When we visited it was in the end of February, so it was during the rainy season , and while we were lucky to not get rained on, we were also lucky to see the lake. We got there nice and early! And as we left the fog came rolling in, making it harder to enjoy the colours. One thing I found funny, is you always hear about hiking up mountains, and the point is to hike up. But here you hike down!
Panoramic view from the top viewing area
The Hike Down
There are many posts about Quilotoa loops, unfortunately we did not have the time to do one. We did however make the trip to the lagoon! It was a bit tiring trek down, but doable. Just be warned this has started to become a very attractive tourist destination among foreigners and citizens alike! So you might start kind of squeezed, but as you make your way down the switchbacks, you will definitely have some lone time. Even if you are no expert hiker you will definitely make it down to the sandy lake shore in less than an hour.
Right before your final descent on the left, you can climb out to a cliff which even has a small bench and table to sit on and relax. The cliff made for some great picture opportunities too! As will be written about on a later post, it seems like Ecuador is the country of swings, and Quilotoa is no exception to it. This is where the Swing is located. Unfortunately when we were there it seemed that it was out of order and padlocked. Bummer.
The Lagoon
When you get down there spend some time on the beach. Yes beach, it is full of eroded volcanic sand! We packed lunch and ate it on a log. There is also a large wooden gazebo on the water’s edge with an attached long pier that is perfect for picture ops! There is a toilet, and like the rest of the country it will cost you a coin or two to buy some toilet paper. And like I mentioned earlier there are people renting out kayaks. Unsurprisingly it was much warmer down in the caldera, and while I had started off super bundled up, I had gotten rid of most of my layers by the time we made it to the bottom! A lot of tourists also opt to camp overnight on this beach, if you do just be sure to bring a warm sleeping bag, the nights can become freezing.
Back up – The journey!!!Watching the waves hit the sand
After we spent a nice time enjoying ourselves down below, we decided it was high time we made what we knew was going to be a strenuous journey back up to the volcano rim. Even the sign you first encounter tells you: 30-40 min decent, 1.5-2 hr ascent!!! ? And boy, was that an understatement. I am not sure how long it took us, but it took us more than two hours.
Part of the problem is remember you are 11-12,000 feet above sea level. There is less oxygen in the air, and altitude sickness is a real thing. I found myself counting 70 steps, and gasping for air. It honestly is a very very very easy hike , but if you cannot breathe, well you can walk a straight flat plain and still not be able do it easily. For reals, we went with David’s father and another one of his relatives. His relative lives in Ecuador and he beat us by a long shot! So please please please, if you are not from a high altitude location, or have not given yourself time to acclimate to the altitude, take it easy and plan accordingly. I really thought I could conquer the world, but I then found myself happy I did not pass out or vomit while hiking up. I had been hitting the gym hard in the months before our trip, since I knew we’d be doing plenty of mountainous hiking, and even David later thanked me for making him incorporate the stair climbers into our regimen. But unless we added one of those creepy looking oxygen depriving masks, nothing can prepare you for the ascent.
What else you can do
If you do want to see this lake but are scared of the hike there are two options for you: One is at the top of the rim, there is a very nice viewing point and you can just stay there and admire the view. The second, is a lot of the locals have developed a business where you pay them $10, one way, and you ride on their horse or mule! Which is why I have to give another bit of advice, there is a lot of horse and donkey poop on the trail, so mind your steps!
Once back at the top of the rim, we stopped at a small restaurant, the “city” at the entrance is full of restaurants, for a light lunch and coca tea. Coca tea, is yes made from the same leaf that cocaine is made from. It however contains only traces of the drug, so you can legally drink this, in some Andean countries. It honestly tasted good, and it is known as a good aide for getting over altitude sickness, so I kind of wished I had drunk it before our hike! There are also many little souvenir/artisanal stores up by the parking lot. I bought a warm alpaca sweater , and some magnets to bring back to my friends.
The Ecuadorian countryside is beautiful, it is so very green and fertile. Obviously super mountainous, full of ravines and cliffs and jagged edges. Even though we went during the rainy season, and we did not get to see the snow-capped volcanoes, the car journey to Quilotoa from the nearby city of Ambato was still beautiful. I have included some in the photos below. Open them up, to see the full view!
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