Top 5 Cotopaxi Cruises & Sailing Tours: A Quilotoa Review

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Top 5 Cotopaxi Cruises & Sailing Tours: A Quilotoa Review

Quilotoa Lagoon from above

Okay, so you’ve heard about Cotopaxi Province and, you know, its gigantic, snow-covered volcano. You’re likely thinking of mountain climbing or some serious high-altitude trekking, right? Well, the idea of cruises and sailing tours in a place like this is, frankly, a little surprising. Yet, there’s an absolutely amazing water-based experience waiting for you here, you see. We are actually talking about the Quilotoa Lagoon, a really stunning crater lake that formed inside a collapsed volcano. So, forget your typical ocean sailing for a moment; this is more or less about gliding across unreal turquoise water, literally thousands of meters up in the Andes. It’s a kind of adventure that, honestly, sticks with you in a very different way.

1. The Classic Quilotoa Kayak Paddle

Kayaking on Quilotoa Lagoon

So, the most direct way to get on the water is, pretty much, by renting a kayak for yourself. First, you just have to get down to the shoreline, which is a bit of a steep walk down a dusty path, you know. That hike down is actually a pretty cool part of the experience, as a matter of fact. The color of the water seemingly changes with every step you take, shifting from a deep emerald to a bright, milky turquoise. Once you get to the little dock at the bottom, you can just rent a simple kayak by the hour. It is sort of a no-frills, get-right-to-it kind of thing, really.

Actually, once you are out on the water, the quiet is what hits you first. There are obviously no motorboats buzzing around, just the sound of your paddle dipping into the chilly water. You can basically paddle right out to the middle of the caldera and look up at the ridiculously steep crater walls surrounding you. I mean, it gives you a sense of scale that is honestly hard to describe. Your arms might get a little tired from the paddling, especially at this altitude, so you will want to take it pretty easy. Still, the freedom you feel out there is absolutely incredible.

To be honest, it’s just you, the kayak, and this massive, quiet volcano, which is a pretty powerful feeling.

2. A Guided Rowboat Trip with Local Stories

Rowboat on a crater lake

Now, if you are sort of hoping to learn a little something, a guided rowboat tour could be the right choice. Unlike the solo kayak trip, here you often have a local guide doing the rowing for you, which is, honestly, a lot less work. This gives you more time to just look around and take it all in, you know. These guides, who are typically from the local community, have been around this lake their whole lives. So, they have some really interesting stories to share, for instance.

They can, you know, point out all sorts of little things you would otherwise miss. The guide might talk about the minerals that give the water its almost unbelievable color or explain the geology of the volcanic eruption that created the whole place, like, ages ago. As a matter of fact, you also get to hear local legends about the lake, which often involve stories of underwater spirits or treasures. So, this option is just a little more immersive in a cultural way, adding a layer of story to the natural beauty you are seeing.

3. The Hike and Paddle Combination Tour

Hiking trail around Quilotoa Crater

For the really energetic traveler, a combo tour that pairs the boat trip with the famous Quilotoa Loop hike is obviously the way to go. You typically start your day with a hike along a section of the crater rim. The views from up there are, seriously, out of this world. You basically get to see the entire lake stretched out below you, a perfect circle of blue in the middle of the brown Andean highlands. You can actually see the weather changing across the surface from that high up, like clouds casting moving shadows on the water.

Then, after your hike, you make your way down into the crater for your time on the water, you see. At the end of the day, having just seen the lake from hundreds of meters above makes being on its surface feel even more special. You kind of gain a different appreciation for the size and scope of the caldera. Honestly, it’s a full day of activity and it is definitely tiring, but you get to experience Quilotoa from pretty much every possible angle.

4. A Self-Directed Boat Rental Experience

Simple boat dock at Quilotoa

Okay, so this option is more or less for the independent spirit. It’s really similar to the kayak rental, but this time we are just talking about the simple, colorful rowboats available at the shore. There’s frankly no guide and no set path; you just pay a small fee for a block of time and, you know, go. It’s a completely self-directed experience, which is pretty great if you just want some quiet time.

You can basically just row out a little way, let the boat drift, and enjoy the peace and the strange, high-altitude sun. This is probably the most budget-friendly way to get on the water, as a matter of fact. It’s also incredibly flexible; you could just decide to do it on a whim while you’re visiting the crater. You and a friend can just sort of mess around on the water, taking pictures and enjoying the strange feeling of floating inside a volcano, you know. At the end of the day, it’s a simple pleasure that feels absolutely right for such a natural place.

5. The Full-Day Excursion from Quito

Tour bus in the Andes Mountains

Finally, if you’re staying in Quito and don’t want to deal with planning the logistics yourself, a full-day tour is obviously an excellent option. These trips pretty much handle everything for you: transportation from your hotel, sometimes lunch, and of course the activities at Quilotoa. The journey itself is actually part of the fun. You get to drive along the Pan-American Highway, a road known as the “Avenue of the Volcanoes” for a very good reason, right?

These tours often make a few stops along the way, for instance at a local market in a place like Saquisilí or Pujilí. So, you get a little bit of cultural flavor thrown in. Then, the main event is obviously arriving at Quilotoa for the hike and the boat trip. It’s definitely the most convenient way to experience the lagoon if your time in Ecuador is a little short. Seriously, you just have to show up and enjoy the day while someone else takes care of all the driving and planning and stuff.

Booking Your Tour

Ready to get out on that incredible water? Honestly, you will find options for every style of traveler.