Cotopaxi is a 5,897 m active volcano south of Quito, and its glacier route is open to climbers again. Since the reopening of 21 February 2024 you can only climb through a tour operator or a registered club, with a booked climbing slot and a booked night at the José Ribas refuge (4,864 m), IG-EPN safety training and a gas mask. IG-EPN rated the volcano’s activity low and unchanged in July 2026. Entry to Cotopaxi National Park is free.
Cotopaxi climb at a glance
| Item | Detail (checked October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Crater rim | 5,897 m (IG-EPN) |
| Refuge | José Ribas, 4,864 m; about 1 km and 45 to 60 minutes on foot above the car park |
| Ascent from the refuge | About 1,030 m of climbing on glacier |
| Format | 2 days: afternoon walk to the refuge, climb starting around 00:30, back down by late morning |
| Who may climb | Clients of tour operators and members of registered clubs only |
| Required | Booked climbing slot and refuge place, IG-EPN safety training, gas mask, authorization wristband |
| Guide | Commercial climbs must use a guide specialised in mountaineering (Acuerdo Ministerial 2020-005) |
| Park entry | Free; climbers enter 08:00 to 16:00 through the Caspi or Norte gates |
| Volcano status | Activity low, trend unchanged (IG-EPN, July 2026); last eruptive phase October 2022 to July 2023 |
Is Cotopaxi open?
Yes, with conditions. The glacier route was closed during the 2015 eruptive period, reopened in 2017, and closed again with the eruptive phase that began in October 2022 and ended in July 2023. It reopened to climbers on 21 February 2024 under the rules in the table above. After an avalanche at about 5,800 m on 16 March 2025, the ministry said the next day that the park was operating normally. In July 2026 IG-EPN delivered a hazard model of the ascent route to the refuge staff, and its bulletin rated surface and internal activity as low with no change.
Volcano status changes faster than any guidebook. Check the IG-EPN Cotopaxi page in the week you climb, and expect your operator to cancel if the alert level rises. Since 2025 the park is managed by the Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía, the merged successor of the environment ministry.
The route
- Day 1: drive from Quito or a lodge near the park, enter through the Caspi or Norte gate, park below the refuge and walk about 1 km (45 to 60 minutes) up to José Ribas at 4,864 m. Gear check, an early dinner and a few hours of sleep.
- Night start: leave around 00:30 with headlamps, crampons, harness and rope. The route climbs the north side of the cone on snow and ice, with crevasses that sometimes need ladders.
- Crater rim: guides aim to reach the top by about 7:30 at the latest and start down before the sun softens the snow. About six hours up is typical.
- Descent: back to the refuge and the car park by late morning.
Roughly half of those who start reach the top; altitude and weather turn most of the rest around. If you only want to stand on the volcano, ask the park whether the 1 km walk from the car park to the refuge is open to non-climbers on your date; it makes a good acclimatization outing before the climb.
Acclimatization
Nobody should sleep at 4,864 m straight from the plane. Spend several days in Quito (about 2,850 m) and walk higher each day: Rucu Pichincha from the Quito cable car, the Laguna Cuicocha rim, or the refuges of Chimborazo. In Cusco we hold our Inca Trail groups to at least two nights at altitude before Dead Woman’s Pass (4,215 m); Cotopaxi is about 1,680 m higher, so give it more. Our altitude sickness guide covers the warning signs. Descend if a headache keeps getting worse, or if you become confused or unsteady.
Guides and gear
Ecuador’s 2020 adventure-tourism regulation (Acuerdo Ministerial 2020-005) requires commercial climbs to use a guide specialised in mountaineering. Many are certified by ASEGUIM, the Ecuadorian mountain guides’ association, though the law does not name it. The 2024 reopening rules also admit members of legally registered clubs. Crampons, ice axe, harness, helmet and rope are standard, and the 2024 rules add a gas mask for volcanic gases.
- Mountaineering boots that take crampons, crampons, ice axe, harness, helmet
- Down jacket, insulated gloves and spare gloves, warm hat, balaclava
- Headlamp with spare batteries for the night start
- Glacier glasses and SPF 50+ for the descent in full sun
- Gas mask (required since the 2024 reopening)
- 1 to 1.5 litres of warm water in an insulated bottle, and food you can eat in the cold
Best time to climb
Guides favour December to February and June to August, when mornings are more often clear and the snow more stable. In any month the weather is best before sunrise, which is why the climb starts at night. Plan a spare day in case your first night is called off.
For Chimborazo, the Quilotoa Loop and the rest of the country’s routes, see our page on Ecuador hiking trails; for flights and travel, our Ecuador travel guide.
Sources
Checked 8 October 2026: IG-EPN Cotopaxi page and its July 2026 bulletin; reopening rules as reported by Primicias, 21 February 2024; the guide rule in Acuerdo Ministerial 2020-005 (Registro Oficial, 14 May 2020). Route times are typical figures from guides.