Top Hiking Trails in Ecuador Trail Map
Ecuador straddles the equator with a Pacific coast, two parallel ranges of the Andes, the Amazon basin and the Galápagos Islands. Most hiking is in the central valley between Quito and Riobamba, the Avenue of the Volcanoes, where Cotopaxi (5,897 m), Chimborazo (6,263 m), the Quilotoa crater and the Cuicocha caldera lie within a few hours of the Pan-American Highway. Other well-known routes include the lakes of Cajas National Park near Cuenca, the Inca road to Ingapirca, the Condor Trek from Papallacta and the glaciers of Cayambe; we have not yet checked their current rules, so confirm them locally.
Travel Information
Country Code
EC
Currency
USD (United States Dollar)
Language
Spanish, Kichwa, Shuar
Capital
Quito
Elevation Range
0 – 6,263 m
Best Time to Visit
December to February and June to August for the high volcanoes; the Quilotoa Loop and Cuicocha can be walked all year with rain gear.
Climate
Temperature follows altitude. On the volcanoes, nights at the refuges are below freezing and wind on the glacier is strong all year; mornings are usually clearer than afternoons, which is why glacier climbs start around midnight. Guides favour December to February and June to August for the high peaks. Around 3,000 to 4,000 m, on the Quilotoa Loop and at Cuicocha, days are cool and afternoon cloud or rain is common in any month. UV at these altitudes on the equator is severe.
Visa Requirements
No trekking-specific visa. Visa-exempt visitors can stay up to 90 days in a year, extendable once by 90 days for a fee; South American nationals get 180 days. Check your own nationality before you fly.
Health Considerations
Altitude is the main risk: Quito sits around 2,850 m, the Cotopaxi and Chimborazo refuges near 4,850 m, and both glacier routes go far higher. Spend several days walking at 3,000 to 4,500 m before a glacier climb. If you arrive from Peru, Colombia, Brazil or Bolivia after more than 10 days there, Ecuador asks travellers aged 1 to 60 for a yellow fever certificate (CDC, 2025); CDC recommends the vaccine for the Amazon provinces east of the Andes but not for the highlands or Galápagos. Carry SPF 50+, glacier glasses and lip protection above 4,000 m, and treat all stream water.
Emergency Number
911
Permits Required
Mainland protected areas, including Cotopaxi National Park and the Chimborazo reserve, charge no entry fee; reports in 2025 of people charging US$45 for guiding at Chimborazo's access points describe an illegal charge. Cotopaxi glacier climbs reopened on 21 February 2024 for tour operators and registered clubs only, with a booked climbing slot, a booked José Ribas refuge place, IG-EPN safety training and a gas mask. Commercial climbs must use a guide specialised in mountaineering (Acuerdo Ministerial 2020-005). The Quilotoa Loop needs no permit; the community at the crater may charge for parking or toilets. Galápagos: US$200 park entry for foreign adults plus a transit control card.
Accommodation
Cotopaxi: the José Ribas refuge (4,864 m) is booked through your operator or club as part of the climbing slot; haciendas and lodges near the park gates suit acclimatization days. Chimborazo: the Hermanos Carrel refuge (4,850 m) reopened in 2022; in June 2025 local guides reported it without water, electricity or heating, so most visitors sleep in Riobamba or nearby lodges. Quilotoa Loop: family-run hostels in Sigchos, Chugchilán and Quilotoa include dinner and breakfast. Cuicocha: stay in Otavalo or Cotacachi.
Country Facts
Chimborazo (6,263 m)
Highest Peak
Geographic Overview
Ecuador straddles the equator with a Pacific coast, two parallel ranges of the Andes, the Amazon basin and the Galápagos Islands. Most hiking is in the central valley between Quito and Riobamba, the Avenue of the Volcanoes, where Cotopaxi (5,897 m), Chimborazo (6,263 m), the Quilotoa crater and the Cuicocha caldera lie within a few hours of the Pan-American Highway. Other well-known routes include the lakes of Cajas National Park near Cuenca, the Inca road to Ingapirca, the Condor Trek from Papallacta and the glaciers of Cayambe; we have not yet checked their current rules, so confirm them locally.
Culture & History
The Quilotoa Loop links Kichwa farming villages where families run the hostels that hikers sleep in; ask before photographing people. Mountaineering in Ecuador has its own institutions: commercial climbs must use a guide specialised in mountaineering under the 2020 adventure-tourism regulation, and ASEGUIM, the Ecuadorian mountain guides’ association, certifies many of them. Since 2025 the environment ministry has been the Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía, which manages the national parks.
Featured Trails in Ecuador
Quilotoa Loop
Chimborazo: Carrel and Whymper Refuges, Cóndor Cocha
Laguna Cuicocha Crater Rim Loop
Chimborazo Climb (Normal Route)
Ecuador at a Glance
6,263 m
Highest Peak
81
Protected Areas (SNAP)
14
National Parks
Free
Mainland Park Entry
When to Visit Ecuador
December-February
One of the two windows guides prefer for Cotopaxi and Chimborazo, with clearer mornings and more stable snow. Village walks such as the Quilotoa Loop are in good shape, with some afternoon rain.
June-August
The second window for the glacier peaks. Drier trails in the central highlands.
March-May, September-November
More cloud and rain in the highlands and less reliable conditions on the glaciers. The Quilotoa Loop and Cuicocha stay walkable with waterproofs; plan glacier climbs with spare days.
Practical Information
Trailhead Access
Cotopaxi: climbers enter between 08:00 and 16:00 through the Caspi or Norte gates, drive to the car park and walk about 1 km (45-60 minutes) up to the José Ribas refuge. Chimborazo: a road reaches the Carrel refuge (4,850 m); the Whymper refuge is a 900 m walk above it. Quilotoa Loop: buses from Latacunga to Sigchos or Quilotoa. Cuicocha: taxi from Cotacachi or Otavalo to the lake car park.
Trail Costs
Park entry on the mainland is free. Your costs are guiding, transport and lodging: glacier climbs on Cotopaxi and Chimborazo are sold as guided packages that include the refuge, transport and gear checks. Quilotoa Loop hostels usually include dinner and breakfast and are often paid in cash. Galápagos: US$200 park entry for foreign adults and a transit control card bought before you fly.
Trail Communication
Expect weak or no signal on the glaciers and between Quilotoa Loop villages; villages themselves usually have some coverage. Mountain guides carry radios. Download offline maps for the Quilotoa Loop, where the paths split often between villages.
Trail Safety & Rescue
Altitude sickness and weather are the main risks; descend if a headache worsens or you become confused or unsteady. Cotopaxi is an active volcano: IG-EPN rated its activity low and unchanged in July 2026, and an avalanche at about 5,800 m in March 2025 shows why climbs keep to the guided route. Dial 911 for any emergency; mountain rescue is run by the National Police rescue group (GIR). Buy insurance that covers climbing above 4,000 m and helicopter evacuation.
Emergency Contacts
ECU 911
911Ecuador's single emergency line for police, ambulance, fire and rescue. Mountain rescue is run by the National Police rescue group (GIR). Signal is unreliable on the glaciers, so your guide's radio is usually the first link.
Ecuador Trail Regions
Chimborazo
Chimborazo hiking trails start at the Carrel refuge (4,850 m), reached by road inside the…
Cotopaxi
Cotopaxi hiking trails cover Cotopaxi National Park (33,393 ha, about 50 km south of Quito),…
Imbabura
Imbabura hiking trails circle Laguna Cuicocha, a crater lake 3 km across in the Cotacachi-Cayapas…
Frequently Asked Questions about Top Hiking Trails in Ecuador
For the glacier volcanoes, guides prefer December to February and June to August, when mornings are clearer and snow is more stable. The Quilotoa Loop and Laguna Cuicocha, between about 3,000 and 4,000 m, can be walked all year with rain gear; afternoon cloud is normal in every month.
Yes, with conditions. Glacier climbs reopened on 21 February 2024 for tour operators and registered clubs, with a booked climbing slot, a booked place at the José Ribas refuge, IG-EPN safety training and a gas mask. IG-EPN rated the volcano’s activity low and unchanged in July 2026. Check IG-EPN on the day you go.
On glaciated peaks, in practice yes: commercial climbs must use a guide specialised in mountaineering, and Cotopaxi only admits climbers through operators or registered clubs. The Quilotoa Loop, the Cuicocha rim and the walk between the Chimborazo refuges need no guide.
Not on the mainland. Entry to Ecuador’s mainland protected areas, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo included, has been free since 2012, and 2025 reports confirm it. Galápagos is the exception: US$200 for foreign adults, plus the transit control card.
No. The loop links villages such as Sigchos, Chugchilán and Quilotoa over about 35 km in 3 to 4 days, and hikers walk it independently with offline maps, sleeping in family-run hostels. No permit is needed; the community at the crater may charge for parking or toilets.
It is a serious glacier climb to 6,263 m, harder than Cotopaxi: climbers leave the refuge before midnight on the El Castillo or west-ridge route, with crampons, rope and a certified mountain guide. Most people climb Cotopaxi or another 5,000 m peak first. The walk from the Carrel refuge (4,850 m) to the Whymper refuge and Cóndor Cocha needs no climbing gear.
Go up in stages: a few days in Quito (about 2,850 m), then day hikes at 3,500 to 4,500 m such as Cuicocha, Rucu Pichincha or the Chimborazo refuges, before any glacier climb. Drink water, skip alcohol the first nights, and descend if a headache gets worse. Our Peru guides use the same rule before the Inca Trail: at least 2 nights at altitude first.
On the routes on this page the main risks are altitude, cold and fast weather changes, plus volcanic activity on Cotopaxi, which IG-EPN monitors. Glacier climbs go with a mountain guide, and the Quilotoa Loop and Cuicocha rim are busy, well-trodden walks. For security in each region, read your government’s current travel advice and ask locally before you set out.
If you spent more than 10 days in Peru, Colombia, Brazil or Bolivia, Ecuador asks travellers aged 1 to 60 for a yellow fever certificate (CDC, page reviewed September 2026). The vaccine itself is recommended only for the Amazon provinces east of the Andes, not for the highlands or Galápagos.