Skip to content
All experiencesESTalk to us
The Avenue of the Volcanoes south of Quito, with Cotopaxi’s snow cone above the valley

Andes & volcanoes

Quito’s old town and the Avenue of the Volcanoes

Two to four days from Quito’s colonial heart to the foot of Cotopaxi: a UNESCO old town on foot, wild horses on the páramo at Limpiopungo, and nights by the fire in a historic hacienda.

The story

From colonial squares to a snow cone on the páramo

Quito’s old town was among the very first places UNESCO listed as World Heritage, in 1978, and the road south of the city runs between two rows of volcanoes that Humboldt called the Avenue of the Volcanoes. In a few unhurried days you walk the old town, climb into the páramo below Cotopaxi and sleep in a historic hacienda in the volcano’s shadow.

  1. Day 1 · 09:00

    Quito’s old town, before the crowds

    You start in Plaza Grande while the shoeshiners set up and the cathedral bells count the hour. Then La Compañía, where gold leaf covers every surface, the steep streets toward the gothic towers of the Basílica, and a warm bowl of locro de papa. At 2,850 metres you walk slowly, and your guide lets the stories do the work.

    Travellers with a local guide in Quito’s Plaza Grande, the cathedral behind them
  2. Day 2 · 08:00

    South along the Avenue of the Volcanoes

    The Pan-American leaves the city and the valley opens: Corazón and the Illinizas to the west, Pasochoa and Rumiñahui to the east, and ahead, if the morning is clear, the white cone of Cotopaxi. Your driver knows the bends where the volcano suddenly appears; your guide knows which peak is which, and the stories the farmers tell about each one.

    The Pan-American valley south of Quito with volcanoes on both sides
  3. Day 2 · 10:30

    Wild horses at Limpiopungo

    Inside Cotopaxi National Park the road climbs through pine and then páramo grass, gold and silver in the wind. At the Limpiopungo lagoon, about 3,800 metres up, wild horses graze at the water’s edge and the volcano fills the sky. You walk the lagoon trail at your own pace, look for Andean gulls and lapwings, and feel the thin, cold air in your lungs.

    Cotopaxi above the Limpiopungo lagoon with wild horses
  4. Day 2 · Evening

    A fire in the hacienda

    The light goes and the cold comes down fast. In the hacienda someone has lit the fireplace, there is soup on the table and a hot drink in your hands. Thick walls, wooden beams, a courtyard of geraniums: the house was built for exactly this altitude and this weather. You sleep under heavy blankets with the volcano outside the window.

    Travellers by the fireplace of an old Andean hacienda in the evening
  5. Day 3 · Morning

    Coffee with the volcano

    Morning is when Cotopaxi most often shows its whole face, snowfields pink in the first sun. Coffee in the courtyard, then your choice: a longer walk on the páramo, a slow morning by the fountain, or the road back to Quito and the airport. Or keep going south toward Chimborazo, and let the Avenue of the Volcanoes become a longer journey.

    The courtyard of an Andean hacienda with Cotopaxi beyond

Your day

Where the bird takes you

  1. Quito’s old townPlaza Grande, La Compañía and the Basílica, World Heritage since 1978
  2. The Avenue of the VolcanoesThe Pan-American south, between two rows of peaks
  3. Cotopaxi National ParkPine, páramo and the snow cone
  4. Limpiopungo lagoonWild horses and a walk at your pace, about 3,800 m
  5. A historic haciendaOne or more nights by the fire
  6. Back to Quito or onwardAirport, hotel, or south toward Chimborazo
historyculturenatureSeveral days

What’s taken care of

  • Days designed around your dates and pace: we talk first, then a proposal made for you
  • A local guide in English or Spanish
  • Private transport from Quito
  • Hacienda nights chosen for your group
  • A plan that respects the altitude

Good to know

  • Altitude is real: we keep the first day gentle in Quito and walks short at 3,800 m
  • Bring layers, a warm hat and sun protection: the páramo is cold and the sun is strong
  • Cotopaxi is an active volcano and the park follows official alerts; if a sector closes, we change the plan with you
  • Views are usually clearest early in the morning

About prices

Every experience is shaped around your group, so we talk first and then send you a proposal made for you. No fixed packages.

Real reviews

Travellers with Allyson

Quoted as written, from the platforms where they were left.

We had such a great experience with Allison from Local Friend Tours. She took care of everything and provided us with such care in the planning. The excursions were wonderful! We started with our grandson’s wedding- a love story in itself and then on to our tour of 5 days Guayaquil, Salinas, Banos and so much more! Plan your tour with Allison and know you will be well taken care of and given the best tour from a local who now feels like family to us! Thanks for a great experience in. Ecuador ❤️ 🦜

Renae R

TripadvisorReview on tripadvisor.com ↗
On time pick up from our hotel. Tour around the highlights of the city. Guide was very knowledgeable and personable but the city itself is just not that scenic.

Trevor R. · United States

ToursByLocalsVerified on toursbylocals.com ↗
Wir hatten einen sehr schönen Tag mit Allyson. Bereits im Vorfeld war Allyson sehr kommunikativ und der Ausflug selbst war bestens organisiert. Vielen Dank Allyson gerne wieder.

Klaus W. · Germany

ToursByLocalsVerified on toursbylocals.com ↗
This was a great day! I was the only one on the tour and my guide Alison, and her friend Mikela, did a superb job. For the dry forest we visited the Cerro Blanco private reserve where Alison had engaged a wonderful local guide who's knowledge of all things was exceptional. Later a visit to various parts of Guayaquil gave me a good incite into this city's "vibe". A truly enjoyable day with two charming and knowledgeable young ladies. Highly recommended!

Roger · Australia

GetYourGuideVerified booking on getyourguide.com ↗
Alyson is an excellent guide. Her English is top notch & knowledge of the city & the country’s history is masterful. In addition she is a very nice person that we enjoyed interacting with.

Stephen E. · United States

ToursByLocalsVerified on toursbylocals.com ↗
We really enjoyed the food and city walk tour presented by Allyson. Her passion for the local product is first class. The market experience was genuine as this is the market where she normally shops. We would highly recommend this tour.

David S. · United States

ToursByLocalsVerified on toursbylocals.com ↗
What a fabulous day! Allyson was a terrific guide. She listened to our requests and made sure we were safe and well taken care of all day. The mercado experience was truly amazing. We got a great snap shot of Quayaquil and excellent food. Thanks again for a wonderful day!

Kathleen R. · United States

ToursByLocalsVerified on toursbylocals.com ↗
Allyson was a wonderful guide who showed us the highlights of her lovely city. She surprised us by taking us to a cocoa shop where we got to pick up some Ecuadorian chocolate. We enjoyed our morning with Allyson and highly recommend her.

439MarkN2017 · Los Angeles, California

TripadvisorReview on tripadvisor.com ↗
61 reviews across ToursByLocals, Tripadvisor, Google Maps, Viator and GetYourGuide.Open the five passports →

Mix and match

Pairs beautifully with

1 or 2 days
Andes & volcanoesCuicocha crater lake and OtavaloNorth of Quito, a lake fills a volcano’s crater in Cotacachi Cayapas National Park, and Otavalo’s market spreads its weavings across the Plaza de los Ponchos. A day or two in the Kichwa heartland of Imbabura.
2 to 4 days
Andes & volcanoesThe Devil’s Nose train, Chimborazo and CuencaVicuñas below Ecuador’s highest volcano, a train that zigzags down a mountain wall at Alausí, and the blue domes of Cuenca at the end of the road. Two to four days through the central and southern Andes.
2 to 4 days
Forest & AmazonPuyo, Pastaza and the Indichuris viewpointDrop from the Andes to the rainforest on a single road, then stand at the Indichuris viewpoint with the Pastaza river winding through the green below. A few days at the Amazon’s front door.

A combination

From the volcanoes to the Amazon

The old town of Quito, Cotopaxi's páramo, crater lakes in the north, the Devil's Nose train and down to the rainforest at Puyo.

  1. Quito’s old town and the Avenue of the Volcanoes
  2. Cuicocha crater lake and Otavalo
  3. The Devil’s Nose train, Chimborazo and Cuenca
  4. Puyo, Pastaza and the Indichuris viewpoint

Shall we plan your volcano days?

Tell Allyson your dates and who’s coming. She replies personally, usually the same day, with ideas and questions; the proposal comes after.

WhatsApp AllysonEmail insteadSee all experiences