Quilotoa Crater Lake Private Day Tour With Lunch

The lake is breath taking . The hike back up is not for people who do not work out. Kick ass. It was amazing

This is the second time I've used EBT and I really enjoyed with trips. The travel times are long on the day trips but I still like them, as an option, when I am staying in Quito. My tour guide Diana's passion for nature and Ecuador's people, makes for an enjoyable trip. She is also one of the few guides that I've met that can deal with my sense of humor 😄 Pickup was on time and the vehicle was spotless. Diana tailored the trip to my wishes and I had a great time. Would highly recommend to anyone travelling to Ecuador.

My friend and I extended her work trip and decided to do a private tour to Quilotoa Crater Lake and Otavalo Market with Wilson—and it turned out to be one of the highlights of our time in Ecuador. Quilotoa is absolutely stunning and somehow even more impressive in person. Standing at the crater, just taking it all in, was one of those quiet wow moments. Wilson knew the perfect balance between sharing information and letting us enjoy the view, and he kept the day moving at a comfortable, no-stress pace. Otavalo Market was the perfect contrast—bright, lively, and full of culture. Wilson helped us navigate it easily, pointed out meaningful details, and made the whole experience feel personal rather than touristy. What could’ve been a long day on the road ended up being fun, relaxed, and genuinely memorable. If you’re considering this tour, go for the private option—and if Wilson’s your guide, you’re in great hands.

Excellent tour and excellent guide. The crater is impressive. However et a bit far from Quito, 3 hours.

We had an amazing time. Myriam is very knowledgeable and we learnt a lot while seeing and experiencing the gorgeous landscapes.

What a great way to spend our first day (of 14) in Ecuador and the Galapagos! Everything about our day was memorable. Our guide was Luis and he was prompt, energetic, friendly, conscientious, and very patient with our large family. Large families are sometimes challenging on tours such as this, but Luis was one of the most professional and capable guides we've ever had, especially with our visually challenged sons. We enjoyed the variety of the full day we spent with him. We enjoyed meeting an indigenous farming family and were fascinated by their simple yet contented lifestyle. They were very welcoming, and shared the flavor of their small home life with us. (Our children - 17, 17, 14, 14, 12, & 8 were close in age to theirs so they especially impacted.) Luis did a great job helping us communicate with the family, and explaining the details of their lifestyle. Then we stopped at the Toachi River Canyon - that was a surprisingly enjoyable visit. The canyon is striking with its views, and Luis again explained the history and significance of the canyon. Be careful if you visit, since the terrain can be uncertain, and the drop-offs can be intimidating, as Luis explained. Next stop: Quilotoa Crater Lake. Amazing views greeted us as we crested the trail up to the edge of the crater. It was breathtaking! Luis shared some of his own experiences with other tour groups, helping us to understand our options for hiking down to the edge of the lake. We decided to go all-in and try to make it to the bottom. We DID make it. Even though our group got a bit separated, Luis was always aware of where everyone was and made sure that everyone was well hydrated had the support that was needed - even sharing on of his own hiking poles on the trail. The views and vistas got increasingly more interesting as we descended. Even though the trail was very challenging at spots, he made sure that our boys stayed safely on track. We had a blast taking photos at the edge of the lake, but when it came time to hike back up, only our oldest son (a competitive tri-athlete!) took on the climb. To help get the rest of us out, Luis did an excellent job arranging our mule-train back up-trail out of the canyon. He made sure that everyone was comfortable and safe. We were one mule short for a portion of the trip back up, and I (Dad) had the chance to chat for quite a while 1-on-1 with Luis as we trekked out. Luis was very engaging, the conversation was wide-ranging and wonderful and it gave me a unique chance to actually get to know him, and learned how he got to be so good at what he does. When we got about 2/3 of the way out, my mule arrived - and I rode the last bit out, while Luis trailed behind on foot, never losing contact with us. I constantly remind our children that memories are made as much from the people we meet the world over, as from the sights we've had the good fortune to visit. After our climb out, we relaxed at the top with a satisfying meal, with authentic Ecuadorian cuisine. It was just what we needed to cap off the day. Luis assured that everything was arranged for maximum enjoyment. The day ended with a comfortable bus ride back, past some really excellent roadside volcano views, and a drop-off at our hotel. We stumbled out of the tour bus - exhausted but grateful and appreciative that Luis gave us a tremendous day of memories and lessons about the land, cultures, and people of Ecuador. Beginning-to-end it was a great day and Luis was one of the best tour guides we've had the chance to meet. Thank you Ecuador Best Tours. We could not recommend EBT more enthusiastically!

I already experienced Quilotoa a couple of years ago, and I decided to go there again to see with more detail the mountains and indian communities that are all over the place, and it was amazing!! I loved the food, my transportation, and Luis, my tour guide...! He was very informative and friendly. Thank you very much for everything!

Our day tour to Quilotoa was an absolute blast! Our guide was very kind, helpful, and knowledgeable! The drive was quite enjoyable as we got to see lots of the countryside and learn more about the area. The crater itself was stunning! So beautiful and peaceful! We did the walk down to the lake and would recommend others to do as well. For those who are from low altitude regions, the hike back up may be a little challenge (high elevation and a steep hike). In total, it took about 30 minutes to walk down and about 1 hour to hike back up.

Juan was a great tour guide who knew a lot about the area. He treated us like family. We were able to see some very nice scenery and the tour included a great lunch. Poor weather limited our view of Quilatoa, but Juan was kind enough to email some of his own photos that he had taken the day before. Great service.

This is something I couldn't believe I could manage to do. It was an amazing experience from the begining of the day. Our tour guide was on time, and very friendly all day long. Very nice lunch and very accomodating activities according to our needs and physical capacities. Very recomendable!!

Seeing the Quilotoa Crater Lake in person was awe-inspiring. We had a fantastic driver; Carlos, and an equally great tour guide; Andy. She gave us a real feel for being Ecuadorian. Explained the history, geographical features, and the government. Carlos stopped at a roadside stand to buy us the local fruits, and Andy explained them, as well as the local dishes. Got to try the local dishes at lunch, along with the fruits. The canyons we spectacular. Carlos and Andy truly made this a very enjoyable trip, and a special memory for us.

We had a wonderful time on this tour for our last day in Ecuador (after visiting Galapagos & the Amazon). Everything was excellent! Luis was so helpful in arranging the details for our group of 6, including an airport drop off. Raul was a marvelous guide sharing both his knowledge and passion for Ecuador in general, and the highlands we visited at Quilotoa Crater. And he and his father (our driver) were very accommodating to our needs and customized things along the way with ease and grace.

Amazing experience! Driving through the Andes mountains was a surreal experience. Luis was a very polite and informative guide!

The entire trip was excellent. We spent the entire day with Wilson - I can't imagine a more affable, experienced or engaging guide. Initially we thought that 3+ hours each way from Quito would seem long a long day - but every part of the trip was interesting. We stopped at a native art gallery, the busy local market in the rural town of Zambahua, and hiked down to the edge of the lake at Quilotoa (a somewhat steep mile at 9-10,000 feet). Getting up into the Andes and experiencing the native people, culture and vistas is highly recommended if you have an extra day in Quito (with a special request for Wilson if available)

Our group of six friends did a day at Quilatoa with Luis and Raul yesterday. The van used was the best one we’ve had during our stay in Ecuador - roomy, clean and modern. We learned a lot about the Inca Kichua population in the Ecuadorian Andes. We even stopped by a village, completely unannounced. We had the most authentic indigenous experience, they were not expecting us. We got to walk a day in their lives, and it was really a refreshing experience. Only possible due to Luis’s relationship with this particular tribe/family. We did the walk down to the crater lake and enjoyed great weather and wonderful photos. My only recommendation is that you do not hire the mules as they were really suffering. We felt really bad for them - they were coughing, legs shaking, sweating. This was not some thing that EBT can influence, but if tourists knew the amount of pain the horses/mules go through and stop hiring them, eventually there would be no demand. After the hike, we stop by restaurant nearby and had a nice meal. The ride home was easy and we slept through most of it. Overall, our whole group would 100% recommend EBT. Go now, it’s safe and do you avoid all the crowds while having a positive impact on the local economy.

Great experience with Luis conducting a tour. It was a last minute substitute for Cotopaxi due to closure of national parks on Mondays. Luis offered a superb alternative on short notice, amazing lagoon (w/ hike down and horse up for some) and very interesting hut house of indigenous folks.

Luis was a great, friendly guide! We made a lot of great stops and the hike was amazing! Everything was catered to our private group and I highly recommend!

I searched for weeks to find the best tour that would emerge us into the real culture of Ecuador. The research paid off, as this was tour was everything plus more of what I was looking for. The last thing I wanted t do was be on a bus with a group of tourist for hours at a time. I wanted the personalized, educational trip. Luis, our tour guide was very friendly, over the top knowledgeable , and very accommodating. He provided fun facts throughout the day and had answers to all our questions along the tour. We road in his SUV throughout the day, which was very comfortable, making many stops at cute shops, scenery stops, and markets, to allow us the stretch our legs and explore the villages. Spend a good amount of time riding in the car, but never felt that long due to the multiple adventurous stops, amazing sights and informational conversations. I loved interacting with the locals in several different villages and shopping at the markets. I would recommend this tour to everyone looking to get the ful experience of Ecuador. Highly recommend requesting Luis!

This is one of the best day tours we have ever experienced. Eduardo was a terrific guide. He picked us up at our hotel promptly at 7:30 a.m. and we didn't return until well after 5:00 p.m. Honestly, I didn't expect the tour to be as extensive as it was. On our way into the mountains, we stopped for a quick snack at a wonderful roadside cafe, then a visit with a local indigenous family in their home, a stop at the truly local Saturday market, and finally the crater itself where we also enjoyed a meal at a local restauarant. If you want to get out of Quito and really experience this part of Ecuador, definitely take this tour!

We visited the spectacular Quilotoa with our guide Wilson - he was great fun to travel with and told stories and history of Ecuador that entertained our entire group of teens, kids and adults. We visited a local market which was also a great experience. Our car was large, super clean and felt very safe. Can't recommend this tour highly enough.

Wilson was our guide for our day trip to Quilotoa. He was friendly, polite, and so enthusiastic about showing us his home country. Wilson was very knowledgeable and introduced us to new foods, new experiences, and new perspectives. I would highly recommend this tour.

Excellent support from our wonderful guide. Luis. He went the extra mile assisting us and catering for our needs. The location was fantastic and the mule ride was an experience not to be forgotten. Thanks for the opportunity and experience. I would highlyrecommend it.