THE BEST 5 HIKING TRAILS IN ECUADOR

Walking has several benefits for your physical and mental health. Hiking enhances your creativity, new ideas and solutions while also bringing peace & joy. Friedrich Nietzsche, the philosopher, once said that all great thoughts are born while walking.

If you are a nature lover fascinated by magnificent landscapes, nature’s whispers and the feeling of the wind over your skin- then this information is for you!

Adventure Journeys brings you the best 5 hiking trails in Ecuador.

Cajas National Park

With over 230 lagoons, rocky mountains and a beautiful moor to explore, Cajas National Park is one of the best hiking trails in Ecuador. This area covers approximately 28,544 hectares, and its altitude exceeds 4,000 meters above sea level.

Perks: This hike offers breathtaking views where you can catch the reflections of mountains in lakes and encounter various flora specimens like orchids, paper trees, mosses, and others. If you are lucky, you might be able to spot in the wild animals like deers, llamas, Andean tapirs, toucans, hummingbirds, and even a condor!

Quilotoa

It is a stunning lagoon located at the 3 km crater of the Quilotoa volcano in the Cotopaxi Province. The lagoon is about 250 meters deep, at an altitude of 3,900 meters above sea level. To get to this breathtaking location, you will have to engage in a 5-hour walk.

Perks: The minerals found in the water give the lake a greenish-blue colour, especially when the sun shines through the Ecuadorian Andes. During the walk, you will be surrounded by plants, flowers, wild fruits, birds, butterflies and grazing animals. There are camping areas and an ideal viewpoint to meditate with the sound of water and do fun activities such as kayaking.

Yasuni National Park

This is an extreme hike. Not only because of the altitude or the terrain; but also due to the Ecuadorian East’s heat and humidity. For this hike, it is required to hire local tour guides from the Huaorani community and Amazonian rainforest experts. The walk lasts up to 9 hours to tour an area of 1,022,700 hectares.

Perks: You would be hiking in one of the most mega-diverse places on the planet, you will be able to appreciate endless species. Take a photo with the tree with the largest diameter in the entire country, a ceibo from the jungle.

Podocarpus National Park

The sun’s rays will enhance the beauty of the single thing in this scenery. The drops of water formed by the humidity seem to be alive on top of the trees. Moss, ferns and flowers are the flora seen along this route. Its total area is 146,280 hectares.

Perks: More than 500 species of birds, plants and flowers to contemplate in this humid forest and subtropical area. You can go on specialized bird-watching walks.

Cotopaxi National Park

Inside the park, you can take a route to the Limpiopungo lagoon, which lasts a little over an hour and is of an accessible level. Yet, for more experienced hikers wanting adventure, there is a medium-high level route to climb the Rumiñahui volcano island that lasts an average of 4 hours.

Perks: Admire the Andes Mountain Range and its volcanos. You will enjoy the view of Cotopaxi, Rumiñahui, Sincholagua, Illinizas, Pasochoa, Corazón and, if it is weather helps, the Tungurahua volcano.

Ecuador has a unique climatic diversity which allows for fantastic locations to hike. We invite you to live new experiences, to feel the adventure. Contact us here and live this memorable adventure.