Cotopaxi National Park


Traveling around Ecuador , be sure to visit one of the most interesting national parks of the country - Cotopaxi. The park is located on the territory of three provinces: Cotopaxi, Napo and Pichincha. Its name was given to the park by the name of the highest peak of the park, which in translation from the Quechua Indian language means "smoking mountain".

Features of Cotopaxi National Park

The park was founded in 1975 and covers an area of ​​about 330 hectares. The variety of landscapes and natural phenomena in the park makes it attractive for travelers. Mountaineers will find themselves steep snow-covered slopes, and trekking fans can choose for themselves one of the many routes. Mountain hiking and biking trails in the park are equipped at the highest level, camping is laid out at the foot of the volcano Cotopaxi, there are places for tent camps. For a moderate fee, you can make a ride on horseback. The beautiful nature and crater of the volcano Cotopaxi, similar to the famous Japanese Mount Fuji, attract photographers from around the world. At the top of the volcano there are two perfectly round craters.

In the western part of the park there is a "cloud forest" - a high mountain forest, inhabited by interesting representatives of the animal world - hummingbirds, Andean chibis, deer, wild horses and domestic llamas.

Tourists who depart from Quito to the national park will see the majestic peaks of the Andes, which stretch along the highway - Avenue of Volcanoes . Each mountain in this chain has its own unique flora and fauna. The Cotopaxi National Park includes several active volcanoes, the largest of which are the operating Cotopaxi and Sinkolagua, and also the extinct Rumijani.

The volcano of Cotopaxi is a symbol of Ecuador

It seems that stunning landscapes are created in order to please the eye. But you can not say about Ecuador , the "country of volcanoes". Several active volcanoes are located on the territory of the Cotopaxi National Park. Many researchers tried to climb to the top, but the first conqueror of Cotopaxi is the German geologist Wilheim Reis, who organized the expedition to the Andes in 1872. The eruptions of the largest volcano Cotopaxi (height 5897 m) repeatedly brought devastation to the nearby valleys and the city of Latakunga , when the burning lava swept away everything its way. But more than a hundred years, since 1904, he is sleeping peacefully, and the ice on its summit does not melt even in the hottest summer. Scientists are constantly monitoring the seismic activity in this area, so the danger that the eruption of the volcano will catch the inhabitants of the valley off guard is reduced to zero. Cotopaxes are often compared to the popular Japanese Mount Fuji. This is not just a volcano, but also a symbol of the country, invariably present on souvenirs.

How to get there?

The Cotopaxi National Park is located 45 km south of Quito . You can take a bus, which will take you to the park in a couple of hours. The main entrance to the park is a few kilometers from the village of Lasso. The cost of admission is 10 dollars.