Central Highlands - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 170

ters and campsites at the administration building and near the en-
trance to the park. The climber's refuge costs $10 per night per
climber, and offers 30 beds, a kitchen and plenty of traffic.
A Nice “Stroll”
A week-long trek around Cotopaxi is a great way to spend
some quiet time. The elevation gain is not significant, and
the hike is not very strenuous. The route involves a dirt
road around half of the mountain. Make sure to bring
plenty of food, water, and rain gear. The route is simple to
follow. The following maps are useful: IGM 1:50,000
Machachi, Cotopaxi, Sincholagua, and Mulalo. Refer to
Rachowiecki, Thurber and Wagenhauser's Climbing and
Hiking in Ecuador (Bradt Publications, 1997) for a detailed
description of the trek.
Quilotoa Lake
Northwest of Latacunga lies the spectacular emerald-colored crater
lake, Quilotoa, also within the Ilinizas Ecological Reserve. The lake is
brilliant in its intensity of color, with a backdrop that includes several
distant snowcapped volcanoes. Exercise extreme caution if you plan
on hiking the rim, as many sections are slippery or have been de-
stroyed by earthquakes. Allow six to seven hours to hike around the
rim. Just viewing the lake amid the Sierra backdrop is spectacular
and well worth a visit.
Buses from Latacunga pass through Pujilí and Zumbahua (about 2½
hours), generally once a day. If the bus is going all the way to
Quevedo, get off when the road splits at Zumbahua. Buses from
Zumbahua travel by Laguna Quilotoa (30 minutes) to Chugchilán
(2½ hours) and Sigchos (another hour). You can also do the reverse
from Latacunga. Alternatively, camionetas from Latacunga cost up
to $50 for the longest stretch to Chugchilán (under $40 to Quilotoa),
and less from closer towns. Getting to Lake Quilotoa over the scenic
Andean countryside is half the fun.
From Latacunga, head west off the Pan-American on the road to
Pujilí (which is paved until there) and Zumbagua. You can catch a bus
from Latacunga along this route as well. The first point of interest is
Pujilí , about six miles west of Latacunga, where there's a large mar-
ket on Sundays and a smaller one on Wednesdays. About 35 miles
west of Pujilí is Zumbagua , a tiny indigenous village with a great lo-