Horseback riding Cotopaxi National Park
per person
Horseback riding Cotopaxi National Park in the paramo (moorland) at the base of Cotopaxi Volcano is undoubtedly a unique experience. Whether you do this with friends or family, you will enjoy the wonderful landscapes and the fresh air.
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Day 1: Machachi – Cotopaxi National Park – Machachi
We start our adventure at the Hostel Casa del Montañero in Machachi at 08:00am. We drive along the avenue of volcanoes and then a rocky road, and in an hour arrive at the north entrance of Cotopaxi National Park, located at 3,600 masl, where the horses are ready and waiting for us. From here we continue on horseback to visit the pre-Inca fortress pucará del Salitre, which was built for the purpose of surveillance and defence. From here we can see several volcanoes such as: Cotopaxi, Rumiñahui and Sincholagua. If we are lucky, we might even see a condor, the world’s largest flying bird.
We then continue the ride, passing by streams, lava paths and large rocks from the last eruption of Cotopaxi in 1877. We take in the incredible flora and fauna, enjoy our packed lunch, and then continue with the ride through the paramo to arrive at the point where the car awaits us for the return journey to Machachi. The estimated time of the horse ride is between 3 to 4 hours.