Parque Nacional Cotopaxi — Attraction in Mulaló

The way to get there is by car. You may also rent some bicycles at the volcano (I’m not sure if you can take one with you). It is mandatory for foreigners to pay for a guide person. You will certainly find a guide because, before entering the National Park, there will be an entrance (you may find it because it is in the way to the National Park). Before you can enter, the guys there will ask you to register your passport and you car license plate and will also ask you to hire a guide, which should cost between $40 - $50. You may ask the guide when you go if the volcano is active. If it is, you may see ashes escaping from the volcano, another wonderful view. The ride is not on pavemented road, but on rocky and muddy roads, so be sure to go with a car that fits. The National Park and the volcano is accessed through the same entrance. If you do not want to hike, you may just go around in the National Park. In that case you may or may not hire a guide. It is preferable to hire one since it would guide you to beautiful places. Or you may not hire one. After all, you won’t get lost there and shall take your time to explore the place as you like. Be sure to go with a lot of clothing because the temperature there (at the volcano) is 4 degree Celsius with A LOT of winds. There will be no bathrooms until you reach to the so called “Refugio” (a refugee that 45 min. From the parking slot, which is also the starting point). So, you will have to do your necessities outdoor. So, it would be recommended to take something with you that you may use to cover yourself when needed. And then just make sure to take some sweets with you and take a lot of breaks during the ascend because there will be lack of oxygen. Some other trivial details can be known through the guide person (for example to fauna there, the name of other volcanos around and so). The most important of all is...

Cotopaxi is a stunning volcano and the surrounding area is equally as scenic. Well worth the trip.

For those visiting independently and without a vehicle, here's some useful info to help you plan your visit:

You can hire a driver and truck at the little tourism office beside the roundabout off the Panamerican highway (near Rondador Cotopaxi Lodge). The cost is between $25-$35 USD per person depending on the number of people (minimum 2, maximum 4). Those travelling solo will pay more. There's a $1 entry fee to the park.

The driver will take you to the Limpiopungo Lagoon where you stop for photos. On a clear day, the views of Cotopaxi from here are incredible. And you'll also spot birds out on the lagoon.

The driver will also take you to the carpark below the Jose F. Rivas refuge, where you can walk up to and get closer to the top of the volcano. It's roughly a 50 minute walk. At the refuge you can enjoy a hot drink, soak up the bird's eye views or walk further along from the refuge to get closer to a glacier. We tried, but didn't get very far as it looked too steep and unsafe.

All in all, the trip takes around 3-4hrs and the driver will drop you back off at the roundabout.

We rocked up at the roundabout around midday and had no problems booking a driver. And luckily, the weather in the afternoon was better than it had been in the morning. So don't be put off by all the blogs telling you to get there by 10am.

It's definitely worth staying somewhere nearby so you don't have to carry your luggage with you. Plus, depending on where you stay, you get to see Cotopaxi at...

Great national park to discover in one or several days. To get there from Latacunga: take the bus to Quito and let them drop you off at the entrance of the park (1,50$) where several pickup trucks are waiting. You can take a tour here to visit the information center, Laguna Limpiopungo and the refugio on the Volcan Cotopaxi. You can hike up until the glaciar. The tour drives you back to the entrance, takes 5-6h and if you're with several persons it's only 20$ for the whole day. So if you're alone or with two, better to wait a little for other tourists to show up. You can also just go the the Laguna for a nice walk or hike up the Ruminahui Central, a peak of 4600m high which gives you a great view on Cotopaxi (if you're lucky with the weather). You can camp for free at the area de camping in front of the lake (no toilets, but a fresh water creek nearby) or for 5$ per tent at the La Rinconada campsite. You can also get a great 3-course almuerzo with lemonade and tea here for 5$. Golden tip: if you just need transport in the park, it's very easy to...