My 4 days trip to Cotopaxi National Park | Cotopaxi volcano | Waterfall | Pasochoa volcano
I made from quito a 4 days trip to the Cotopaxi National Park. I stayed in the Secret Garden Hostel Cotopax, I had 3 incredible hikes, I enjoyed my time without any internet and was surrounded by beautiful nature.
Travel stats
- My total expenses in 4 days: $187.5
- 3 nights at Secret Garden Hostel, incl. 3 meals, etc.: $137.5
- Cotopaxi hike: $40 + $10 for bicycle rent
- Included hikes: Waterfall, Pasochoa vulcano
Note: all prices and locations have been visited by me in June 2025, and I cannot guarantee that it's still the same when you read this.
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Secret Garden Hostel Cotopoxi
I booked the trip at the Secret Garden Hostel Quito. They offer a one-day, 1-night, or 2-night package. You can decide on a dorm or different private rooms. I chose the dorm, and the 2-night package is $110. Include in the $110 package were:
- 3 meals a day
- Marshmallows at the bonfire every afternoon
- Unlimited banana bread at any time
- Jacuzzi
- Water, Tea, Coffee
- Waterfall hike
- Pasochoa vulcano hike
The hostel itself is just amazing! Near the property are no neighbors, and it's a huge area of land. If you're lucky, you can even see the Cotopaxi summit, and even from the balconies and in some private rooms, you can see it from the bed.
You can eat unlimited fresh bananas, and with the peels you can feed the very cute llamas near the house. You can go in the silent tiny house to relax in a hammock, read your book, or just take a nap. :) Or you go in the main house and enjoy your time on a couch wrapped in a poncho and drinking a hot tea or coffee. One of my favorites has been the Jacuzzi! You can literally go any time. I suggest you go either between 08:00 and 13:00, when the most people are doing hikes, or you go at 18:00, which is what I did, to avoid the crowd and have the jacuzzi for yourself or at least just with a few people.
Waterfall hike
Duration: 3 hours Altitude: ~3587 meters Elevation: ~100 meters
The waterfall is included in the package and is a good start to the hiking in this high altitude. The hostel is located at ~3,400 meters altitude, and the waterfall is almost on the same level. The hike is located behind the property, and it feels like a private hike because there are literally no neighbors around. The hike is starting every day at 14:00 so every guest can even start on the same day as they arrive. I planned to stay 4 nights, so I decided to just enjoy my first afternoon in the hostel, and I did the waterfall on my second day.
Pasochoa vulcano hike
Duration: 5 hours Length: 14 km (both ways) Altitude: 4200 meters Elevation: 800 meters
This hike is included aswell. I can just recommend doing this hike on your last day, as I did. So you have some days to get comfortable with this high altitude. I really enjoyed this hike, and even if the hostel says this hike is medium/hard and Cotopaxi base camp is easy/medium, I must say I was more comfortable on this hike. Either the reason is that I had more days to get used to the altitude or the fact that this hike is not always steep. The route changes a lot from steep to just straight. I guess they say it's more difficult because it's a longer distance.
I highly recommend this hike if you're a fan of hiking and beautiful nature. The view is amazing, especially if you're lucky with the weather.
Cotopaxi vulcano hike
This hike is not included and costs $40. They drive you from the hostel to the Cotopaxi parking area, and from there you walk up to the base camp at 4900 meters. Before you arrive at the Cotopaxi entry, they make a stop at a local house. There you can rent a bicycle for $10, which I highly recommend!, and on the way back you can ride a ~30-minute route. It was my first time on a volcano and the first time I rode down a volcano with a bicycle. That was one of my highlights and has been a lot of fun!
If you're fast enough, the guide takes you even higher to the glacier at 5000 meters. If you're not fast enough, you either walk by yourself or you just wait in the base camp and enjoy a delicious!! hot chocolate.
Since it was my first volcano and the highest altitude I had ever been, I was one of the slower people and missed the walk to the glacier. I was a bit upset because I wanted to see the glacier, especially because we had incredibly good weather! But it's fine, and I'm glad that I made it the first time to 4900 meters. :) I highly recommend this hike.
You can also do the summit to the top of the volcano. I knew some people who had done this from the hostel. They slept one night in the base camp and returned the next day. For more information about the summit, you have to ask the hostel.