Otavalo & Cuicocha — Quito to the Northern VolcanoesLoop.
Distance
230 km
Duration
1 day
Climb
2,200 m
Otavalo & Cuicocha — Quito to the Northern Volcanoes Loop.
A one-day loop north of Quito along the Avenue of the Volcanoes into Imbabura province. Smooth Panamericana riding past the snow-capped cone of Cayambe, the famous indigenous market town of Otavalo, the leather workshops of Cotacachi, and the turquoise Cuicocha crater lake at the foot of Cotacachi volcano, before returning through the white city of Ibarra.
Quick facts
SurfacePaved
Distance230 km
Days1
Total climb2,200 m
DifficultyModerate
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The route.
QuitoStart · Start in Quito (2,850m). Fuel up and head north on the Panamericana. Cool highland mornings — layer up.
CayambeScenic Point · Rose-farm town beneath the glaciated cone of Cayambe (5,790m), the only point on Earth on the Equator with permanent snow. Buy the local bizcochos with cheese.
OtavaloScenic Point · Home to South America's largest indigenous market. Park and walk the Plaza de Ponchos for textiles before the afternoon heat.
CotacachiRestaurant · Ecuador's leather-working capital. Lunch here — the town is calm and walkable, a good midpoint break.
Cuicocha Crater LakePhoto Spot · A 3km-wide caldera lake at the foot of Cotacachi volcano, its deep-blue water cradling two forested lava-dome islands. The rim road viewpoint is the highlight of the ride.
IbarraScenic Point · The whitewashed colonial "Ciudad Blanca". Stretch your legs before the run back south.
QuitoEnd · Return to Quito on the Panamericana as the volcanoes catch the evening light.
More routes in Ecuador
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