SHORT HIKES AROUND COTACACHI
This section provides descriptions and downloadable trail files of 1 to 2 hour walks close to Cotacachi.
El Ejido - Cotacachi Loop
This is a flat and easy stroll through the outskirts of Cotacachi. Part of the walk is on city sidewalks and part is on a dirt trail along a stream. It ends at the Cotacachi bus terminal and market.
You can start walking in Cotacachi (walk down Calle Sucre in the direction of Quiroga for about 2 km and turn right on Calle Lucila Maya) or you can catch a taxi to El Ejido and jump out at Calle Lucila Maya. Walk down Lucila Maya for about 0.5 km. Turn right after the bridge and walk along the stream. At the road crossing, continue along the stream until you reach a road. Walk down the road. Turn right at intersection, take the first left, then right on 10 de Agosto. The market is about 2 blocks up this road.
Distance:
3 km / 1.9 miles
Time:
1 hour
Difficulty:
Easy, no significant uphill
Logistics:
Walk or 5 min taxi ride to trail head
El Ejido - Cotacachi (via El Batan) Loop
This walk is a little more challenging, but similar to the El Ejido - Cotacachi Loop. About two-thirds of it is on sidewalks, cobblestone and paved roads, the rest is on dirt trails. It ends at the Cotacachi bus terminal and market.
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You can start this hike in Cotacachi (walk down Calle Sucre in the direction of Quiroga for about 2 km and turn right on Calle Lucila Maya or you can catch a taxi to El Ejido and jump out at Calle Lucila Maya. Walk down Lucila Maya for about 0.5 km. Turn right after the bridge and walk along the stream. At the paved road, turn left and walk uphill through Santa Barbara community for 1 km, turn right on the dirt road. Continue walking for 800 meters, then turn left. Turn right about 100 m up road. Walk for 1 km (always staying to the right) until you reach a cobblestone road (10 de Agosto). Turn right and walk for 1.8 km to the Cotacachi bus station/market. Click HERE to download a KML file of the trail.
Distance:
5.4 km / 3.4 miles
Time:
1.5 hours
Difficulty:
Easy, no significant uphill
Logistics:
Walk or 5 min taxi ride to trail head
Morales Chupa - Iltaqui - Anrabi Walk
Distance:
6.5 km / 4 miles
Time:
2 hours
Difficulty:
Moderate, an easy uphill climb at start of hike
Logistics:
10 min taxi ridefrom Cotacachi to trail head
Barrio San Jose, Cotacachi - Tunibamba Loop
This walk starts at the corner of Calle Esmeraldas and the church in Barrio San Jose, Cotacachi. The surfaces are mostly dirt roads and trails. Hikers can end the walk back where they started (5.6 km hike) or at the Tunibamba bus stop on the cobblestone road leading back to Cotacachi (4 km hike). The advantage of stopping in Tunibamba is you will avoid dogs. If you walk back to Barrio San Jose, you will pass about 50 barking, sometimes aggressive dogs. Also, this part of the hike is on a cobblestone road.
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The hike starts at a small creek. After crossing the creek, you will slowly climb through a bucolic field. There's a nursery operation at the top ( marked by white and orange fence posts). Turn right and exit the nursery through a large open gate. Walk down the road for about 500 meters and turn left onto a small trail. Stay on the trail for 380 meters, then turn left at the irrigation ditch and walk uphill until you reach a reservoir, turn right. Stay left at next intersection (in 200 m), then stay right until you reach Tunibamba village. Walk downhill to the wide cobblestone road. At this point, you can wait for a bus/taxi or turn right and walk back to Barrio San Jose (1.6 km).
Distance:
5.6 km / 3.5 miles
Time:
2 hours
Difficulty:
Moderate, 137 m / 450 ft. elevation gain
Logistics:
Start at San Jose Church in Cotacachi. Can take a bus or taxi back to Cotacachi at end of hike
Cuicocha Centro - Quiroga Loop
This hike starts in Cuicocha Central, a community above Quiroga. Most of the walk is on dirt roads, although a portion is on a trail along a creek, which can be muddy during the rainy season. Most of the walk meanders through rural farming areas. Be prepared to deal with semi-aggressive barking dogs on a few stretches of this walk.
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The hike starts with a short climb to a small park in Cuicocha Centro. Turn left at the park and walk downhill. At the bottom of the hill, turn right off the road into a ravine. Walk along a small creek in the ravine for 450 m and turn left as indicated on your downloaded KML file. Take the trail uphill to a road, cross the road and continue walking (there are dogs along this road). At the T in 200 m, turn left. Continue on this road to a round-about, turn right and walk for 200 m, then go left at the Y. Walk uphill. The road curves to the right. After the curve, go left on the dirt road, then take the first path to the right, then turn left on a small dirt road. Continue on this road until you reach the paved road, then turn right. It will lead you to Quiroga. You can catch a bus/taxi in the Quiroga town square.
Distance:
5.6 km / 3.5 miles
Time:
2 hours
Difficulty:
Easy, 100 m / 328 ft. elevation gain
Logistics:
10 minute taxi ride from Cotacachi to trailhead in Cuicocha Central
La Pradera to Via Otavalo Highway Walk
This walk starts in La Pradera, a neighborhood in C0tacachi. Most of this walk is on dirt roads, although a portion is on a trail along a creek. This is an easy, mostly flat walk. It can be navigated in either direction. Be prepared to deal with semi-aggressive barking dogs in La Calera.
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The hike starts at the park in La Pradera. Walk below the park to the creek, turn right and walk along the creek for about 500 meters. Cross the road and continue walking along the creek. You'll meet another road in 600 meters, turn left, then left again at the next intersection in 150 meters. Walk for 60 meters and turn right, Walk up this road for 185 meters and turn right Gin on the Calle Principal of La Calera. Continue on this road for the rest of the walk (about 3 km). The walk ends on the main road leading from Otavalo to Quiroga. You can flag down a taxi or catch a bus to Cotacachi on this road. For a longer walk, you could turn around and walk back to Cotacachi, or you could walk down into a steep gorge/with a river to the left of our road. There are 2 entrances to the gorge. Both are marked with photos in the downloadable GPX file. Click HERE to download a KML file of this trail.
Distance:
4.7 km / 2.9 miles
Time:
1.5 hours
Difficulty:
Easy. Fairly flat, uneven terrain along creek
Logistics:
Starts in Barrio La Pradera, Cotacachi. Can take a taxi or bus back to town at hike's end.
Asaya to Topo Grande via the Highlands
This 2.9 mile/4.7 km hike starts in Asaya, a community above Cotacachi. It can be reached by taxi (15 minutes) or bus (20 minutes). You will be hiking in the foothills of Cotacachi Volcano. This is not a difficult trek, but it involves hiking off-trail, up and down steep slopes and through abandoned fields. If you like walking off-trail, this is the hike for you! You will enjoy lovely views throughout this walk of mountains across the valley, the foothills of Cotacachi Volcano and farmland scenes.
The trail starts with a short, steep climb through farmland. In 300 meters, the trail will meet a dirt road with a eucalyptus forest to the left, and a fenced corn patch to the right. Turn right and walk up this trail for about 800 meters, then turn left. After a short uphill, you will go down into a gentle valley. Turn left where indicated by your KML path. Continue following this path up through farmland and forest. You will meander across abandoned fields for about 1 km. After a short, steep downhill section, you'll reach a dirt road. Follow this road downhill for 1.2 miles/2 km. When you arrive at a cobblestone road, you can wait on the corner for a bus (15 minute ride to Cotacachi) or continue walking until you encounter a taxi. We recommend following THIS downloadable KML file on a phone app.
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Distance:
4.7 km / 2.9 miles
Time:
2 hours
Difficulty:
Moderate. Starts with a 1.2 km climb
Logistics:
15 minute taxi ride to trailhead above Asaya community. Can walk or take bus back to town at hike's end.
