Cotacachi Volcano Mountain

Address: Cotacachi Volcano, near Cotacachi, Imbabura Province, Ecuador

Hours: Open 24 hours

Admission: Free (no formal entrance fee)

Cotacachi is a dormant stratovolcano in Imbabura Province in northern Ecuador, known for its prominent summit and proximity to highland towns. Its summit reaches approximately 4,944 metres above sea level.

Hikers and mountaineers use Cotacachi as a trekking objective; routes start from the town of Cotacachi and require acclimatisation for high-altitude ascent. The mountain offers wide views over the surrounding highlands and, on clear days, toward nearby peaks and the caldera lake Cuicocha.

Cotacachi is a volcanic edifice within the Cordillera Occidental and forms part of Ecuador’s volcanic landscape; it is not an active eruptive centre in recent history and is managed as part of conservation territory.

The volcano sits in Imbabura Province in northern Ecuador, within the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve, roughly north of Quito and close to the towns of Cotacachi and Otavalo.

• Elevation: Summit elevation is about 4,944 metres above sea level, making it one of the higher peaks in Ecuador’s Cordillera Occidental.
• Protected area and nearby landmarks: The volcano lies within the Cotacachi Cayapas Ecological Reserve and overlooks the town of Cotacachi and nearby Lake Cuicocha to the south.

Cotacachi Volcano is accessed from the town of Cotacachi in Imbabura Province. Regular interurban buses and minibuses run to Cotacachi from nearby towns such as Otavalo and Ibarra; from Quito the drive is roughly north along the Pan-American (E35) for about 90 km (around 2 hours by car, depending on traffic). The summit and higher slopes require hiking from trailheads a few kilometres from the town; some higher access routes are best reached with a 4x4.

• Start pre-dawn if you plan to attempt higher slopes of Cotacachi so you reach exposed sections before afternoon cloud and wind build-up-weather on Ecuador's volcanoes changes quickly.
• Arrange a local guide in Cotacachi town for route information and acclimatization advice; guides know the best trailheads and timing and can point out lower-elevation viewpoints many visitors miss, such as panoramic valley views visible from the eastern slopes.
• Expect high altitude conditions-break long approaches into gradual stages from Cotacachi town and nearby villages rather than trying to do long ascent-descent in a single push; this reduces risk of altitude-related issues and makes fine views more likely.