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Ecuador

Cotopaxi

Mulalo

José Rivas Refuge – View from Cotopaxi loop from Parque Nacional Cotopaxi

Routes

Hiking trails & Routes

Ecuador

Cotopaxi

Mulalo

José Rivas Refuge – View from Cotopaxi loop from Parque Nacional Cotopaxi

Hard

5.0

(6)

hikers

José Rivas Refuge – View from Cotopaxi loop from Parque Nacional Cotopaxi

04:50

6.94km

1,210m

Hiking

Hard hike. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required. The starting point of the route is right next to a parking lot.

Last updated: April 16, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Parque Nacional Cotopaxi

Waypoints

Start point

Parking

Get Directions

358 m

Wildlife in Cotopaxi National Park

Highlight • Natural

Keep your eyes open as you drive through the park. Wild horses, falcons, llamas and curious Andean foxes keep crossing the path.

Translated by Google •

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855 m

José Rivas Refuge

Highlight • Mountain Hut

This shelter is 4864 steps closer to the moon - for us Europeans - an astonishing height. Cozy inside, it also defies the adverse conditions you'll find outside on your way to the glacier (or the summit).
No alcohol is served, there is a highly concentrated cocoa-flavoured sugar solution for refreshment. They like it sweet in the south. No wonder our guide preferred a hearty soup, which is served here as if you were somewhere in the lowlands.

Translated by Google •

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1.53 km

Below the Cotopaxi Glacier

Highlight • Natural Monument

back you go a little more direct in the direction of Refugio over red clay soil. That goes again in the legs!

Translated by Google •

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3.20 km

Cotopaxi Summit

Highlight • Summit

Apparently Komoot unfortunately recorded some incorrect data here, which is a shame. Here are the correct dates: We set off from Refugio José Rivas (4864m) at 1 a.m. and arrived at the summit of Cotopaxi (5897m) around 6 a.m. So we walked a little more than 1000 meters in altitude and not 2550. Unfortunately, Komoot probably recognized the GPS position too late, so the trek only begins after the refuge. We also didn't stay near the summit like the map would have us believe. Komoot interrupted the recording here, even though I hadn't touched my cell phone in the freezing temperatures. Otherwise the trek looks very correct. We got down there at 8:30 a.m., but we rushed to get there because the weather wasn't getting any better.
You should definitely have very warm clothing, several layers, including for your head and face and ideally ski goggles and definitely very warm gloves, thin thermal gloves and warm and well-insulated mittens.
The glacier was very stable under our conditions and covered with a light layer of snow, making it easy to walk on.
You need an official guide. For example, you could call the hut and ask for a guide, they probably know almost all of the official guides. There is also an overview of the licensed guides.

Translated by Google •

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5.85 km

View from Cotopaxi

Highlight • Viewpoint

the view from this height is not always good. Often foggy. However, when the cloud cover breaks open, the lowlands stretch far into the distance. The sun plays with the many yellow and green tones as far as the eye can see.

Translated by Google •

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6.94 km

End point

Parking

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

4.77 km

1.99 km

170 m

Surfaces

4.77 km

1.99 km

170 m

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Weather

Today

Monday 13 July

6°C

1°C

59 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 12.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

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José Rivas Refuge – View from Cotopaxi loop from Parque Nacional Cotopaxi

Wildlife in Cotopaxi National Park

José Rivas Refuge

Below the Cotopaxi Glacier

Cotopaxi Summit

View from Cotopaxi

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