Cuicocha · Imbabura · near Otavalo
Cuicocha Crater Lake & the Otavalo Lakes Circuit
Cuicocha is the turquoise crater lake near Otavalo. We walk its 12 km rim, then add the Mojanda lakes and Fuya Fuya to make a 2-day northern Andes lakes circuit.
What is Cuicocha crater lake?
Cuicocha crater lake (Laguna Cuicocha) is a deep turquoise crater lake at 3,068 m near Otavalo and Cotacachi, two hours north of Quito. It fills a caldera with two islands and is ringed by a 12 km rim trail. Walk the full rim and link it to the high lakes nearby and it becomes a 2-day Andean circuit. Add the twin Mojanda lakes and the climb up Fuya Fuya, the markets of Otavalo and the leather town of Cotacachi, and you have a northern-Andes trek that few travellers know about.
We slow it down. Base in Otavalo, walk the Cuicocha rim, climb a páramo peak, and spend time with the Kichwa communities who have lived here for centuries. It's gentler than the volcanoes, with moderate altitude and no technical ground, and it has more Kichwa culture along the way than any other trek we run.
Why Cuicocha needs more than a day trip
Cuicocha is usually a quick stop on an Otavalo market day trip. The rim trail alone is a 5-hour walk, though, and the wider circuit (Mojanda, Fuya Fuya, the villages) needs a couple of days. We run it as a relaxed multi-day trek so you have time for the landscapes and the culture as well as the viewpoint by the car park.
Your itinerary
The 2-day northern lakes circuit
Drive to Cuicocha and walk the full crater-rim trail (~12 km, 5 hours) with views over the turquoise lake and its islands. Afternoon in Cotacachi; night in Otavalo or a local guesthouse.
Head up to the Mojanda lakes and climb Fuya Fuya (4,263 m) for wide páramo views from a summit with no technical difficulty, then the Otavalo market and the return to Quito.
Otavalo circuit altitude
Gentler than the big volcanoes, but you still feel the altitude. A night in Quito or Otavalo first helps:
- Otavalo: 2,550 m
- Cuicocha rim: 3,068 m
- Mojanda lakes: 3,700 m
- Fuya Fuya: 4,263 m
What's included
Included
- Local trekking guide for the full circuit
- Guesthouse nights in Otavalo / Cotacachi
- Private transport from Quito & reserve fees
- Daily breakfast and trail lunches
- Otavalo market & village visits
Not included
- Quito hotels and international flights
- Travel insurance (recommended)
- Dinners and personal expenses
- Guide gratuities
Gear
We arrange
- Local Kichwa-region guide
- Guesthouse bookings
- All ground transport
- Trail lunches & visits
You bring
- Comfortable hiking boots
- Warm layer & rain shell
- Daypack & water
- Sun hat & sunscreen
- Camera
Safety on the mountain
- Local Kichwa-region trekking guides
- Small groups, cultural respect first
- Vetted family guesthouses
- Flexible pacing for the altitude
Cuicocha & Otavalo trek FAQ
How long is the Cuicocha crater lake hike?
The full Cuicocha rim trail is about 12 km and takes roughly 5 hours, with steady ups and downs around the caldera. It's the centrepiece of day one of the circuit; the wider 2–3 day trek adds Mojanda and Fuya Fuya.
How do you get to Cuicocha from Otavalo?
Cuicocha is about 20 minutes from Otavalo, near the town of Cotacachi. We provide private transport throughout the circuit from Quito, so you can focus on the walking and the villages.
Is the Otavalo lakes circuit hard?
Moderate. There's no technical ground and the altitude (up to ~4,260 m on Fuya Fuya) is lower than the big volcanoes, but you'll walk 4–6 hours a day. Anyone with reasonable hiking fitness who has spent a night at altitude can do it.
Can you swim in Cuicocha?
No. Cuicocha is a protected crater lake inside the Cotacachi-Cayapas reserve, and swimming isn't allowed (it's also very cold and deep). You walk the rim and can take a short boat tour on the lake instead.
What is the best time to do the Otavalo trek?
June to September is the driest and clearest. The northern Andes can be done year-round, but expect more afternoon rain in the wetter months. We plan around the best conditions for your dates.
Walk the Cuicocha rim and the Mojanda lakes
Tell us your dates and we'll set up the guide, the guesthouses and the transport for a relaxed multi-day trek through Cuicocha, Mojanda and the Kichwa towns of Imbabura.