The hike around Cuicocha Lake can be completed anywhere between 3.5 and six hours, depending on your general level of fitness. Most people head off around the lake anticlockwise from the restaurant. Be aware that the hike has steep sections, especially at the beginning if you take the anti-clockwise route. The walk is probably best done in groups, as in the past there have been reports of robberies. The hike’s highlights include countless species of pretty orchids and flowers and great views of the lake and its islands.

Location:
Lake Cuicocha, close to Cotacachi
Cuicocha Lake, Cotacachi, Ecuador

Hiking Types:
Hike, Day trip

Relative price: Budget

Travel Skills: None

If you start the hike relatively early in the day, you can combine it with a visit to Cotacachi, a small town famous for its leather goods.

By Paula Newton

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Created: 01 Mar 2009

Updated: 12 Mar 2009

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