Quito's Telefériqo

Quito’s best-known tourist attraction offers some of the most spectacular and most easily accessible views of the city. There are 18 gondolas that soar up the side of Quito's western mountain range along the Pichincha Volcanoes. The ride lasts only 10 minutes but takes you to an altitude of 4050 m (13,300 ft).

At the top, there is a lookout platform complete with coffee, snacks, horse rental and oxygen for the faint of breath. Walk up the hill from the platform and you'll find some excellent hiking trails that lead to more views of Quito and the Pichincha Volcanoes, which are snow capped from time to time throughout the year.

In spite of the thin air, the hike up towards Rucu Pichincha is not technically challenging, and you can reach the Cava del Oso ("bear cave"...but no bears in sight!) in about an hour and a half. There have been reports of assaults on the path though, so it is best to hike in a group. Because the mountain tends to cloud over very quickly, try to go as early as possible for clear views.

At the base of the Teleferiqo, there is popular Vulcano Park, an amusement park, and a slew of restaurants, cafes and gift shops, although some of them are closed now that the initial excitement over the Teleferiqo opening has died down.

Getting to the Teleferiqo from Quito

The easiest way to get to the ride entrance on Occidental is by taxi; the cab ride costs about $4-6 from anywhere in Quito. You can also take a bus from La Marin to the top of La Gasca or to Comuna Alta and walk a few minutes from there. To get past the guard booth, you must pay $2. To avoid this fee, just wait for one of the free Teleferiqo shuttle buses to pick you up at the bottom of the hill and take you to the main entrance; the building is not far, but getting there is a steep uphill walk.

Prices

The round-trip gondola ride is $8 for foreigners, $4.50 for Ecuadorian nationals and residents (discounts for senior citizens and children). Entrance to the complex for cars is $2. Food, drinks, rides, and arcade games are all extra.

Hiking, City Park

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Reviews

Traveler Reviews of Quito's Telefériqo

Teleferiqo

The ride up was so much fun and the view from the top was breathtaking.

Traveler from New York on Jul 13, 2008

DONT HIKE PICHINCHA

Do not hike the path to the summit of Ruca Pichincha beyond the Teleferiqo. There have been recent and increasing incidences of armed, violent attacks on hikers, both individuals and groups as large as 8, males and females. The Teleferiqo is a wonderful, safe experience, but please do not hike beyond.

Traveler from USA on Apr 27, 2008

gorgeous Teleferico

I used to go to the Pichincha Volcano when I was a kid, either hiking or driving an SUV which reached only a certain level. It's astounding to get there now in 10 minutes! The view is fabulous and you can't miss the hot wine with typical food at the top. Get a Coca leave tea if you are not used to altitudes... Day and night experiences are totally different, both worth it...

Traveler from Ecuador on Dec 14, 2007

Try to aim for a cloudless day

I went to the Teleferiqo on a somewhat cloudy (but very quiet) day. The cloud cover kept changing, and I was treated to a good view of Cotopaxi. It is quite windy and chilly up there. I was, unfortunately, too tired to walk the couple of trails. You can take a taxi to the Teleferiqo, and a bus or a shuttle back down. On a Friday evening before sunset, there was hardly anyone at the Teleferiqo: no wait at all. $4 for the ticket.

Oliver Hazan from USA on Aug 26, 2007

Impresionante

Con esta excursion se puede disfrutar de una vista impresionante!

Traveler from Holanda on Feb 04, 2007

awesome

awesome as ever

Traveler on Mar 22, 2006

Great view, very modern

You can have a ground tour of the city first then go up on the Teleforiqo to put it all in perspective. The valley in which Quito is situated was found to be much longer than expected as seen from the top of the Telforiqo ride. I bought some Ecuadorian coffee at one of the small shops at the top, and my friend bought a shawl. I was always looking for souvnirs and gifts for family and friends, so it was convenient to look for more, especially when the clouds came in. Best time to go is in the morning to avoid the clouds, except from June- August, when it is clear.

Traveler from California on Mar 20, 2006

Beautiful and highly appealing

The sights were breathtaking!

Traveler from Alexandria, Virginia on Oct 15, 2005

too comercial

Once you get to the top of the mountian, the natural beauty is able to overcome the enormous comercialization efforts made to resemble a mall, theme park, and volcano all mixed into one. The gondolas are far too few in number to accommodate the masses that are attracted to this volcano. The purchasing tickets and waiting in line system is very inefficient and you will find yourself waiting hours if you do not go very early or very late. Skipping the gondolas and just hiking up the volcano would take less time than waiting around during the afternoon.

Traveler from Atlanta, Georgia, Estados Unidos on Oct 10, 2005

lots of fun

The teleferico is great! Add it to your list of things to do in Quito. Dress warm, though, it-s cold on top!

Crit on Sep 26, 2005

The Teleferiqo

The Teleferiqo in Quito is a very nice place to go. You can go up 2000mts in 10 minutes and you can enjoy a nice walk with the Ruco Pichincha watching you. If you are not so much of a walker, you can shop around in the different stores that you will find. When you get hungry you can just choose one of the many restaurants available; you can get sushi and fondue but also burgers and hot dogs.Finally, the Vulcano part is nice and it has very good rides, including one roller coaster. One thing that is new and is not included in the article is that now there are small busses that go all around the city. They are easy to see and they take you to the Teleferico for just 1USD. You can take them to go back home too. the Teleferiqo has become one of the things you must do while in Quito.

Traveler from Quito, Ecuador on Sep 25, 2005