The Top 7 Hiking Tour Operators In Quito Ecuador

The Ecuadorian Andes is crisscrossed with trails, both ancient and modern. The unique conditions of the high paramo and the lack of well-signed trails require local know-how, especially on days when fog and cloud complicate navigation on the trail. These companies offer different levels of hiking in and around Quito, from a two hour trip to several days of adventure, from the boggy, high-altitude grasslands of Cayambe National Park to the twin peaks of Las Ilinizas.

Rebecca Adventure Travel

Topping the Trip Advisor list of best-rated hiking operators out of Quito, Rebecca Adventure Travel plans trips to iconic destinations throughout Ecuador. Owner Rebecca Braak searches for authentic experiences with family-owned businesses. Popular day trips out of Quito include hiking Laguna Quilotoa and combined hiking-biking trips at Cotopaxi National Park.

Rebecca Adventure Travel

Enjoying Ecuador Travel

Winner of the Unique Tour Operator of the Year Award in the 2017 Luxury Travel Guide, Enjoying Ecuador Travel is based in Quito but offers customized tours throughout the country. Browse their list of established day trips or contact them for a specialized itinerary.

Enjoying Ecuador Travel

Andean Face

Andean Face offers trekking expeditions for the easy-going, with four hours of hiking per day, and the more adventurous with four to six hours of hiking per day with more strenuous elevation gains. They are one of the few companies that combine hiking tours with overnight stays in Ecuadorian haciendas.

Andean Face

Andes Trek Expeditions

Andes Trek Expeditions specializes in high mountain climbing, while also offering multiple hiking trips around Quito. Whether you’re looking for a high altitude paramo trek in the Cotopaxi National Park or a muddy trail through the West Slope cloud forests of Tandayapa, the team at Andes Trek Expeditions can plan the perfect day.

Andes Trek Expeditions

Cumbre Tours

Owned by Karl Egloff, Cumbre Tours is a Swiss-owned company operating out of Quito, Ecuador. They have years of experience summiting the high peaks of the Ecuadorian Andes. They also offer hiking trips for the slightly less adventurous. Follow Cumbre Tours on Facebook.

Cumbre Tours

Greentrek Day Tours

If you prefer experiential learning while traveling, then Greentrek Day Tours is a great fit! With many pre-established itineraries, Greentrek also offers tailor-made tours, combining hiking, camping and other outdoor activities to create your dream vacation.

Greentrek Day Tours

Cotopaxi Travel

Cotopaxi Travel lists some off-the beaten-path hiking tours that other companies shy away from. While they offer standard favorites like the Quilatoa Lagoon and Cotopaxi National Park, they also visit Iliniza Norte, el Altar in the Sangay National Park, and back country trails near Isinlivi and Chugchilan.

About the author

Angela Drake

Founder, Not Your Average American

Angela Drake is the founder of Not Your Average American where she shares unique stories and photography about her travels in South America. For every destination marked off her bucket list, three more spring into place. Angela has a BA in English Literature from UC Berkeley, speaks Spanish with a Quiteño accent, and promises to never stop learning. She is currently located in Washington DC.