Quilotoa Loop - Day 2

Our second day on the loop, we woke up to beautiful bright blue skies and decided we would do the 5 hour hike partially around Laguna Quilotoa and through a canyon to Chugchilan instead of taking the bus. The hike started out with amazing views as we walked along the rugged crater's edge high above the water through varying eco-systems. After the beautiful hike about halfway along the crater's edge the trail led us down the mountainside to a small town where we watched a large group of boys playing futbol. After our break we continued on a small dirt road to where the trail split. One path looked as though it would lead us into a deep gully while the small dirt road continued on in the other direction. Following the directions of our guidebook which told us not to drop down into the gully we continued on the road, but after about ten minutes we decided we weren't headed in the right direction and turned back around. Luckily by the time we arrived back at the other path leading down into the gully there was a man sitting on the side of the road who reassured our unsureness of the skinny dirt path leading deep down into the crevasses of the mountain range.

After a very strenuous hike down the gully, across a couple of questionable footbridges, and back up we arrived to the tiny pueblo of Chugchilan and the fantastic and cozy Hostal Cloud Forest.

We passed the night playing ping-pong, drinking pilseners, and having great conversation with fellow travelers.