COTOPAXI

Cotopaxi is one of the world's prettiest and still active volcanoes and one of the most visited summits in South America. It is part of the "Avenue of the Volcanoes" in the Ecuadorian Andes.

Did you know that calculated from the earth's center, Cotopaxi is the second-highest peak? This is because the planet is slightly thicker at the equator than at the poles.

The Cotopaxi volcano has a perfect cone shape and is covered with glaciers. Its crater is 800 × 550 meters long and about 350 meters deep. Since the first known eruption in 1534, Cotopaxi has erupted at least 50 times. The last one was in 2016.

Cotopaxi volcano has a perfect cone shape and is covered with glaciers. Its crater is 800 × 550 meters in diameter and about 350 meters deep. Since the first known eruption in 1534, Cotopaxi has erupted at least 50 times. The most violent eruptions in 1744, 1768, and 1877 reached more than 100 kilometers into the Pacific Ocean and the Amazon. The last eruption occurred in 1904. The average dormant period between two potentially powerful eruptions is 117 years, so expect a major eruption in the next few years, months, or weeks!

The process has already started, since 2016 the activity of the volcano has increased, seismic activity in the form of small earthquakes, increased fumarole activity and temperature increase are measurable. Cotopaxi was a sacred mountain for indigenous peoples, seat of the gods. Its name means "neck of the moon," because from a certain perspective and in certain months the moon rises behind the mountain.

Alexander von Humboldt tried to climb the mountain in 1802. He reached a height of about 4500 m. Wilhelm Reiß and the Colombian Angel Escobar reached the crater rim via the western side of the mountain in 1872. Theodor Wolf in 1877 reached the highest point of the volcano crater for the first time.

Cotopaxi is located into the National Park that carries its name. It is a destination that can be visited all year round. However, we recommend the best months to visit it, the dry season from May to September, and also December.