Latacunga travel guide

Latacunga, Ecuador

By the Travel Wiki editorial team

Latacunga

Introduction

Latacunga sits on a high plateau in Ecuador, the capital of Cotopaxi Province, roughly 89 km south of Quito. The city lies near the confluence of the Alaquez and Cutuchi rivers, where they join to form the Patate, the headstream of the Pastaza.

Its population is largely mestizo and indigenous, and the city serves as a base for exploring the surrounding Cotopaxi region.

Before you go

Latacunga sits high in the Ecuadorian Andes, so prepare for mountain conditions: the air is thin and the weather can turn cold and wet, with warm spells in between. Pack layers you can add and shed through the day, and bring rain protection rather than relying on a dry forecast.

The city is a practical base for exploring the surrounding highlands, including the Cotopaxi area, so plan your onward travel and acclimatisation before you arrive. Give yourself time to adjust to the altitude rather than scheduling a demanding first day.

Getting there

Latacunga has no commercial air service: Cotopaxi International Airport (LTX) lost its airline when TAME, the national carrier, ceased operations. The practical way in is by bus, with frequent services from Quito and other highland cities. From Quevedo, the company Cotopaxi runs a route that takes about four hours.

A railway line links Latacunga with Quito and Guayaquil, but it was not in operation as of January 2016, so check its current status before planning a journey around it.

Getting around

Latacunga's centre is compact and best explored on foot. Most hotels, restaurants, shops and bars cluster around the main plaza, Parque Vicente León, and the historic downtown spreads over a walkable grid of squares and streets that takes in landmarks such as Saint Francis's church, the municipal palace and the Main Square with its statue of Dr. Vicente León. Avenida Amazonas is the main north–south thoroughfare, lined with monuments, sculptures and antique-style lampposts along its central divider. The bus terminal sits on the Pan-American Highway near a bridge, only a couple of blocks from the centre — roughly a ten-minute walk — so arriving and departing on foot is realistic. Buses from other towns sometimes drop passengers at the corner of 5 de Junio and Cotopaxi, also about a ten-minute walk from the centre.

There is no metro, tram or working train service, so getting around relies on walking, taxis and buses. Taxis are plentiful, wait around the bus terminal and along the southern edge of the main market, and are a cheap way to cover short hops — useful in the cold, windy climate, though it is worth dressing for walking too. The terminal is the hub for local buses serving surrounding villages and the Quilotoa Loop, including Isinlivi, Sigchos, Quilotoa and Chugchilan; buses to Quilotoa pass through Zumbahua, and a Thursday bus connects the city with the Saquisili market, which in turn links to Isinlivi and Sigchos. Buy tickets at the terminal or from the operator, and purchase in advance on longer or less frequent routes. In the loop villages, truck taxis link places such as Sigchos and Isinlivi when buses do not line up with your plans. Cotopaxi International Airport is not used for international passenger service and commercial air service has ceased, so plan to arrive overland from Quito by bus or car. Basic tourist information is available at a booth inside the bus terminal on weekdays and at the Captur tourist office on Avenida Sánchez de Orellana and Guayaquil, and keep an eye on your belongings at the bus station.

Where to stay

Most of Latacunga's accommodation clusters near the main square, which makes it easy to walk to the centre and to arrange trips out to the surrounding parks. Hotel Rosim on Calle Quito sits close to the plaza, and the staff are known for helping guests organise their own excursions to the nearby national parks. A short step away on the same street is Hotel Rodelu, a midrange option whose restaurant serves tasty, affordable food.

If you are heading for the mountains, Hostal Tiana on Vivero is set up for it, offering services to organise mountaineering trips to Cotopaxi, Chimborazo, the Illinizas and Rumiñahui. It has both dormitory beds and double rooms, so it suits solo climbers and pairs alike.

Food & drink

Latacunga's signature dish is chugchucaras: deep-fried pork served with boiled hominy, potatoes, fried plantains, sweet empanadas, popcorn and pork rinds, with aji — a spicy sauce of hot peppers, tomatoes, cilantro and onions — on the side. It is a filling plate, so order one between two if your appetite is modest. Most of the restaurants serving it sit along Quijano y Ordóñez street. On the street you can also easily find cebichochos, a vegetarian ceviche made with chickpeas.

What to see and do

Start in the city centre at Parque Vicente Léon, where the 17th-century cathedral stands; inside, look for the altar carved from pumice, the same volcanic stone used to build the neighbouring Palacio municipal.

Latacunga's setting near Cotopaxi makes it a base for mountaineering, and most of the agencies that run guided climbs are clustered along Guayaquil street. From here you can arrange ascents of Cotopaxi itself, as well as tours to Chimborazo and Quilotoa, and expeditions organised in Latacunga tend to cost less than those leaving from Quito. For hiking and climbing closer to town, head for the Reserva Ecológica Los Illinizas, which most visitors enter via the small village of Chaupi. A common plan is to spend the night at the Refugio Nuevos Horizontes before scrambling up the Illiniza Norte summit; the Illiniza Sur summit is higher and demands considerably more technical climbing.

Three days in Latacunga

Day one: Base yourself in Latacunga, the capital of Cotopaxi Province, and start gently in the centre. Wander Parque Vicente León, also known as the Main Square, where you can see the statue of Dr Vicente León and the church of Saint Francis. Follow Avenida Amazonas and the Pan American Highway to get your bearings, and use the city as your introduction to the Ecuadorian Andes. Buses and taxis make it easy to move around, and Cotopaxi International Airport (LTX) is nearby if you are arriving by air.

Day two: Head out on the Quilotoa Loop, the highland circuit that links Latacunga with villages such as Isinlivi, Sigchos, Chugchilan, Zumbahua and Quilotoa. The landscape is shaped by the Cotopaxi and the wider Ecuadorian Andes, and the walking is the main draw. Pack for changeable mountain weather, which can turn from warm and sunny to bitterly cold and wet within a day. If you prefer to travel by road, buses and taxis connect the settlements along the route.

Day three: Return to Latacunga and explore the surrounding lowlands and valleys. The Cutuchi and Patate rivers, along with the Pastaza, drain this part of Cotopaxi Province, and the town of Alaquez sits nearby. If you are continuing your journey, Quito is reachable to the north, while routes from Quevedo and Guayaquil bring you in from the coast and lowlands. Note that some services and markets are busiest around January and Junio, and Thursday can be a good day to catch local activity in the towns along the loop.

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