JJ van Dam – 6 days, Dec 2006 basic information is given about the communities and stays of Quilotoa and Ponce

Report from visit Quilotoa – JJ van Dam – 6 days, Dec 2006

Logistic expert fom Netherland



Quilotoa: Jan-Joost van Dam un voluntario holandés para desarrollar la logística de los tou

In this report, basic information is given about the communities and stays of Quilotoa and Ponce. In the end, a short point is written about possibilities for Tourism in Ponce.

  • Getting there

For this, see also the description that has been made already by Ecotrackers.

All busses go from Latacunga via Zumbahua to Quilotoa. The last bus going
directly from Latacunga (via Zumbahua) to Quilotoa leaves at approximately
11:30 in Latacunga. Leaving at Quito around 09:00 is OK to catch that bus. If later, you should take a (more expensive) truck/pick-up from Zumbahua to Quilotoa.
In Quilotoa, stop at the blue arch entering Quilotoa and ask for Cesar or Cesar´s casa.

Ponce is a small community downhill from Quilotoa, 30 minutes downhill walk.
Quito-Latacunga=1.50$, approx 2 hours.

Latacunga-Quilotoa=2.00$, approx 2.5 hours

  • Description

Quilotoa is a place known by his great views onto the crater-lake/Laguna.
Tourism is the main activity. Along the main road, the most houses are
hostals or handicraft places, but it doesn´t look very modern or nice. The
nature however compensates everything! Most tourists do a day trip to
Quilotoa or stay for a night at the hostal.

Ponce is a community downhill, with less (direct) infrastructure available. From Ponce, it is an hour walk uphill to get to the rim of the crater. The
main activity of Ponce is Agriculture.

  • Climate

Due to the altitude, the climate is cold and sometimes rainy. Most mornings are sunny. Note: The houses have no heating, so it can be humid and cold inside.

  • Stay

The stay is at the brother of Cesar, Jose with his wife Maria and their 3
kids. Some characteristics are:

    • House of concrete without decorations
    • Private room with twin bed with window (no curtains)
    • Relative high humidity inside the house
    • Electricity available
    • Cold (they have blankets, but own sleeping bag helps a lot)
    • No heating and running water
    • Washing facility and toilets outside
    • 3 meals/day. Enough to eat!
    • Roof terrace

  • Trips
  • Market in Zumbahua (best on Saturday morning from 6 till 13)
  • Walk around the crater lake (5 hours)
  • Walk down to the lake (30 minutes down) and up again (1 hour)
  • Horse riding upward (5$)
  • Boat trip on the lake
  • Swimming in the lake (cold!)
  • Horse ride to Inca-cave (10-15$, 3 hours). Cave is not great, but
    surroundings are!
  • Other walks or horse rides

  • Trips
  • Know to speak Spanish
  • Do not expect big changes by short (<>
  • If available, take a sleeping bag

  • Possibilities in Tourism for Ponce

We thought a lot about how Ponce could develop and take advantage of the
tourism in the neighbourhood of the Crater and its lake. Unfortunately, we
did not find direct/easy possibilities for the people living downhill from
Quilotoa in the Ponce community. The main reasons for this are:

  • Lack of infrastructure for Ponce
    • Most buses go from Latacunga to Zumbahua and there is a relative good connection to Quilotoa.
    • Towards Ponce is more difficult for tourists, as the walk from Quilotoa to Ponce takes 30 minutes downhill.
  • Competition from Quilotoa
    • Quilotoa is already more developed in housing tourists.
    • Most tourists come for the crater lake and Quilotoa is on the edge of
      the rim for that lake.

However, there might be possibilities to develop a form of tourism. For the ´quick´-tourist, it will be difficult, they want to be closest to the Crater Lake and stay shortly. For Backpackers, there could be possibilities, but we think the following will be needed:

  • Create something that Quilotoa is not having
    • A hostel that will be positioned as laid back and relaxing place, from which you can continue freshly after a stay for a while. This might include:
      • Good living room
      • Nice decorations
      • Books/games available
      • Provide tour information
      • Maybe warm bath?
    • Create tours/activities
      • Horse riding off the beaten track
      • Nice walks
      • Parasailing?
      • Maybe moonlight dipping in the Crater Lake?
  • Set up active marketing in backpacker places in cities as Quito, Cuenca, etc.
    • Put flyers at the places backpackers are before they go to Quilotoa
    • Set up easy package deals as ´three nights and horse riding for …$´
    • Create a website from which they can see the place and maybe even book rooms/tours
    • Set up active mouth-to-mouth advertisement

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