Cotopaxi, the 'Moon Neck': the Refuge Built by a Priest and His Students

Cotopaxi means moon neck in Spanish, a name the conical shape of the crater earned it. The volcano is active, 5,897 m high, and the second highest in the country. The national park sits on the border of Pichincha province and mixes Andean páramo, volcanic soil and the lagoon fed off the snow line. Wolves, rabbits, bears and condors live in it, among others. The interpretation centre, which people here call the park museum, is inside the Mariscal Sucre station at the Control Caspi entrance, with exhibition rooms, a souvenir shop and a coffee shop. The walk goes up to the José Rivas refuge at 4,864 m, an hour on foot from the car park. It has been standing since the 1970s, taking climbers of every level, and it is named for the priest José Ribas, who built it with the mountaineering club of San Gabriel high school. Limpiopungo lagoon, at the foot of the volcano, is where the páramo and the cone come into one view. All entrances are included, and the tour runs every day. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.