El Caspi - Main entrance to P.N. Cotopaxi | Informal Campsite

January 24th, 2024 by caminandoelmundoblog.com

This place is in wrong location - it is located at -0.67872, -78.55401

December 5th, 2023 by dandovueltasfotos.com

El mejor lugar para pasar la noche y entrar a primera hora al parque. El baño es gratuito por las noches.

November 21st, 2023 by Ana

Hermoso lugar para parar a la entrada del Parque Nacional, hay baños por 25 centavos y una vista increible al volcán. mucha tranquilidad. Pasar la noche en camper es gratis.
Eso sí, NO nos quisieron dar la clave del wifi

October 24th, 2023 by nomadexpedition.es

pasamos una noche tranquila aquí, hay baños (0'25cnt), restaurante, guardaparques.

August 12th, 2023 by lic.magalys.sarmiento

Estacionamiento gratis con acceso a Baños, seguridad y buena señal

July 26th, 2023 by ioverlander

You dont need a guide to enter the park, even if the guides say that at the entrance. you just have to register with your passport (copies are ok). they said to us, we need a guide because of the volcanic activity, but after we said no, they said ok, drive in.

July 20th, 2023 by AlmaVet_movil

Nos quedamos 2 noches en este lugar, hermosa vista. Siempre hay empleados presentes, creo que algunos duermen allí. Hay una perra pastor alemana muy simpática, ladra de vez en cuando.
A la noche hace bien frío y hay viento, pero se aguanta para las vistas!

February 7th, 2023 by isabelvillegasjaramillo

Great place to sleep. Gate closes at 3pm as mentioned below. Best time to see the volcano is from 6-7pm. Bathrooms are 25 cents and you can ask for wifi. The park opens at 8am. Cold but beautiful night. They take care of your dog for 5usd.

January 25th, 2023 by joycestel

As described, good place to spend the night. Free. Toilets open all night. Dogs are allowed at the parking not in the park. There is a doggy care ($5)

January 1st, 2023 by mark

Stayed here as we arrived late to the park. Gate closes at 3:00
Great parking lot camp.
Flat, bathrooms, and the security guard stays over night. Full 3G Claro (no 4G)

June 4th, 2022 by niuniu1950

Buen sitio para pernoctar en lugar de hacerlo en tiempo de frío o lluvia.
Toda la noche hay los guardabosques.

May 12th, 2022 by pisa999

very kind people. ideal place to start in the morning to the Cotopaxi. everything as described.

March 10th, 2022 by vandariegos

El. Baño cuesta 0.25 us en las noches puedes ingresar gratis, en días despejados hay buenas vistas del. Volcan, los gurdaparques son buena onda y no olvides ir bien preparado para el frío y con buena comida pues no hay nada cerca para comprar insumos, hay un reataurante y WIFI si lo solicitas a los guardaparques.

November 7th, 2020 by gabyituarte

A large public parking lot just outside the Cotopaxi Nation Park gate, quiet at night (except for the guard dogs). It has a great view of the Cotopaxi volcano (when the day is clear). The very friendly park rangers let you stay for free, and they leave the woman’s bathroom open all night, no WiFi. There’s lots of flat space for parking, and it’s suitable for big rigs. The park closes at 3pm due to Covid times (it normally closes at 5pm).

Un estacionamiento público muy amplio, justo afuera del Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, muy silencioso en la noche (solo los perros hacen ruido, cuidando el lugar). Tiene una vista muy buena del Volcán Cotopaxi (cuando no está nublado). Los guarda parques muy amables te dejar pernoctar gratis, y dejan el baño de mujeres toda la noche. Hay mucho espacio plano para aparcar, y es práctico para vehículos grandes. El parque de cierra a las 3pm en tiempos de Covid (normalmente cierran a las 5pm).

February 29th, 2020 by vinnyviaje

Got here at 5:15 and parked outside the gate. Cool people. Got our only view of the Volcan that evening and the next few days he stayed behind clouds. Womans bathroom open all night.

January 1st, 2020 by s-b.lichtenberg

Arrived just before 5pm, so had to stay for free in the parking lot. Ranger left toilets open overnight. Spent a quiet Sylvester there and got a treat as Cotopaxi should himself at 6pm for 15 min.

September 21st, 2019 by m-e-a-j.com

Perfect place to spend a night before entering the park, it’s in the middle of the nature so really quiet! Bathrooms close at 5-6pm. Rangers told us we could fill our water tanks.
We have a 7.2m long rv with 147hp and 4.2 tons, we could have done most of the road up the 4500m parking but towards the end the road had big holes in the steep curves where most of the cars had problems to go up and there was a lot of traffic since it was a Sunday... And only half of the vehicles reached the parking! I’d advise to go negotiate with a guide to take you up and down for 35$ (it’s 50$ if you want to take the tour with the guide). Once at the parking you can go straight up or go to the left and take the zigzag path, we definitely recommend the latter! Then you can go down through the straight line path

September 13th, 2019 by andarengonaestrada

It’s a very nice place, we arrived after 5 pm and sleeping, and went to visit Cotopaxi day after! The place is very quiet

August 5th, 2019 by maya.quest

Got here after 5pm and stayed in the parking lot (just let the ranger know). Free. Has flat spots. Clean bathrooms, open all night, no tp, no showers. No WiFi. Two friendly guard dogs. Area is very quiet and felt super safe.

July 29th, 2019 by Baluaufweltreise.wordpress.com

We arrived after 3pm and the gate was closed, but we asked a ranger and we had no problem to stay for a night, very quiet. Free.

June 25th, 2019 by johannes.louis

NO MOTOS ALLOWED IN PARK.
You have yo park here and rent a guide with a car. 😐

February 25th, 2019 by VIAJEMAESTRO

Entrada del parque nacional Cotopaxi, amplio parqueo tranquilo y seguro , el parque cierra a las 3pm pero puedes pasar la noche en el estacionamiento para ingresar al otro día. servicio de baño y estacionamiento gratuito , no hay duchas , servicio de restaurante cierra 4:30pm , seguro tranquilo y con buena vista al nevado.

Gratis

December 6th, 2018 by croods65

Hello
Cool place for sleep with your motorhome (all size)
We are arriving at 3 pm so it was closed.
Don't worry it's a break to 3300 before going upper.
The rangers seems friendly.
You have toilets and restaurant (close at 6pm).
Enjoy

June 10th, 2018 by agmenture

The gates are open till 5pm to access camping areas. The main official parking 7km from the gates is in the middle of a beautiful pine forest. The toilets and showers however weren't working since there was no water. Still a great and free spot to camp!

April 14th, 2018 by zobod

Final pace a dog can go. Friendly helpful staff. Kennels are free. A bit rick rack, so select early and prepare it. I had thick plastic, reflective windshield bubble wrap thing, blankets and secured with wire and a stone. Was ok for a few hours. Cafe insight is strange-closed really early. Toilets open all night. Water from a tap. Happy for you to park-camp in car park or on the footy field (clearance needed)

April 7th, 2018 by barnis

we boon docked a little lower down near some of the other ioverlander spots. they just wanted my cell phone number. they let us bring our dog since we bought a service animal vest for her but it took a bit of convincing (we left her in the car at the top)

FREE

March 23rd, 2018 by tatrakolemsveta2.cz

Suprise for us was that there is no fee for entry to the park. In Chille and Argentina were everywhere where we were. Guard just made ours registration, our passports were necessary and that was all. About 3 km is nice road and than little bit mudd terrain, but still nice way.

February 24th, 2018 by lostfordays.com

Free to camp in the parking lot or gravel/grassy lot with the old soccer nets, view is a bit better from the gravel lot. Gates are open from 8am-3pm to enter the park and there is supposed to be camping inside if you arrive during those times. Entrance to the park is free. Bikes still aren't allowed entrance but we saw a couple stored in the ranger house. Bathrooms are nice and clean with outlets. Rangers seem used to having ppl camp here, they didn't mind us. Lightly rained at night. Enjoy!

January 23rd, 2018 by phil

What a great spot to spend a night or two. Now paved, the large level parking lot is perfect camp spot. Nice toilets which are open all night.
Although the main gate does close at 3pm the guard said we could go up to the camp ground until 5pm - except we have a dog, so here we stayed.
The next day we left the dog tucked up with blankets in the kennels and explored the park, showering at the camp site and returned to our mutt.

August 17th, 2017 by lasti.ch

Arrived after 3 o Clock. So we spend a Night at the Entrance. No Gravel anymore, but a perfect Place. Toiletts are clean and in good shape. Plenty of Space for several Big Rigs. No Wifi, but Water avaiable. Perfect for a Night.

December 30th, 2016 by We Ride South America

So yes, motorbike can't enter, this is completely unfair. The reason: one day, a guy (certainly a local) went in the park with his enduro and went off-road, and destroy everything! But, if like us you have the "chance" to have a small 200cc Chinese with clearly no power to go more than 60km/h, fully load, and European travellers who seems nice, maybe you'll convince the chief to let you in! It took us 40 min to pass this entrance gate..... bikers be prepare!
No fees.

October 12th, 2016 by alexm_

They have boxes here where you can leave your dog. But have a good look and secure them properly. Some dogs escaped by diging or small ones through the tiny holes at the roof.
Also it can get cold, so don't leave your dog there too long or make sure he has some warm blanket.
Might be also a possibility to hide and leave it in the car if it's not a sunny day.

April 9th, 2016 by facebook.com/porquelavidaesunviaje

Si no se puede entrar con Moto, puedes acampar al lado de la casa de los guardabosques, hay agua, es seguro, no hay baños

March 16th, 2016 by freespiritcoelhos

Warning ... A local guide tried to swindle us in taking her told us lies that without her we can't go inside. Pay her 80usd etc .. All wrong we told we camp at tambopaxi and official was ok with that.

March 11th, 2016 by labaladedesnhernani.com

as the Cotopaxi is awake, normally we are not allowed to pass the night here. After a short talk with the 2 friendly guards , they let us stay.
They just told us that if there is an alert we have less than a minute to leave !!!
Tomorrow we are alowed to enter the park just for the day time until the laguna at 17km from the entrance.
No camping possible.
Toilets are really new and clean
water available at the corner of the guard office
very large parking lot

August 30th, 2014 by 2infahrt.ch

Large gravel lot to camp with toilets and cold showers. The entrance gates close at 3 o'clock pm., so if you arrive late you can spend the night here to get into the park next day. From the lot you have a great vista on volcano Cotopaxi (but it is usually clouded until night arrives). It gets cold at night. Note: motorbikes and pets are not allowed to enter the park!

March 8th, 2014 by Get out of Town

- free
- we arrived late to the gate of the park (it closes at 3pm), but were allowed to camp in the grassy parking lot
- beautiful views of Cotopaxí
- very nice bathrooms