A Helicopter Ride Over Ecuador’s Volcanoes

A helicopter ride from Quito is not a journey from A to B. It is a chance to look Ecuador’s monster volcanoes in the eye, and to soar above the giants that dwarf us when we’re in the city below. It is a moment to share the skies and a perspective with Andean condors, and to swoop over ancient Incan battlegrounds, wild horses, white-tailed deer and Andean foxes. It is a chance to forget, for a moment, the limitations of being human, and to fly!

 

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Who do you work with?

We work with an aviation company with almost a decade of experience flying helicopters in Ecuador.

How many passengers can the helicopter take? 

The helicopters can seat up to 5 passengers (six people including the pilot).

How long are the helicopter tours?

Depending on the route you chose (see below), the tours range from 71 km (35 mins) to 204 km (89 mins). The tours are all designed to view the ‘Avenue of Volcanoes’. 

Where does the helicopter tour start from, and how far is it from Quito?

The tour starts from the small town of Tambillo, which is about 1 hour by car south of Ecuador’s capital, Quito. 

What is Ecuador’s Avenue of Volcanoes?

As the name suggests, the Avenue of Volcanoes is a picturesque corridor of volcanoes stretching through the Ecuadorian Andes, from Tulcan in the north, to Riobamba in the south. 

Named in the early 1800s by the German geographer, naturalist and explorer, Alexander von Humboldt, this 400 km-long mountain chain includes many of Ecuador’s most beautiful volcanoes, some of which are still active today. 

What can I expect to see on my tour?

Depending on the length of your tour, some of the volcanoes and sites you can expect to see include: 

• Volcan Corazon (4790m, inactive, stratovolcano)
• Volcan Illinizas (5248m, inactive, stratovolcano)
• Volcan Cotopaxi (5911m, active, stratovolcano)
• Volcan Ruminahui (4721m, dormant stratovolcano)
• Volcan Sincholagua (4893m, inactive, stratovolcano
• Volcan Antisana (5753m, inactive stratovolcano)
• Volcanic lakes
• High-altitude moorland (páramo)
• Mountain villages 
• Famous landmarks such as Mitad del Mundo (the ‘Middle of the World’ complex which marks the equatorial line). 

Who is the guide?

Your English-speaking pilot will also serve as your tour guide.

What is the best time of year to take this helicopter tour?

Although the tour is available all year round (subject to the weather conditions on the day), the best conditions for flying (and for great views!) in this particular region tend to be between June and early September. 

How many routes are there?

We have 4 routes. 

1) TAMBILLO, CASCADAS, COTOPAXI, RUMIÑAHUI (71 km / 35 mins). 

On this tour, you can see:

• Montaña La Viudita
• Aloag
• Volcán Corazón (3393 mts de elevación)
• Tucuso
• Ilinizas (4712 mts de elevación)
• Bosques del Cotopaxi
• Volcán Cotopaxi (5699 mts de elevación)
• Rumiñahui (3837 mts de elevación)
• Cascadas del Pita
• Volcán Sincholagua (4656 mts de elevación)
• El Parque Pasochoa

2) TAMBILLO, CASCADES, COTOPAXI, RUMIÑAHUI, MACHACHI (82 km / 39 mins)

On this tour, you can see:

• El Parque Pasochoa
• Machachi
• Montaña La Viudita
• Aloag
• Volcán Corazón (3393 mts de elevación)
• Tucuso
• Ilinizas (4712 mts de elevación)
• Bosques del Cotopaxi
• Volcán Cotopaxi (5699 mts de elevación) rodeando el lado sur
• Rumiñahui (3837 mts de elevación)
• Cascadas del Pita
• Volcán Sincholagua (4656 mts de elevación)

3) TAMBILLO, ANTISANA, COTOPAXI, RUMIÑAHUI, MACHACHI (123 km / 56 mins)

On this tour, you can see:

• El Parque Pasochoa
• Machachi
• Montaña La Viudita
• Aloag
• Volcán Corazón (3393 mts de elevación)
• Tucuso
• Ilinizas (4712 mts de elevación)
• Bosques del Cotopaxi
• Volcán Cotopaxi (5699 mts de elevación) rodeando el lado sur
• Rumiñahui (3837 mts de elevación)
• Volcán Sincholagua (4656 mts de elevación)
• Laguna de La Micacocha
• Laguna de La Seca
• Ruta de los cóndores
• Volcán Antisana (5661 mts de elevación)
• Pintag
• Laguna Muertepungo
• Río Pita

4) TAMBILLO, MACHACHI, RUMIÑAHUI, COTOPAXI, ANTISANA, CAYAMBE, QUITO, TAMBILLO (204 km / 89 mins)

• El Parque Pasochoa
• Machachi
• Montaña La Viudita
• Aloag
• Volcán Corazón (3393 mts de elevación)
• Tucuso
• Ilinizas (4712 mts de elevación)
• Bosques del Cotopaxi
• Volcán Cotopaxi (5699 mts de elevación) rodeando el lado sur
• Rumiñahui (3837 mts de elevación)
• Volcán Sincholagua (4656 mts de elevación)
• Laguna de La Micacocha
• Laguna de La Seca
• Ruta de los cóndores
• Volcán Antisana (5661 mts de elevación)
• Laguna de Papallacta
• Lagunas de Sucus / senda del oso
• Cangahua – Oyacachi
• Sarahurco
• Lagunas de Mojanda
• Mitad del mundo
• Quito

How much are the helicopter tours?

Rates vary, depending on the route you chose. As a guide, they currently start from $1478. For an exact quote, please contact one of our Safari Designers.

Can I design my own route / flight path on mainland Ecuador? 

It is possible to take helicopter transfers to certain locations, such as Mashpi Lodge in the cloud forest, but as the flight is so weather-dependent, it is not necessarily an option we recommend, particularly as the weather in Ecuador can be unpredictable.  In addition to the 1-hour drive to the heliport, you may have to wait for lengthy periods for the weather conditions to be right, and even find it is not possible to fly at all. Fortunately Ecuador is a compact country and it is possible to access the key regions relatively quickly and comfortably by car, or on short commercial flights, such as the 30-minute hopper plane from Quito to the Amazon rainforest. Or a 1.5 hour flight from Guayaquil, and a 2-hour flight from Quito to the Galapagos Islands.

Can you fly a helicopter to the Galapagos Islands?

No. It is not possible to fly a helicopter to the Galapagos Islands. We can, however, organise a private jet for you. It is important to note, however, that there are no private jet airlines in Ecuador. Therefore the plane has to be taken from, or flown in from another location, such as Miami or Lima. Needless to say, this option is very expensive and only suited to those who are not limited in any way by budget.

More Mainland Ecuador Tours

For more ideas on what to see and do on mainland Ecuador, please visit our Ecuador Safari Extensions.