The Cotopaxi volcano, an almost perfect snowy cone that rises to 5,897 meters of altitude is something unique on the planet and is perhaps, together with Galapagos, the greatest symbol of our natural geography recognized in the entire world.
Thousands of mountaineers of all nationalities have reached their summit and many others dream of doing so. Because it is located in the center of the inter-Andean alley and very close to several cities such as Quito and Latacunga, the Cotopaxi National Park is one of the most visited and surely where many people touch the snow for the first time.
The imposing Cotopaxi, one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, dominates the entire landscape of the protected area, which also includes two smaller ones, the Morurco (4,880 m), next to the Cotopaxi, and the Rumiñahui (4,722 m), also very closely. Cotopaxi is located in the area called "Avenue of the Volcanoes", a name that the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt in 1802 gave to the set of volcanoes in the central and northern Sierra of Ecuador.
The predominant ecosystem in the park is the moor, with its special flora and fauna, so the main vegetation is grassland and small tall shrubs.