Pita River Canyon

This beautiful gorge winds through Andean cloud forests to the north of great Cotopaxi. You can ascend the canyon to reach a 50m waterfall, or go further up to a very different landscape - the bare, windswept scrub and paramo lower slopes of Cotopaxi itself. You can also explore downstream.

Enjoy the waterfalls, chutes, swimming pools of this clear river in its dramatic canyon, with its walls dripping with greenery. This is a special ecosystem.

You will need to wade the river (usually not too deep), so walking sandals are an option.

This is tough walking in remote mountains with unpredictable weather, where altitude can cause problems. Come prepared.

Have a look at TripAdvisor- there are tens of millions of reviews, so you may get good, current views on guides, places to hike and places to stay in the area.

Find relevant books by using our Amazon search function:

Find the books and maps listed above, and many more:

This page is at an early stage of development. Please help us by making suggestions and sending photos! Thank you!

For more information and photos, including detailed practical information and some warnings, see our Cotopaxi Area walk page.