If you speak to anyone who’s been to Secret Garden Cotopaxi, you’ll hear rave reviews. This is a must-stay during your time in Ecuador. Secret Garden Cotopaxi may seem more expensive than a lot of the other accommodation options in Ecuador, but it’s really worth it. Of all our stays, this was my favorite.

We enjoyed three meals a day, plus snacks during our hikes and adventures and unlimited banana bread, bananas, coffee, tea, hot chocolate and water. The staff is lovely, a lot of them are travelers and backpackers passing through for an extended stay and they’re equally as excited to be there as the guests. The other guests are great as well and you’ll meet interesting people from all over the world. And of course, the location and the views truly can’t be beat. Panoramic vistas all around, I swear, even the outdoor toilets have views! And Cotopaxi itself is just a short drive away.

Getting to the Secret Garden Cotopaxi

The cost of the stay also includes transportation from Quito to Secret Garden if you stay at least two nights. From the Secret Garden Hostel in Quito, you can hop on the shuttle to Secret Garden Cotopaxi at 10 am every day. By the way, the Secret Garden Quito Hostel is so cute, with an incredible view from the rooftop. Definitely head up to the top floor to have a coffee, tea or even breakfast before the ride. 

From door to door it took about two hours. We stopped once to pick up a girl in another town and a second time to go to the ATM, buy snacks and drinks and use the loo at a rest stop. Everything at Secret Garden Cotopaxi is cash only, so definitely make use of the stop. Typically I get sick on bus rides, but I took a Dramamine and continuously stared out the window. I felt completely fine when we got there which surprised me due to the altitude. 

When we got there, we scooted out of the shuttle and were welcomed by one of the team members. They explain some logistics, like what time meals were and where to find water. Next, they directed us to a long communal table for a welcome drink, it tasted just like a sweeter glühwein, and later, lunch. We had stir fried vegetables with white rice. Decently tasty and if you’re still hungry you can always get seconds at lunch and dinner. 

The famous Secret Garden hobbit homes

After lunch, the team members showed us to our rooms. The room at Secret Garden Cotopaxi was one of the things I was most looking forward to during our time in Ecuador. I booked the private Hobbit Home. The rooms are small and simple, with decently comfy beds, a heater and unbeatable views. I loved waking up with the sun and admiring the volcanoes in the distance. 

The free waterfall hike 

After finding our room we had just a bit of time before the waterfall hike, which departs at 2 pm every day. The waterfall hike is included in the cost of the accommodation and is a great way to get acclimated and spend the first afternoon. The total hike is about two hours with an option to go for a swim at the second waterfall. 

I daringly decided I’d be the only girl to take a dip. Thank God there is a jumping in point, otherwise I would have never made it in. It’s absolutely freezing, but yes, refreshing – I guess. Let’s be honest there is no word for that heart stopping loss of breath you get when you plunge into a knowingly icy cold body of water, but hey, I did it and I don’t regret it. The worst part was definitely putting back on my leggings to hike back to Secret Garden Cotopaxi. 

Tip: don’t worry about your shoes, they supply rain boots, which you absolutely must wear, as the hike straddles the waterfall for nearly the full duration. Be careful not to step too deep into the water with your boots or you’ll have soggy socks….

Cost: Included in your stay at Secret Garden Cotopaxi

Secret Garden Cotopaxi activities

Each evening, there are snacks served at 5pm. At that time you can also decide which activities you might want to do the next day. During our stay, we did the Cotopaxi base camp hike with mountain biking and the Pasochoa Summit Trek. I wrote an article about each. 

• Cotopaxi base camp hike and mountain biking (additional charge)
• Pasochoa Summit Trek (included)

Overall, I loved our stay at Secret Garden Cotopaxi. When the weather was clear, the views were breathtaking from any angle. I only wished we would have stayed longer to really relax and enjoy a full day at the Secret Garden itself. There are plenty of cozy nooks and hammocks to relax in and a jacuzzi I never got to try. You can also hang out with the dogs and the llamas on site, ps they really love banana peels. In addition, I would have loved to have done the horseback riding at Cotopaxi. This is one of the activities I was really looking forward to, but decided to hike instead. No regrets, just another reason to return.