Latacunga: the gateway to Cotopaxi volcano

Rebuilt multiple times after eruptions of the nearby Cotopaxi volcano, Latacunga remains the most convenient starting point for reaching one of the planet's most symmetrical volcanic cones.

The center is explored on foot; the national park requires a car.

The historic center of Latacunga, rebuilt in pumice stone after the 1877 eruption, preserves colonial architecture marked by coexistence with the nearby volcano.

Just steps away, the Church of San Francisco, damaged and restored multiple times over the centuries, still houses original Baroque elements that survived earthquakes.

In the afternoon, it's worth reaching Cotopaxi National Park, where the volcanic cone, among the world's most symmetrical, approaches 5,900 meters in height.

Inside the park, the Limpiopungo Lagoon reflects the snow-capped volcano surrounded by high-altitude grasslands inhabited by wild llamas and Andean birds.

Cotopaxi remains one of the world's highest active volcanoes: its historical eruptions forced Latacunga to rebuild multiple times, lending the name to the pumice stone still used in local construction.

The llamas that graze around Laguna Limpiopungo are now accustomed to hikers and allow people to approach them at close range without showing particular fear.