Adrenaline Junkie's Guide to Quito: From Volcano Hikes to Cloud Forest Ziplines

First rule of high-altitude adventure: respect the adjustment period. As a paramedic, I've treated enough cases of altitude sickness to know it's not something to mess with, even for the fittest travelers.

We spent our first two days exploring Quito's historic center at a deliberately measured pace. The Old Town's narrow cobblestone streets and colonial architecture provided plenty of visual feast without taxing our oxygen-starved muscles. The sacred geometry enthusiast in me marveled at La Compañía de Jesús church, where Baroque meets indigenous craftsmanship in a stunning golden interior that follows perfect mathematical proportions.

By day two, we were ready for the TelefériQo cable car, which whisks you from 10,226 feet to a breathtaking 12,943 feet on the eastern slopes of Pichincha Volcano. The 18-minute ascent gives your body a gentle introduction to altitude changes while offering panoramic views that showcase Quito's unique topography – a long, narrow city cradled by volcanic peaks.

At the upper station, we hiked the gentle trails around the viewing platforms, monitoring our breathing and heart rates (occupational habit). I noticed how the indigenous vendors at the summit moved with practiced ease, their bodies perfectly adapted to the thin air through generations of highland living – a beautiful example of human adaptation that always fascinates my biology-loving mind.

"The mountain decides who climbs her today," our Indigenous guide Miguel told us as we prepared for our Cotopaxi adventure. Having grown up hearing my Mi'kmaq grandmother speak of landscape as living entity, this resonated deeply.

Cotopaxi National Park lies about two hours south of Quito, home to one of the world's highest active volcanoes. At 19,347 feet, a summit attempt requires technical climbing skills and proper acclimatization. Instead, we opted for the more accessible but still challenging hike to the refuge at 15,744 feet.

The morning drive through the Avenue of Volcanoes was ethereal – mist hanging in valleys between symmetrical peaks, wild horses grazing on páramo vegetation. As we ascended Cotopaxi's flanks in our 4x4, the landscape transformed to lunar-like volcanic soil.

The hike from the parking area to the refuge is only about one kilometer, but at that altitude, every step demands respect. My trekking poles became essential extensions of my limbs, providing stability on the loose volcanic scree. The thin air made my EMT instincts kick in – monitoring my partner's color and breathing pattern, ensuring proper hydration.

Reaching the refuge, we shared hot chocolate with climbers preparing for midnight summit pushes. The glacier above us creaked and groaned – a living reminder of the mountain's power and the rapid effects of climate change that have caused it to recede dramatically.

Despite years of wilderness medical training, nothing prepares you for the humbling sensation of standing on an active volcano, feeling the earth's geological power beneath your feet. It's a reminder of our beautiful insignificance.

After the stark volcanic landscapes, we craved green – and Mindo's cloud forest delivered in spectacular fashion. Located just two hours northwest of Quito, the descent from Andean highlands to cloud forest is like traveling between worlds. The temperature rises, humidity thickens, and suddenly you're surrounded by a cacophony of life.

Mindo is where my two passions – adventure and healing traditions – perfectly intersect. The region is renowned for both its biodiversity and its adventure offerings. We started with the canopy zipline tour, which sends you flying across 13 cables spanning over two kilometers through the forest canopy. As someone who's rappelled from helicopters during mountain rescues, I'm no stranger to heights, but there's something uniquely exhilarating about soaring through mist-shrouded treetops while exotic birds flash by.

For our second day, we chose canyoning – descending waterfalls through a combination of rappelling, jumping, and sliding. The guide noticed my medical pack (old habits die hard) and immediately recruited me as the unofficial safety officer. The cold mountain water was bracing but invigorating, especially after our adrenaline-pumping 45-foot rappel down the face of a thundering waterfall.

Between adventures, we explored Mindo's chocolate producers, where I recognized many of the medicinal plants my grandmother had taught me about, albeit in different species adapted to this ecosystem. The reverence local producers showed for the cacao growing process reminded me of traditional plant harvesting ceremonies – acknowledging that food is medicine when produced with intention and respect.

For our cloud forest adventures, my waterproof backpack proved invaluable for protecting camera gear and emergency supplies through waterfalls and rain showers. I'd also recommend investing in a good quick-dry towel that won't take up much space but will make post-adventure comfort much more accessible.

"The lake changes color with the mood of Pachamama," explained our guide Javier, referring to the Andean earth mother deity, as we gazed down at the startling turquoise waters of Quilotoa crater lake. The sacred geometry of this perfect volcanic caldera filled with mineral-rich water struck me immediately – nature's own medicine wheel.

The full Quilotoa Loop is a multi-day trek connecting remote Andean villages, but with our limited timeframe, we opted for a modified two-day version focusing on the crater itself and nearby communities. From Quito, it's a three-hour drive to the starting point.

The initial descent to the lake is deceptively easy – a steep zigzagging path that takes about 30 minutes. It's the climb back up that tests your lungs and quads, especially when you factor in the 12,800-foot elevation. Along the crater rim, the full-day hike between the villages of Quilotoa and Guayama offers constantly changing perspectives of the lake while introducing you to local Kichwa communities.

What struck me most was how the indigenous communities here have adapted to harsh conditions through collective knowledge. When my partner developed a mild headache from the altitude, our homestay host immediately prepared a tea from local herbs that eased symptoms within an hour. As someone who bridges Western emergency medicine with traditional healing practices, these moments of cross-cultural healing wisdom are what I travel for.

The night temperatures dropped dramatically, making me grateful for my merino base layers that regulated temperature beautifully while we enjoyed stargazing from our homestay's courtyard. The Milky Way at this elevation, far from light pollution, appears close enough to touch – a cosmic sacred geometry mirroring the perfect circle of the crater below.

Between adrenaline-fueled adventures, I sought out the healing traditions that have sustained Andean communities for millennia. Quito's Mercado Central became our regular breakfast spot, where food stalls serve traditional dishes like locro de papa (potato soup with cheese and avocado) – the perfect remedy for muscles sore from previous day's activities.

But it was the Mercado de San Francisco that truly captured my medical curiosity. The traditional healers' section features herbs, minerals, and ritual objects used in indigenous medicine. As someone with Mi'kmaq heritage who grew up learning plant medicine from my grandmother, I recognized parallel healing philosophies despite the completely different ecosystems.

We arranged a limpia (traditional cleansing) with a curandera who used bundles of sacred herbs, egg diagnosis, and focused energy work. My paramedic colleagues might raise eyebrows, but I've witnessed enough unexplainable recoveries in my career to approach traditional healing with respect rather than skepticism.

The curandera identified tension in exactly the shoulder I'd injured during a mountain rescue three years ago – something not visibly apparent. Her treatment combined physical manipulation surprisingly similar to modern physical therapy with energetic clearing using smoke and plant essences. The experience left me with increased mobility and a deeper appreciation for Ecuador's living medical traditions.

For those interested in traditional medicine, I recommend visiting the Jardín Botánico in Quito first to understand the scientific properties of medicinal plants before exploring their cultural applications in the markets. The garden's medicinal section features excellent bilingual signage explaining both indigenous and pharmaceutical applications.