The Secret Garden Cotopaxi is a remote hostel/hotel near Cotopaxi National Park, with the BEST views of the Cotopaxi volcano. Because of its affordable accommodation options, daily tours to remote mountains, and great social atmosphere, it has because a popular stop for travelers and backpackers making their way through South America. The Secret Garden has been on my travel bucket list for years so I was so excited to finally get to stay there on my trip to Ecuador.
We stopped at the Secret Garden Cotopaxi for 2 days on our 10-day Ecuador Roadtrip, which us took us through the beautiful Andes region of Ecuador. Check out my other Ecuador blog posts to learn more about visiting this incredible, underrated country in South America.
Keep reading for my *honest* review of the Secret Garden Cotopaxi, including what its like to stay there, the food, the hikes and the social atmosphere.
How it Works at the Secret Garden Cotopaxi
Because The Secret Garden is so remote and you can’t easily leave the property, it’s kinda like an “all-inclusive” resort. They provide you with everything you will need while you’re there, including three meals a day.
When you book you’re stay, you pay for a “package”, with the price depending on which room you book (shared dorm, private room…) and how many days you stay. Here’s everything that is and isn’t included:
Included:
- Breakfast, Lunch, Snack and Dinner
- Water, coffee, tea, and unlimited bananas and banana bread
- Transport to and from Quito
- A 2 hour welcome waterfall hike
- A difficult 6-7 hour hike to a nearby volcano, Pasochoa
Not included:
- Alcohol and other drinks like soda
- Additional hikes, like the one to Cotopaxi mountain
The Secret Garden Cotopaxi was the most expensive thing we did in Ecuador, but considering all that was included, and the unique experience we had there, I think it was worth it.
Getting to the Secret Garden Cotopaxi
Transportation to and from The Secret Garden Quito is included in your stay, so you really don’t have to worry about how to get there. There is a shuttle that runs to Cotopaxi everyday at 10 am and a shuttle back to Quito at 3 pm. If you want to continue your travel to another part of Ecuador besides Quito, the shuttle also stops in Machachi, where you can then take a bus to other cities like Baños.
If you are doing an Ecuador roadtrip and renting a car, you may want to drive yourself to Secret Garden, which is what we did. Be aware that the road to the Secret Garden is unpaved and difficult to traverse, but it is doable. Make sure you rent a 4-wheel drive SUV (you should rent this anyway as you will likely encounter other unpaved roads throughout Ecuador) and drive slowly and carefully. You can use Google Maps to guide you there from Quito and there will be signs during the last few miles pointing to the Secret Garden.
For a full Ecuador Roadtrip Itinerary and info on renting a car in Ecuador, click here!
My Experience at the Secret Garden Cotopaxi
I visited The Secret Garden with my boyfriend and his family (4 of us total) so we decided to stay in the “Hill House” which is their largest accommodation available. It sleeps 6 people total, with one large bed and two sets of bunk beds. As the name suggests, this house is all the way at the top of the hill, and the views are incredible- even better than the view at the bottom. There’s a panoramic window where you can sit and see unobstructed views of Cotopaxi and the surrounding mountains.
If you are traveling as a group, I highly recommend staying in the Hill House, as it’s a special experience. We particularly liked that we had a private space to ourselves, away from the loud, crowded common areas.
I didn’t see what the shared dorms are like, so I can’t share a review on that.
We stayed for two nights, but I wish we had stayed a bit longer since there’s so many hikes and excursions to do. Upon arrival, we ate lunch and joined the free (included) hike to a nearby waterfall. It’s a great welcome event that will help you meet people and explore the surrounding nature. The rest of the night we spent relaxing and enjoying the incredible view from the property. We each put on a poncho and said hi to the Alpacas before the sunset and dinner.
The next day, my boyfriend and I joined the included trek to Pasochoa summit. This hike was HARD. It was 4 hour straight of walking uphill, and we weren’t able to take many breaks. I wouldn’t call it the most enjoyable hike, but making it to the summit of this dormant volcano was so rewarding. It really felt like we were on the top of the world. It was quite rainy, cold and cloudy at the top but the skies cleared as we walked back down the mountain.
If we had more time, we would have joined the Cotopaxi Refuge tour ($50 per person). Michael’s mom and sister did this instead of the free hike with us, as they wanted something less strenuous, but they unfortunately had very bad weather. They were in a cloud all day with high winds and almost no visibility. So at the end of the day I’m happy we didn’t go on that tour, but it would have been cool to actually visit Cotopaxi mountain, rather than just seeing it at a distance.
After our excursions that day, we took some naps and woke up just in time for pizza night, which was a highlight of our time at the Secret Garden! There’s a wood fired oven where the staff made about 10 different types of pizza. They had vegetarian options like regular cheese and vegetable slices, along with Hawaiian and BBQ chicken They even had pizza with cuy, which is guinea pig, a very popular protein in Ecuador.
The next morning we got up, had breakfast and headed out for our next destination in Ecuador. I was sad to be leaving so soon but also happy that I would once again have service on my phone!
Social Atmosphere at The Secret Garden
The hostel is VERY social since there is no service and no wifi. When you’re not on an excursion, all there is to do is hang out and make friends which creates a great atmosphere. During meals, you sit at long communal tables so you can connect with other travelers.
Although I didn’t stay here as a solo traveler, I think this is the PERFECT place to come if you are solo traveling in Ecuador. With the communal atmosphere, it’s so easy to make friends that you can possibly travel with to other places in Ecuador. Also, since the hostel arranges your transportation, excursions, and food, it’s an easy place to travel to… Once you’re there, you don’t have to worry about safety or coordinating activities. They will do everything for you.
The Food at The Secret Garden
As for the food at the Secret Garden, the menu changes everyday with unique and delicious dishes. Most of the meals were vegetarian, and they only offered meat at dinner.
As a vegetarian, I loved the options and felt satisfied after the meals, but my meat-eating boyfriend was disappointed by the portion sizes and wished they served more meat. He’s used to eating meat at every meal, and they only gave a very small portion of it at dinner. They also don’t give seconds (we asked), so what you’re served is all you’re eating. We heard some other guys at our dinner table complaining about the portions and how they with there was more meat served. Considering the strenuous hikes you do each day while staying there, I do think they should serve more food, or at least offer seconds to those who want.
The Views, the Alpacas, and the Ponchos
These three things were my favorite things about the Secret Garden Cotopaxi, so they get a special section in this blog post!
First, the unbeatable views of Cotopaxi mountain. The slogan on their website is “paradise on earth”, and based on the views alone I agree with this. It’s truly one of the best views I’ve ever seen in my life. Completely unobstructed (except for some clouds at times) and panoramic, with views of the smaller surrounding volcanos as well. Pictures just can’t capture how impressive it is.
Second, as soon as we arrived on property we saw alpacas rolling around in the grass on the hill side and I got so excited to see these animals so close. They are located just a short walk from the communal building, and you can walk over and feed them bananas whenever you want. We did this both nights around sunset and it was so fun.
Lastly, the Secret Garden provides these beautiful, traditional Ecuadorian ponchos for guests to where around the property. Literally everyone wears them because it can get quite cold, and because they’re just so cozy. They’re great for taking pictures!
Should you stay at the Secret Garden Cotopaxi?
The Secret Garden Cotopaxi is a unique getaway in Ecuador, but I don’t think staying there is right for everyone.
You should stay at the Secret Garden if you want to:
- Socialize and make friends with young travelers and backpackers
- Explore Ecuador through safe and organized group tours, without needing a car
- Disconnect from the outside world
- Have one of the best views of Cotopaxi Mountain
You shouldn’t stay the Secret Garden if you want:
- A quiet, secluded trip to Cotopaxi
- Flexible food options, and access to a kitchen or restaurants
- To explore Cotopaxi National Park through a self-guided tour with your own car
- Access to wifi
Overall I loved staying at the Secret Garden Cotopaxi and wish we had more time there so we could have tried some of their other excursions. I also wish the weather was better- it rained a lot and Cotopaxi was covered in clouds for most of the time we were there. But besides that, we had a wonderful time at this little paradise in the mountains of Ecuador!
If you are interested in booking your stay at the Secret Garden Cotopaxi, you must do it directly on their website.
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