u/AffectionateFill8976

Spending 5 days in the Quito area with a travel companion. We're in good shape but not looking to grind through brutal altitude hikes all week unless the scenery is truly world-class. I'll have two drones and want locations where aerial shots will be spectacular.

Current plan:

• Day 1: Centro Histórico + Capilla del Hombre
• Day 2: Teleférico up to 13,450 ft (no summit hike) + Pululahua caldera rim
• Day 3: Cotopaxi — e-bike downhill, wild horses, glacier views
• Day 4: Quilotoa crater lake — rim walk + drone
• Day 5: Otavalo market + Lago San Pablo

Questions:

1. Is Quilotoa realistic as a day trip from Quito (3 hours each way)?
2. Any drone permit issues at Cotopaxi National Park or Quilotoa?
3. What would you cut, add, or swap for someone who wants world-class scenery without being aerobically destroyed?
4. Any reliable tour operators you'd recommend for Cotopaxi e-bike or Quilotoa?

Thanks in advance.