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Climb Cotopaxi Summit Premium in 7-day tour. This program offers the full Ecuadorian mountain climbing experience, with the opportunity to summit many of the gorgeous volcanoes that lie in Ecuador’s Avenue of the Volcanoes, such as Pasochoa, El Corazón and Iliniza Norte. These hikes are also important in preparing your body to summit Cotopaxi, as each hike aids in acclimatization. In preparation for the 2-day Cotopaxi climb, climbers enjoy a relaxing day at Quilotoa Lagoon, hiking around an amazing volcanic crater filled with water tucked into the Ecuadorian highlands. Finally, the trip concludes with Cotopaxi, which is regarded as one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world, and one of the most active volcanoes in the world. The climb up to the summit of Cotopaxi is not highly technical, but it does require the use of crampons, ice axes and ropes. Leaving from the refuge around midnight, climbers begin ascending the volcano and will arrive at the top of Cotopaxi after sunrise at 6 a.m.!
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Itineraries
Day 1
Arrival in Quito
Upon your arrival in Quito our team will pick you up at the Quito airport and bring you to your hotel where we will get ready for the following day.
Included meals: /
Accommodation: / Hotel
Day 2
Rucu Pichincha Volcano
We started early in the morning at 8:00 am to have plenty of time. Round trip from the top of the Teleferico to the Rucu Summit takes about 4 - 6 hours. The hike to Rucu Pichincha is very popular for acclimatization purposes also is a glorious way to explore the Andean wilderness only a short distance outside of Quito. After reaching this spectacular summit we will drive to our homebase in El Chaupi, where we will overnight at the Lodge
Included meals: Box lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 3
Iliniza Norte peak
We started early in the morning at 7:00 am. Iliniza Norte is one of the easier mountains with more than 5.000 m height. Iliniza Norte is a perfect moutain for training before to climb cotopaxi. Round trip from La virgen (parking lot) to the Iliniza north Summit takes about 6 - 8 hours After reaching this intense summit we back down to El Chaupi Village. Overnight at the Lodge.
Included meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 4
Quick Glacier School
Today we hike about two hours to the entrance of the glacier on Cotopaxi. We spend the day practicing skills, including self arresting with an ice axe, climbing in crampons, traveling on rope teams, and crevasse rescues. We also take time scouting our summit route. After a full day, we descend back to Tambopaxi.
Included meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Tambopaxi
Day 5
Cotopaxi Refuge
We spend the morning for resting, hydrating, eating, and trying to get some sleep. After luch 14:00 pm we will drive to the parking lot and hike to the shelter Jose Ribas. hen we will have dinner and rest until midnight. At this point we will pack our belongings and get ready to make our final ascent.
Included meals: breakfast, box lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Cotopaxi Refuge
Day 6
Summit Cotopaxi
Midnight will be our wake up time and the departure to the top will be around 01h00, not before having a light breakfast and get our stuff ready for the ascent, the climb will take us about 6 to 8 hours. Once at the summit we’ll take our time to take pictures of the crater and surroundings, and then we’ll head down back to the refuge, which it will take us 2 to 3 hours. Once at the refuge will pack our belongings, have something to eat and go down to the parking lot, where our transportation will be ready to take us to Quito.
Included meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: / Hotel
Day 7
Flight Home
Today you will be transferred to the airport for your back flight home.
Included meals: /
Accommodation: /
- CS Acclimatization Climbing Program
- Ecuadorian qualified and experienced (ASEGUIM/UIAGM) local mountain guides: Max 2 climbers per guide
- Registration in the SIB System (System of Biodiversity Information)
- A registered and fully licensed Tour Operator
- Technical mountain equipment (crampons, ice axe, harness, helmet)
- Land transportation and transfers
- Accommodation (see itinerary)
- All meals during the hikes and climbs (see itinerary)
- Personal mountain gear (warm clothes, sleeping bags, sunglasses, head lamp, etc.)
- International flight tickets
- Meals and drinks in hotels
- Insurance of any kind
- Tips
- Other non-specified expenses
We kindly refer to our Terms and Conditions page which can be found in the footer of our website.
In Ecuador you can hike all year, but these are the seasons:
- High Season: June to August / December to January
- Low season: February to May / September to November
No prior climbing experience is required, but you should be in good physical condition and it is highly recommended that they have some backpacking experience.
Yes, we provide the technical gear (crampons, ice axe, harness, helmet) at no charge for our tours. Other gear can be rented as well.
