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Ecuador and its famous Avenue of the Volcanoes are one of the best places of the world for those who love mountaineering activities, a variety of landscapes and challenging surfaces. On this 11-day tour we invite you to a very exciting hiking and ice climbing adventure across the green lands, on the secret paths and on snow-covered peaks located along the Ecuador Line.
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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
Hike Pasochoa (13,779 ft / 4,200 m)
After breakfast we'll pick you up and drive for two hours to get to the Pasochoa parking lot. We will then hike through a large forest and when we are in the middle of it, the beautiful Pasochoa will appear. There is a steep sloop on the ascent, but once there we will have beautiful views. After the hike 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
Hike Corazón (15,718 ft / 4,791 m)
After an early breakfast at the Andes Alpes, we will drive up to the Corazón trailhead (13,120 ft / 4,000m) where we start our hike. The first part of the hike takes us up through the small Andean grass. Next follows a sandy section and a scramble, which leads to the Corazón summit (15,718 ft / 4,791 m). The complete hike will take us about six hours, and we'll have lunch during. After the hike we'll return at the Lodge for some relaxation and dinner.
Included meals: Breakfast, box Lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 4
Hiking in The Illinizas Ecological Reserve
After breakfast we will be heading out to The Illinizas Ecological Reserve (La Reserva Ecológica Los Illinizas), the protected area that is home to the double peak of The Illinizas. We will be driving up until the “La Virgen parking lot” (12,960 ft / 3,950 m). Once there we will set up our 4-season tents, where we will spend the night. We will have lunch and then do some hiking around the enchanted Polylepis forest (árbol de papel).
Meals: Breakfast, box Lunch, dinner
Accommodation: 4-season tent
Day 5
Climb Iliniza Norte (16,818 ft / 5,126 m)
After a very early breakfast we will start hiking at around 3:30 a.m. But don't worry, the beautiful sunrise on the ascent will make the early get up more than worth it. We will start with a 3-hour hike up to the “Refugio Nuevos Horizontes” (15,416 ft / 4,700 m). Upon our arrival at the refuge we will relax for a couple of minutes and take the opportunity to put on our helmet and harness. After, we will continue hiking up towards the saddle formed between the two peaks and then head up to Illiniza Norte summit (16,818 ft / 5,126 m), which will take us about 2 to 3 hours from the refuge. From the summit we'll descend to the “La Virgen parking lot”, from where we will head back at the Lodge. The descend will take us about 2 hours.
Included meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Lodge
Day 6
Hike to the Cotopaxi Refuge (15,748 ft / 4,800 m)
From El Chaupi we will drive south through the Avenue of the Volcanoes until getting to the Cotopaxi National Park entrance. From here we will drive east to the Cotopaxi parking lot (15,088 ft / 4,600 m) and then hike up for around an hour to the José Ribas Refuge (15,958 ft / 4864 m). At the Refuge we will have dinner and rest until midnight.
Included meals: Breakfast, box lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Cotopaxi Refuge (José Ribas)
Day 7
Climb Cotopaxi (19,347 ft / 5,897 m)
Midnight will be our wake-up time and after having a light breakfast and getting our gear ready we will departure to the top at around 1 a.m. The climb will take us about 6 to 8 hours and once at the summit we’ll take our time for pictures of the crater and surroundings. Next we’ll head back down the refuge, which will take us 2 to 3 hours. Once at the refuge we 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 Baños City.
Included meals: Breakfast (before & after the hike)
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 8
Relaxing in Baños
You'll have a free day in Baños to relax, or to go for another adventure. Baños de Agua Santa and its surroundings offer many possibilities: The route of the waterfalls, hiking inside the cloud forest, rafting, rock climbing, bungee jumping, mountain biking, horseback riding, etc.
Included meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel
Day 9
Hike to Chimborazo High Camp (17,454 ft / 5,320 m)
After breakfast we will meet with the guides to drive to the Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve. We will arrive at the parking lot (15748 ft / 4,800 m) from where we will start the hike to the High camp. After hiking for approximately 2 to 3 hours we will get to the camp, where we will accommodate in our tents. We will prepare and double check all the gear for the climb, have dinner and get some rest until 11 p.m. After a light breakfast we will get ready with our gear and start heading up towards the summit.
Meals: Breakfast, box Lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Chimborazo High Camp
Day 10
Climb Chimborazo (20,571 ft / 6,270 m)
Around midnight we will start our climb to Ecuador's highest mountain, Chimborazo (20,571 ft / 6,270 m). The climb to the summit will take us around 6 to 7 hours, which mean that we will get to the summit in the early hours. The summit is a perfect spot for resting and taking pictures of the beautiful surroundings. Then we’ll start our descent to the High Camp, which will take us 3 to 4 hours. Once in the High Camp, we will pack our belongings and descent to the parking lot, which will take us another 2 hours. At the parking lot our transportation will be ready to drive us to Quito.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: / Hotel
Day 11
The final day
Depending on the time of your flight you'll have the opportunity to discover Quito a little bit, after which we will transfer you to the airport to return to your home.
- 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)
- Porters, tents and camping utensils for Chimborazo High Camp
- 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.
