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 6am.!
Day 1: Hike Pasochoa (4200 m./ 13,778 ft)
Day 2: Corazón Volcano (4788 m./ 15708.66 ft).
Day 3: Iliniza North (5126 m./ 16,818 ft.)
Day 4: Quilotoa Lagoon (3914 m./ 12841.21 ft.)
Day 5: Refugio Jose Ribas (4862 m./ 15958.01 ft.)
Day 6: Cotopaxi Summit (5897 m./ 19347.11 ft.)
Day 1: (00/00/2021) Hike Pasochoa (13,778 f t./4230 m)
We will leave Quito early in the morning around 8am. Will drive south through the Avenue of the Volcanoes until the Pasochoa Parking lot. We will hike through a big forest and when we are in the middle of it, the 4230-meter summit will appear. We will then have to ascend steep slopes to get to the summit, but once there we will have excellent views.
Meals: (Breakfas/ Box Lunch/ Dinner)
Accommodation: Andes Alpes Hostel & Café
Day 2: 00/00/2021) Summit Corazón Volcano (15708.66 ft./ 4788 m.)
From El Chaupi village. We will start early in the morning after breakfast 7:00 We will be driving up to the trailhead (13,120ft/4.000m), where we start our hike. The first part of the hike takes us up through the small Andean grass. Then we will get on the sandy and scramble section, which leads to Corazon summit (15,702ft/4788m). We will have lunch during the hike that is about 8-hour long. Return to the hostel.
Meals: (Breakfas/ Box Lunch/ Dinner)
Accommodation: Andes Alpes Hostel & Café
Day 3: 00/00/2021) Summit Iliniza Norte (16,818 ft. / 5126 m.)
We start early in the morning after breakfast 7:30 We will be driving up to the “La Virgen parking lot” (12,795ft/3.900m). Once there, we will start a 3-hour hike up to the “Nuevos Horizontes Refuge” (15,580ft/4.750m). We will relax for couple of minutes and we took the opportunity to put our helmet and harness for continue hiking up towards the saddle formed between both peaks and then head up to Illiniza north summit; it will take us between 2 to 3 hours to get to the summit (5126m), the way back to the parking lot it will take us between 2 hours. drive back to El Chaupi.
Meals: (Breakfas/ Box Lunch/ Dinner)
Accommodation: Andes Alpes Hostel & Café
Day 4: (00/00/2021) Quilotoa Lagoon (12841.21 ft. / 3914m)
We’ll leave from El Chaupi in the morning and drive the Quilotoa Lagoon. During the tour we will stop at an Indian hut and visit the Tigua community to observe the leather crafts that they make here. The tour will about 4 hours, then we’ll arrive the viewpoint and admire the size of the crater and its lagoon. We will then descend along a varying road which will take us an hour until we arrive at the bottom of the lagoon. There we will take photos and rest, then after lunch we will be back in El Chaupi after 3 hours driving.
Meals: (Breakfas/ Box Lunch/ Dinner)
Accommodation: Andes Alpes Hostel & Café
Day 5: 00/00/2021) Jose Rivas Refuge (15958.01 ft. / 4864 m.)
From El Chaupi will drive south through the Avenue of the Volcanoes until getting to the Cotopaxi National Park entrance. From here will drive east to the Cotopaxi parking lot (4.500m) then we’ll hike up for around an hour to the Jose Ribas Refuge (4,864m). In the afternoon we’ll head up to the glacier for ice practices and training. We’ll learn some basic techniques which will include how to handle climbing equipment (crampons, ice axe, rope, etc.). We’ll go back to the Refuge for dinner and rest.
Meals: (Breakfas/-/ Dinner)
Day 6: 00/00/2021) Summit Cotopaxi (19347.11 ft. / 5897 m.)
Midnight will be our wake up time and the departure to the top (19,347ft/5.897m) 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 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.
Meals: (Breakfas/-/ Dinner)
Services included in the tour cost:
Not included:
What to Bring?
21-26 July 2021
4-9 August 2021
11-16 August 2021
18-23 August 2021
25-30 August 2021
Other dates / additional info: Contact us!
Prices:
1 Person........... USD
Group of 2.........USD per person Group of 3.........USD per person Group of 4.........USD per person Group of 5.........USD per person
Country / Location: Ecuador
*AvailableLegend Booking-information
EZZ - Single room supplement
On this trip, places are still available.
On this trip, only a few places left.
This trip is sold out / closed.