Detailed description Andes Trekking & Climbing

Day 1: Quito

Arrival at Quito, the world’s second highest capital at 2850 m. / 9350 ft. Transfer from the Mariscal Sucre Airport to the hotel and welcome dinner.

Accommodation in hotel/ including welcome dinner

Day 2: Equator – Pululahua

This is an easy day to give your body the time to get over the jetlag and adjust to the high altitude. Departure from Quito and drive to the equator, where you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere. At the site museum Museo Solar Inti Ñan you will learn the ins and outs of the middle of the earth. Continue to the nearby Reserva Geobotánica Pululahua, named after the extinct Pululahua volcano, for a short hike down into this huge volcanic crater, which is nowadays used for agriculture. In the afternoon return to Quito.

Accommodation in hotel / Including breakfast

Day 3: Volcano Avenue to Riobamba

Pick up at your hotel in Quito and transfer (3,5 hours) along the Volcano Avenue to Riobamba. With clear weather you can see the snow-capped peaks of Ilinizas, Cotopaxi, Altar, Tungurahua, Carihuairazo, and Chimborazo. Accommodation in small hotel with excellent roof top views of the volcanoes surrounding Riobamba.

Accommodation in hotel / Including breakfast

Day 4: Polylepis Hike

After breakfast our trekking guide will pick you up for a day hike  for acclimatization. From Riobamba we drive up by car to a small indigenous community, located at the foot of Chimborazo Mt. at 3800 m. altitude. From the village we hike up to a small Andean mountain forest, at 4200 m. altitude, with the enchanting Polylepis trees – also known as “paper tree” – which is a tree specie that can survive at high altitudes. There are also many typical paramo plants like the chuquiragua and cacho de venado (deer’s antler). With clear weather you will have good views on Chimborazo. In the afternoon we drive back to Riobamba.

Accommodation in hotel / Including breakfast and box lunch

Day 5: Altar Trek

Today we will start a 3-day trek that will help you to acclimatize for the ascent of Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. El Altar (5319 m.) is one of the most spectacular mountains of Ecuador. A long time ago this was an active volcano higher than Cotopaxi, but a huge eruption almost completely destroyed the cone leaving 9 snow-capped summits in a horseshoe shape around a beautiful crater lake. On the first day of this trek we will drive to Releche,  at 3200 m. altitude the starting point of the trek. We put our equipment on pack horses and start to hike up a steep hill. After 1 hour we reach the trail to El Altar and soon we will enjoy the first views of the extinct volcano and the valley of Collanes river. We continue hiking for about 5 hours until we reach the Collanes refuge at 3850 m., where we will spend the night.

Accommodation in refuge  / Including breakfast, box lunch and dinner

Day 6: Altar Trek

After breakfast we follow the Collanes Plain to El Altar’s crater lake. From the plateau at 4300m., the highest point of this trek, we have marvellous views of the turquoise-green lake and the snow-capped peaks. If you are lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the Andean condor. In the afternoon we return to the refuge.

Accommodation in refuge  / Including breakfast, box lunch and dinner

Day 7: Altar Trek

In the morning we hike down from the refuge to Releche. From there we drive back to Riobamba. Arrival at Riobamba at about 2.00 p.m. Free afternoon to rest and prepare for the climbing tours on the next days.

Accommodation in hotel / including breakfast and  box lunch

Day 8: Cotopaxi Refuge

Departure from Riobamba at 9.00 a.m. and drive for about 2,5 hour to Cotopaxi, one of the world’s highest active volcanoes. We drive up to 4600 m. and from there you hike with the equipment to the refuge at 4800 m. In the afternoon the mountain guide will teach you how to use the equiopment in a climbing practice on the glacier. Dinner and rest in the refuge.

Accommodation in refuge / Including breakfast, box lunch and dinner

Day 9: Cotopaxi Ascent

We rise before midnight and after a light breakfast start the ascent. After about 45 minutes we reach the glacier where we rope up and start using the crampons and ice axe. During the ascent we cross several crevasses. It takes about 6 hours climbing to reach the summit (5897 m.) from where you will have a breath-taking view of the Ecuadorian Andes. You can also look into Cotopaxi’s big round crater. The descent to the refuge takes about 3 hours. In the afternoon we drive back to Riobamba.

Accommodation in hotel / including breakfast and lunch

Day 10: Riobamba

Today you will have a rest day in Riobamba. Optional excursions: Devil’s Nose trainride or visit one of the authentic indigenous markets in the Chimborazo province.

Accommodation in hotel / including breakfast

Day 11: Chimborazo Refuge

Pick up at the hotel at 10.00 a.m. and departure to Chimborazo, the highest mountain of Ecuador and, due to the equatorial bulge, the farthest point on the earth’s surface from the centre of the earth. We drive from Riobamba to the first refuge at 4800 m. In the afternoon you will hike for 50 minutes with your equipment to the Whymper refuge at 5000 m. Dinner and rest in the refuge.

Accommodation in Whymper  refuge / including breakfast, box lunch and dinner

Day 12: Ascent Chimborazo

An early start before midnight. After 1 – 2 hours we reach the glacier and after 1 more hour we reach El Castillo (5350 m.) From here it takes another 4 hours to reach the Veintimilla summit (6276 m.) and 1 more hour to traverse to the maximum Whymper summit (6310 m.) The descent to the refuge takes about 3 – 4 hours. Transfer back to Riobamba and additionally to Quito.

Accommodation in hotel / including breakfast and lunch

Day 13: International Departure

Transfer from the hotel to the airport and international departure.