ECUADOR

Ecuador Volcano Trek

11 days

ITINERARY

6 days

TREKKING

5,790m

ALTITUDE

Dates

2025 & 2026

Take on the Avenue of the Volcanoes

Challenge yourself on this 11-day Ecuador Volcano Trek, through the “avenue of the volcanoes”. This breathtaking valley running south from Quito is home to some of the world’s tallest active volcanoes, and you will summit 5 of them, including 2 active ones, on this varied and exciting itinerary. So expect cold weather, steep glacial ascents and the thin air all of high altitude all add to the challenge!

The Challenge

Incredible mountainous terrains

Ecuador is packed with variety, culture, great food, wonderful people and incredible mountainous terrain and its volcanoes are a magnet for trekkers and mountaineers. The Ecuador Volcano Trek starts with an acclimatisation day in Quito, and the chance to stand on the Equatorial line, with a foot in each hemisphere! Then we begin our journey through the Avenue of the Volcanoes, with summits of Pasachoa (4,200m), Ruminahui (4,721m), Quilotoa (3,900m) and Illinizas Norte (5,126m). These peaks offer a variety of landscapes, challenging trekking and incredible scenery. The itinerary is capped off with a summit of  of Cayambe (5,790m) – which lays claim to being the highest point on the equator, and the only place on the equator with snow! 

Because this final summit has a glaciated summit it requires the use ropes, ice axes and crampons. So we include a fun training on these skills, on the slopes of Cotopaxi!

NEW YEAR DEAL

£100 OFF ALL BOOKINGS WITH CODE: NY100 

+ FREE Fleece worth £35

+ FREE UK Training Event worth £139

+ £250 OFF if booking 2 places!

DEAL ENDS 28th FEBRUARY 2025

The Experience

Life on the Ecuador Volcano Trek

On an Action Challenge trip you’ll be part of a team which takes on an adventure together – and that’s what makes the experience so special. Because getting to know others, supporting each other when the going gets tough, laughing together, and sharing those special moments & the new friendships are the memories that will stay with you for many years. Because our challenges are led by a UK Mountain Leader and supported by a Medic overseeing the group’s wellbeing – you’ll be in safe hands, and our expert local logistics team & guides will ensure it all runs like clockwork. These are ‘fully inclusive’ trips – leaving you to focus on your challenge, and to enjoy it!

An Action Challenge trip is much more than a holiday! It brings like-minded people together in fantastic landscapes, provides the best support & great hospitality, and enables the group to take on a tough & unforgettable challenge which forges new friendships, broaden horizons, and leaves you wanting more of life’s adventures!

The blueprint for Action Challenge trip is based on delivering a high quality enjoyable experience – and doing it all safely. An experienced UK Mountain Leader ensures that all aspects of the challenge run to plan – and one of our UK Medics with an expedition med kit is on-hand to look after the group’s wellbeing – enabling everyone to have the best chance of successfully competing their challenge.

We go to great lengths to ensure that we only use the best local organisations to supply the all-important ground logistics and the on-challenge support, catering, and hospitality teams – with experienced guides leading the way on the trails with their deep local knowledge and authentic style.

Like minded people with a similar sense of adventure – but often from very different backgrounds, and with a wide range of experience, ages, levels of fitness, and personal ambitions. Our trips are perfect for individuals, couples, and small groups of friends to join – and then to take on a unique challenge as part of a larger group which shapes & bonds as the adventure unfolds!

Whether its’s the hotels,  restaurants & transfers before & after the main challenge – or the challenge accommodation & meals whilst out on the trails – our all inclusive packages mean that you will get a top quality experience at a great value price! Flights are generally included, but there’s a ‘land only’ option if you’d prefer to book your own – and single supplement accommodation upgrades are available.

The group comes together – takes on a tough challenge together – and then celebrates its achievements in style on the final night of the trip in a local restaurant or hotel, with medals, awards, and a maybe a bit of a party! Many of our participants make new special friends on our trips – and quite a few come back together for another challenge in the following years!

A successful challenge starts with good preparation. The better prepared you are the more confident you’ll be, and the more you’ll enjoy it! Our ‘Challenge App’ will have all the info & details of what to expect on your challenge – and how to prepare for it – and we have optional training walks, training weekends , and a place on one of our UK Ultra Challenge events to get out on the tails and test your fitness, kit, & equipment.

Itinerary & Route

Please note that because some details of the itinerary may change, you will be provided with a detailed itinerary once you are signed up to the challenge.

We fly to Quito, Ecuador and enjoy a meal in our favourite restaurant that evening before we settle in for a good sleep. On day 2 we take things easy to acclimatise to the rarefied atmosphere and to recover from the long journey. We explore Quito’s famous Colonial Quarter, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with churches, lively plazas and museums. During the tour you will learn a lot about the turbulent history of the city. After lunch we will drive to the town of Chugchilan (3hr30), located in the area of our next destination: The Quilotoa Lagoon.

Meals: D on Day 1, BLD on Day 2  Accom: Hotel both days

Our Ecuador Volcano Trek begins, and it’s one of the most scenic. Quilotoa is a volcanic crater filled with crystal clear blue water, which is growing in popularity, and is therefore a must go on your journey through Ecuador. The drive to the Laguna Quilotoa offers a fantastic view of the Andes and leads past the old Toachi gorge. You will also have the opportunity to visit an indigenous home and interact with the local population. Once in Quilotoa, we have a fantastic view of the famous Quilotoa Lagoon – an emerald crater lake of a volcano at an altitude of 3,800m. 

Meals: BLD Accom: Hotel

The extinct volcano Pasochoa (4,199m) is one of the best places to see the famous Andean condor. The climb offers an excellent view of the mighty Cotopaxi and the surrounding volcanoes. You can also see the last remnants of the primary Andean forest in the crater. The hike takes about 3 – 5 hours to reach a height of 4,199m and to return. It is important that we gradually gain altitude over each day, because our bodies take time to adjust to the thinner air of altitude. This is a perfect summit for those who are starting to move at this altitude or those who are embarking on an acclimatization program.

Meals: BLD Accom: Hotel

The Ecuador Volcano Trek begins to get higher today. Rumiñahui is a long-extinct volcano in Cotopaxi National Park, south of Quito. Overall, Rumiñahui has 3 peaks. These are not considered as separate mountains, unlike the Illinizas. This climb is perfect for anyone looking for an exciting tour with breath taking views of the peaks of El Corazón, Illinizas and the majestic Cotopaxi. Our trek
will take around 6hrs reaching a height of 4,720m.

Meals: BLD Accom: Hotel

We transfer to Cotopaxi and make the hike up to the refuge at 4800m high. While we will be acclimatised to this altitude after the previous day on Ruminahui, the steep climb means we will take it easy. From the hut, we take our technical kit to the lower slopes of the glacier, for a day of skills training. We will learn how to traverse the glacier on crampons, move as part of a rope team, and how to “self-arrest” using an ice axe – important skills to learn because soon we will be taking on the glaciated peak of Cayambe summit! But, this is a fun day, where you can learn new skills in a beautiful location.

Meals: BLD Accom: Hotel

The day starts with a hearty breakfast so you can start this climb with strength. Then we head to our starting point “The Virigin” at about 4,000m, a place where locals worship the mountain and earthly goods. For those who are up for it, the climb will take about 4 to 5 hours and the descent will take about 2 hours. During the climb you can enjoy fantastic views of the snow-capped peaks of the area and the beautiful green lagoons. The ascent to the Illinizas North is the perfect preparation for higher peaks such as Cayambe. Get ready for a steep climb through breath taking scenario before you reach the summit after a short climb. Hereby you have cracked the 5,000m mark!

Meals: BLD Accom: Hotel

After a final kit check, we check out of the hotel, and set off for Cayambe City. After arriving, we will have lunch in the city before driving in 4×4 cars to the refuge. Upon arrival into the refuge, there will be a briefing over an early dinner, before we head to bed to get some sleep before starting our summit night climb. Because this is the most challenging part of the Ecuador Volcano Trek, the guides will go through key information for climbing. Expect a technical introduction, safety briefing and first aid instructions. At approximately 23:30, its time to get up, get some snacks and prepare for the ascent.

Meals: BLD Accom: Refuge

We start with a short scramble to reach the edge of the Laguna Verde at 4,700m, before reaching the glacier edge. Here we don crampons & rope up with our team mates for the summit. In the dark, we can see the lights of Cayambe town below us, and a sea of stars above. It’s a steep climb from here to the summit, so we will put everything we learned yesterday to the test. As we approach the summit, the sun will rise, offering up breath taking views of the rolling white slopes below and summit above. After a final push to the summit of Cayambe, we savour the moment, before a 2 hour descent to the hut, where vehicles await to transfer us back to Quito & our celebration
dinner!

Meals: BLD Accom: Hotel

We will transfer to the airport for our flight home to the UK.

Meals: B Accom: Flight

Costs & Fundraising

Check out the full list of our dates & prices and pick your departure. Sign up today from £295 deposit.

Our Brochure

The Challenge brochure details the full itinerary, inclusions, and more – download for a full run down of the challenge details. 

Dates & Prices

GET IN TOUCH

Enquire with us below or if you want to speak to one of the team call on +44 (0)207 609 6695

About You
Trip Enquiry

NEW YEAR DEAL

Kick off 2025 with a new challenge, and save £100 when you sign up using discount code NY100

+ FREE ACTION CHALLENGE FLEECE WORTH £35

+ FREE 2025 UK TRAINING EVENT WORTH £139*

DUO DEAL

Invite a friend to join you, and get £250 off when booking 2 places on any overseas challenge!

Click below to apply for your codes – give us your friend’s email address and you’ll both be sent your discount codes. 

CONDITIONS

–  Deal ends 28th February 2025

– Cannot be combined with any other discount

– Duo deal discount only valid when booking 2 places. Both places must be booked within 7 days of each other.

–  Discounts cannot be applied to existing bookings

– If you cancel your overseas challenge, the value of the fleece and / or Ultra Challenge will be deducted from any refund issued (if you have used the free place).