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ECUADOR VOLCANO CHALLENGE
ITINERARY
TREKKING
ALTITUDE
2025 & 2026
Challenge yourself on this 11-day adventure to Ecuador’s “avenue of the volcanoes”, a breathtaking valley running south from Quito , that is home to some of the world’s tallest active volcanoes. You will summit 5 volcanic peaks, including 2 active ones, on this varied and exciting itinerary. Cold weather, steep glacial ascents and the thin air all of high altitude all add to the challenge!
We fly to Quito, Ecuador and enjoy a meal in the evening.
We take this day to acclimatise to the rarefied atmosphere. 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 and get to know the daily life of the “Quiteños”. After lunch we will drive to the town of Chugchilan (3hr30), located in the area of our next destination: The Quilotoa Lagoon.
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 as well as many indigenous communities and agricultural areas. 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. This day we will trek around the crater that takes around 4h.
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 you are prepared for this type of altitude, we recommend that you spend at least one day in 3,000 m for acclimatization. This is a perfect first walk for those who are starting to move at this altitude or those who are embarking on an acclimatization program.
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.
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. This is a fun day, that is essential preparation!
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 Chimborazo or 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!
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. The guides will go through key information for climbing, have a technical introduction, go through safety instructions and first aid instructions. At approximately 23:30, its time to get up, get some snacks and prepare for the ascent.
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, we savour the moment, before a 2 hour descent to the hut, where vehicles await to transfer us back to Quito & our celebration dinner!
We will check out from the hotel and transfer to the airport for the flight home. Depending on departure time, there may be time for some souvenir shopping in local markets.
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