Cotopaxi and Chimborazo Tour

The Cotopaxi-Chimborazo tour includes certified high-altitude guides, private transportation, accommodations, mountain huts, and a plan designed to maximize safety and the chances of reaching the summit. It's an ideal experience for those seeking high-level mountaineering, extreme adventure, and a profound connection with the Ecuadorian Andes.

What is included in the tour?

• Specialized guide certified by the Ministry of Tourism
• Private transportation
• Accommodation in hotels, lodges, and hostels
• Meals (breakfast, lunch/box lunch, dinner)
• Permits and entrance fees to national parks, reserves, museums, and churches.

What is NOT included in the tour?

• Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
• Personal and technical mountain equipment; everything not mentioned is included.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Quito - City - Cable Car - Quito
Quito, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the capital of Ecuador. We will visit its historic center with its numerous churches, such as the Church of the Society of Jesus (La Compañía de Jesús), the Cathedral, and the Presidential Palace.
In the afternoon, we will take the cable car for an extraordinary view of the Ecuadorian capital.

Day 2: Quito - Guagua Pichincha (4790m) - Machachi
We depart early in the morning for an acclimatization hike to the summit of Guagua Pichincha, which presents no technical difficulties. Afterward, we will continue to Aloasi, where we will spend the night in a family-run hostel.

4-5 hours of hiking, 600m elevation gain.

Day 3 - Machachi Corazón (4800m) - Machachi
We depart in our private transport for 30 minutes to the highest point we can reach, then hike to the summit of this beautiful volcano. From here, we can observe the entire Andes mountain range, the Avenue of the Volcanoes.
No technical difficulty, 6-7 hours of hiking, 1000 meters of elevation gain. Overnight at the lodge.

Day 4 - Machachi - Iliniza Norte (5125m) - Machachi
We depart very early in the morning in our private transport to the Virgen sector. We take our backpacks and begin hiking to the refuge for 2-3 hours. After a rest, we continue to the summit for another 2-3 hours, depending on our physical condition.
We will need to use our hands in some sections. 6-7 hours of hiking and 1200 meters of elevation gain.

Day 5 - Machachi - Cotopaxi Refuge (4860m)
With our private transport, we head to the Cotopaxi volcano parking lot, located at 4600m altitude. With all our equipment, we begin the 1-hour hike to the José Ribas Refuge, located at 4860m altitude. In the afternoon, we'll have a short training session to test our equipment on the glacier. Dinner and rest at the Refuge. Elevation gain: 400m.

Day 6 - Refuge - Summit (5897m) - Banos Ecuador
We begin the ascent at 1:00 AM. After 6-7 hours of hiking on the glacier, we'll reach the summit, where we can appreciate its crater and the entire Andes mountain range. Weather permitting, the descent to the refuge will take 2-3 hours. We'll have to cross crevasses and slopes of up to 40 degrees; with good acclimatization and physical condition, this shouldn't be a problem. It's excellent training for the next summit.

1100 meters of elevation gain and 1350 meters of elevation loss. Back at the refuge, we prepare our gear and head to the car to drive to Baños for a relaxing soak in its hot springs. Dinner and rest at the hotel.

Day 7 - Banos of Agua Santa
Baños is known for adventure sports such as rafting, paragliding, biking, zip-lining, etc.
This is a rest day to enjoy the waterfalls or try some extreme sports. If the weather doesn't allow for climbing Cotopaxi, this day is a reserve for a final attempt.

Day 8 - Banos of Agua Santa - Chimborazo Whymper Refuge (5000m)
We hike leisurely for 2 hours to the first refuge on the Chimborazo trail at 4800m. Here we prepare our equipment and continue to the Whymper Refuge at 5000m. Dinner and rest.
Elevation gain: 200 meters. 1 hour hike.

Day 9 - Summit of Chimborazo (6310m) - Banos Ecuador
We depart at midnight for the highest peak in our country and the one farthest from the Earth's center. The ascent is more technical and physically demanding than Cotopaxi, requiring 8 to 12 hours of hiking. Back at the refuge, we continued in our car towards Baños to rest.

Day 10: Baños de Agua Santa – Quito
This day is also a backup in case the weather doesn't allow us to climb to the summit of Chimborazo. Free morning in Baños, and in the afternoon we returned to Quito.