| HIGHLIGHTS |
• Hike from the base
of Cotopaxi to the summit.
• Gradual acclimatisation
process.
• Exclusive route to
approach Cotopaxi National Park.
• Get to see the rural
life of Ecuador during the hike.
• Stay at Hacienda El
Porvenir and Tambopaxi lodge.
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COMPLIMENTARY
EXTENSIONS |
Galapagos
Islands
A naturalist's paradise!
These are the legendary islands that inspired the father
of the theory of "The Evolution of the Species",
Charles Darwin.
There is few places on Earth as overwhelming and powerful
for the profound experience of interacting with wildlife
and nature as you will do here!
If you are in Ecuador, visiting Galapagos is a must.
Amazon Jungle
As unique as the jungles are,
the Amazon is the single most important forest in our
planet. Not only it has the largest concentration of
species ever imagined, but it holds the secrets of a
world so mysterious and rich, that we are still at the
brink of revealing a small part of it.
Bellavista
Cloud Forest Reserve
Less than two hours away from
Quito lies one the 25 "biodiversity hot spots"
in the World. It is the Tumbes-Choco-Magdalena Hot Spot
which runs from northern Peru, Ecuador, Colombia and
southern Panama.
Located
on the edge of this area is the Bellavista Cloud Forest
Reserve, a 700 hectare private reserve that holds 10
km of paths to explore. Home to hundreds of species
of wildlife and flora it is a distinct vision of a tropical
rainforest.
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| OTHER
CLIMBING EXPEDITIONS |
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Cotopaxi
is considered without a doubt one of the
most beautiful peaks in the world.
It is the most popular
mountain of Ecuador and due to the fact
it has the highest number of clear days
in our country, it is perhaps the most frequently
climbed in all the Andes.
Often people drive into the park, climb
the mountain and leave again. But Cotopaxi
and its surrounding areas offer much more.
The National Park has several other smaller
volcanoes and peaks that are wonderful to
climb, and at the same time offer great
acclimatisation opportunities.
SO WE WOULD
LIKE TO OFFER YOU COTOPAXI IN A DIFFERENT
WAY…
Instead of the normal
driving in and out, you will be hiking.
It will give you a fantastic chance to enjoy
and experience intensively the beautiful
landscape around the mountain.
After a four day hike in which we climb
Pasochoa 4.200 m /13,776 ft, we get into
Cotopaxi National Park. Once within the
park we hike up to the central summit of
Rumiñahui at 4.600 m / 15,088 ft,
then have a rest day and later continue
towards the Jose Rivas Refuge at 4.800 m
/ 15,744 ft. This itinerary has proved to
be very effective for acclimatisation.
It provides the best chance to summit Cotopaxi
in a short period whilst minimising the
amount of driving.
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Day
1
Hike to Hacienda Santa Rita.
After a short drive of only one hour, we start hiking
from the village of Santa Clara located in the Valley
of Los Chillos at 2.750 m / 9,020 ft. The trek follows
cobble stone roads on the side of the Pita River,
which comes from Cotopaxi National Park.
Close to the Hacienda Santa Rita we pass in front
of a Shrine, where locals come to worship the "Virgen
de la Piedra", the Virgin of the Rock.
Today’s hike will take around 5 hours. When
you get to the Hacienda the camp will already be
set up. You will spend your first night at an altitude
of 3.280 m / 10,758 ft. |
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Day
2
Hike to Pasochoa 4.200
m / 13,776 ft.
Today we leave in the morning around 8 a.m.
for a 6 hours hike to the Pasochoa volcano.
We will be crossing the fields of Hacienda
Santa Rita.
Pasachoa is an ancient and heavily eroded
volcano that has been inactive since the last
ice age. If the weather permits, from the
summit, we will be able to take a good look
at the crater. Inside you will see the Pasochoa
Protected Forest Reserve, a humid Andean Forest
with more than 110 species of birds and 45
species of trees, located between 2.700 m
/ 8,856 ft and 4.200 m / 13,776 ft. On a sunny
day you can normally see condors. We return
to Santa Rita camp site for the night. |
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Day
3
Hike to Hacienda El Porvenir
3.600 m / 11,808 ft.
Today we hike towards the hacienda El Porvenir.
Part of the hike goes through humid Andean Forest
where there is a chance to see hummingbirds.
El Porvenir is one of the largest farms in Ecuador.
It can be used as a base for excellent hikes within
the Cotopaxi Park. Located at 3.600 m / 11,808 ft,
El Porvenir is surrounded by four volcanoes: Cotopaxi,
Sincholahua, Pasachoa and Rumiñahui. Here
you will be able to enjoy your stay in a comfortable,
functional and beautiful traditional Andean hacienda.
The "casa de hacienda", or farmhouse,
is built with materials such as brick, straw, wood
and adobe that have been used for centuries.
Day 4
Central Summit of Rumiñahui
4.600 m / 15,088 ft.
From Hacienda El Porvenir we start hiking towards
the central ridge of Rumiñahui, leading
to the middle summit. The rock on this mountain
can be a bit loose underfoot, so we have to take
care, but the views from the summit are really
worth it. The volcano is located only 13 km North
West of Cotopaxi and it is named after Atahualpa’s
general, who was the last Inca Emperor. After
the emperor was murdered, Rumiñahui led
the fight against the Spanish conquerors. In Quichua
his name means "stone face". We spend
the night at Tambopaxi.
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Day
5
Rest day at Tambopaxi
3.750 m / 12,300 ft. www.tambopaxi.com
Tambopaxi is a beautiful new hostel, located
inside the Cotopaxi National Park. It is
a great place to rest and acclimatise at
the same time! It has excellent facilities
such as good and clean showers, including
the luxury of warm water, and the food is
marvellous.
Day
6
Cotopaxi refuge.
From Tambopaxi we drive the short distance
to the car parking at 4.600 m / 15,088 ft
in only 45 minutes. From here we hike for
another 45 minutes to the Jose Rivas refuge
at 4.800 m / 15,750 ft. After lunch, we
provide a good glacier skill review. Also
we will brief you about all the technical
aspects of the ascent. After a couple of
hours we return to the refuge for a hearty
hot meal. |
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Day
7
Cotopaxi summit 5.897
m / 19,300 ft. Return to Quito.
We leave the refuge around 1 a.m. for a six
hours climb. From the hut we ascend moderate
glacier slopes to the summit. Along the way
however, complex crevasse patterns and snow
bridge crossings over crevasses will make
the climb very interesting. After passing
through a heavily crevassed area, we reach
the final summit slope. Here a challenging
section of 35-40 degree snow leads to the
abrupt finish of the climb on the crater rim
of the World's highest active volcano.
At the top of Cotopaxi you can look inside
the crater and see its sulphur fumaroles.
The crater rim measures approximately 800
m / 2,600 ft in diameter. The view from the
summit is indeed one of the most spectacular
in Ecuador. |
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| Technically
the normal route is not difficult, but special care
has to be given to potential hidden crevasses. The
descent usually takes around two hours. |
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| Important
Note: Please note that this itinerary is
a guide line only. We will do every effort to follow
it, but in case of unforeseen circumstances we may
have to make changes. |
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2
pax $ 1100 per person
3 pax $ 1000 per person
4 + $ 950 per person
What
the price includes
• All transport by private
vehicles during the program
when needed.
• All the food once out
of Quito.
• Accommodation in haciendas
and huts.
• Camping gear.
• Permits and park fees.
• One bilingual qualified
mountain guide per every two
climbers on Cotopaxi.
• Climbing gear: boots
(up to 46 EU / 11 1/2 US), crampons,
harness, ice axe and group gear
such as ropes.
The
Price does not include
• International flights.
• Travel insurance.
• Accomodation and meals
while in Quito.
• Alcoholic drinks.
• Extras, laundry, tips.
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| Duration
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7
days |
| Access |
Drive
in and drive out |
| Seasons
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All
year round |
| Pre-requisites |
Backpaking
experience |
| Equipment |
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| Accommodation |
Hostels
and mountain refuges |
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| Pasochoa
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Easy |
| Rumiñahui |
Moderate |
| Cotopaxi |
Intermediate |
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