Experience the ultimate Ecuadorian mountain climbing journey with this 6-day tour, designed to take you through the breathtaking Avenue of the Volcanoes. Acclimatize with scenic hikes up Pasochoa, El Corazón, and Iliniza Norte before enjoying a day of relaxation at the stunning Quilotoa Lagoon. The adventure culminates with a two-day ascent of Cotopaxi, one of the world’s most beautiful and active volcanoes. Though not highly technical, the climb requires crampons, ice axes, and ropes. Departing at midnight from the refuge, you’ll reach the summit just in time to witness a spectacular sunrise over the Andes.
We will pick you up at 8:00 am. Then we will drive for two hours to get to Pasochoa parking lot. We will then hike through a large forest and when we are in the middle of it, the 4230-meter summit will appear. There is a steep slope on the ascent, but once there we will have beautiful views. We will drive to El Chaupi village. Overnight in Ilinizas Mountain Lodge.
Distance: 11 km (round trip)
From El Chaupi village, we will start early in the morning after breakfast at 7:00 am. We will drive up to the trailhead (13,120ft/4.000m), where we start our hike. The first part of the hike takes us up through the small Andean grass. Then we will get on the sandy and scramble section, which leads to Corazón summit. The hike is about 6 hours long. Return to the hostel.
Distance: 8 y 15 km (round Trip)
Breakfast provided at the lodge before the hike.
Breakfast provided at the lodge before the hike.
Dinner provided at the lodge.
We start early in the morning after breakfast at 7:30 am. We will drive up to the “La Virgen parking lot” (12,795ft/3.900m). From there, we will start a 3-hour hike up to the “Nuevos Horizontes Refuge” (15,580ft/4.750m). After resting, we will continue towards the saddle formed between both peaks and then head up to Illiniza North summit. It will take us 2 to 3 hours to reach the summit. The way back to the parking lot takes around 2 hours. Drive back to El Chaupi.
Distance: 10 Km
We’ll leave from El Chaupi in the morning and drive to Quilotoa Lagoon. During the tour, we will stop at an Indian hut and visit the Tigua community to observe their leather crafts. The tour will take about 4 hours, then we’ll arrive at the viewpoint to admire the crater and lagoon. We will descend along a varying road for about an hour to the bottom of the lagoon, where we can take photos and rest. After lunch, we’ll return to El Chaupi after a 3-hour drive.
Distance: 108 km (round trip)
From El Chaupi, we will drive south through the Avenue of the Volcanoes until reaching the Cotopaxi National Park entrance. From there, we’ll drive east to the Cotopaxi parking lot (4,500m/14,763 ft), then hike for about an hour to the Jose Ribas Refuge. We will have dinner and rest until midnight before making our final ascent.
Distance: 1.5 km (from parking lot to refuge).
Cotopaxi Refuge (Jose Rivas)
Midnight will be our wake-up time, and departure to the top will be around 01:00 am after a light breakfast. The climb will take about 6 to 8 hours. Once at the summit, we’ll take time to take pictures of the crater and surroundings. Then we’ll descend back to the refuge, waking about 2 to 3 hours. After packing our belongings and eating, we’ll head down to the parking lot, where transportation will be ready to take us to Quito.
Distance: Climb 10 k (round trip).
Ecuadorian qualified and experienced local Mountain Guide (ASEGUIM/UIAGM) ratio 2 climbers -1 guide)
Registration in the System SIB (System Information of Biodiversity)
Technical mountain equipment (Mountaineering Boots, crampons, iceaxe,harness, helmet)
Land transportation and transfers to National Parks
4 nights in Ilinizas Mountain Lodge
1 night in Cotopaxi Refuge
All meals during the hikes and climbs (shown above with B: Breakfast, BL: Box lunch and D: Dinner)
Personal mountain gear (warm cloths, sleeping bags, sunglasses, head lamp,etc)
International flight tickets
Hotel in Quito
Tips
Insurance of any kind Travel accident and health insurance
Luggage insurance and trip cancellation
Other non-specified expenses
We're here to help you plan the perfect adventure! For any inquiries or assistance, feel free to reach out:
📱 Phone or WhatsApp: +593 981333483
📧 Email: info@cotopaxi-travel.com
Our team is available 24/7 to assist with bookings, itinerary changes, and any questions you may have. Let us help you make your dream trip a reality!
