Pre-expedition experience:

This trek is suitable for those who have previous trekking experience. Specialist tuition will be given early on to cover ice axe and crampon skills. This expedition is an excellent opportunity for those with limited mountaineering experience to achieve a significant peak, and an ideal stepping stone for Himalayan climbs.

Leadership:

An RJ7 accredited expedition leader will accompany you for the duration of the trip. Our leaders have been chosen not only on the merits of their technical ability or qualifications, but also on their leadership skills and temperament. We will provide a leader who will make the trek both successful and enjoyable throughout. Their primary objective will be to maximise every participant’s chances of completing the trek, and to manage a team of individuals with a broad spectrum of experience and expectations. Our leaders hold current mountain first aid certificates and have experience of dealing with altitude related illness. They are well versed with wilderness medicine and emergency care.

Itinerary:

Day 1:
Quito arrival in the morning. Transfer to Hotel - Quito City tour

You will be picked up at the airport by your driver & guide, and driven to your hotel. After a short briefing you can enjoy an afternoon city tour through Colonial Quito taking in the most important and famous sights. You will visit the Plaza de Independencia overlooked by the Parliament Building, scene of many revolutions in Ecuador’s brief but dramatic history. Included in the itinerary is a visit to the Compañia and San Francisco churches with their impressive façades and gilt interiors that have changed little since the days of the Spanish. The tour is completed with a drive up to the Panecillo hill where you can enjoy a spectacular panoramic view of Quito and the surrounding mountains. Overnight hotel.

Day 2:
Cochasqui Pyramids – Mojanda

North of Quito lay the ruins of Cochasquí, this is an archaeological site with burial mounds and pyramids which belonged to Quito’s first inhabitants. The pyramids were made of local volcanic material called cangahua. After this visit you can take a 4 hour walk to the beautiful Mojanda Lakes. Mojanda is a complex of three lakes Caricocha (“Male or Big Lake”), Huarmicocha (Female Lake or Small Lake) and Yanacocha (“Black Lake”). The three of them are connected by different paramo paths and defended by two mountains; the Fuya-Fuya to the East and the Yanahurco or Black Mountain to the west. Everything is around 3,700 meters above sea level.

Day 3:
Otavalo market, Guachala’s Equator monument, Cayambe

Otavalo is home of the hard-working and enterprising Otavalo Indians. Here you will be able to visit the famous outdoor markets where ponchos, embroidered blouses, ceramics, wall hangings, leather crafts and locally produced jewellery are sold. With all its patchwork colours, you will be impressed by the handicraft available on the market, as well as the cultural experience it presents. You will also be able to visit the surrounding towns. Lunch on route. Your journey continues and will allow you to reach the Cayambe refuge where you will spend the night, but before you will have a little stop at the Equatorial monument.

Day 4:

Today you is an acclimatization day with snow and ice practice during the afternoon; followed by an early night in preparation for the climb. Overnight at the refuge.

Day 5:
Cayambe climb

Cayambe is a massive glaciated extinct volcano located 65km northeast of Quito. It is both Ecuador’s third highest peak and the third highest peak in the America’s north of the Equator. It also has the distinction of being the highest point on the Earth’s surface through which the Equator directly passes. After your climb, you will drive to Papallacta hot springs, where you can enjoy a well deserved rest. Overnight Termas de Papallacta. 

Day 6:
Free day at Termas de Papallacta

Termas is located at Papallacta, a small village located 3,200m above sea level. The thermal springs (38o C/100o F) are nestled in the flanks of the surrounding mountains, and will offer you a relaxing day in the hot baths that are rumoured to have medicinal properties and are certainly most invigorating. Overnight Termas de Papallacta.

Day 7:
Los Ilinizas (4,650m)

Early in the morning you will drive along the Avenida de los Volcanes to reach the Ilinizas mountain (5,126m). After a short drive you will arrive at el Chaupi, from where you will walk  for approximately 2 hours to get the camp at 3,860m at the base of the Iliniza. Camp.

Day 8:
Iliniza Norte (5,126m) / Cotopaxi National Park

Leaving around midnight, you will walk for around 4.5 to 5.5 hours to the Iliniza. The first half of the route is on loose and steep scree. After the hut it gets steeper and narrower but is not technically difficult. You will be walking on the ridge, which although it rarely has snow, (maybe 5 days a year) if this happens crampons and axe are needed. After the ridge (5,100m) you walk along the mountain to its end and then summit via a rocky gully to stand on the main summit peak. Descent and drive to Cotopaxi National Park, overnight at Tambopaxi Lodge.

Day 9:
Manatial / Pucara Soft Trek

Today you will have the option of a gentle hike to the pre-Incan archaeological site Pucara and also an easy trek around El Manantial. Afternoon at leisure. Overnight at the Tambopaxi lodge.

Day 10:
Cotopaxi Refuge – Ice practice

Your support vehicles will drive you for approximately 45 minutes to the Cotopaxi refuge Jose Rivas hut at 4.800m. After lunch you will have the chance for some ice climbing practice in the afternoon. You will have an early dinner and early to bed at around 7pm, in preparation for the big day tomorrow.

Day 11:
Cotopaxi Climb – Quito

You will leave the refuge at around midnight for Cotopaxi summit, and climb up until you reach the glacier. As the sun rises, the darkness of the glacier turns into incredible gold, blues and greens. Shortly after daybreak you will reach the summit. If the weather is clear you will see the fantastic 800m/2,625 ft wide crater and the majestic snow covered peaks of Ecuador. The descent will take around 3 to 4 hours. After lunch you will descend to the vehicle which will take you to Quito.

Day 12:
Airport Transfer

Transfer to the airport for international flight home.