Pick-up at 08:00 and transfer to Ilinizas Mountain Lodge, our acclimatization base, from where we will depart to different mountains during the program. After a short rest and gear check, we continue to the trailhead of Santa Cruz Hill (3,900 m / 12,795 ft). This mountain is ideal to begin the acclimatization process. After a couple of hours of hiking through Andean páramo with chuquiragua and polylepis trees, we return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight.
Distance: 11 km (round trip)
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 (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
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📧 Email: info@cotopaxi-travel.com
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