Mountain Climbing in the Cotopaxi Region

The trip was great and our guide Jaime was very professional and got us safely to the peak and back again. Really was a great experience. The only thing that could have been better was the information before the trip. With so many platforms to communicate (email, explore-share chatting system, WhatsApp with several different agents) it was hard to keep track of where I should reply and who I should be asking questions. I also missed information on recommendations for acclimatisation before the trip. Luckily we read up on it ourselves and prepared accordingly.

This was wonderful! Jaime did a great job and everything leading up to the trip (communication, etc.) was great. Thank you so much!

Juan Carlos was an excellent guide. In preparing for the hike in the months before he was responsive and he made it easy. I felt very well taken care of during the whole experience. He treated us warmly with care. When it was time to climb he was very experienced in both technique and route. He got me as far as we could go with each mountain. I would gladly have him as a guide again. I would trust him completely. Thank you Juan Carlos for an amazing adventure. Michael Beamer

Fernando was a fantastic guide who got me to the summit despite extremely difficult weather conditions! I would highly recommend him to anyone hoping to climb Ecuador's big peaks.

It was an incredible experience. Jaime is an extremely professional and knowledgeable guide.

Great guide and experience! Highly recommend!

Jaime is experienced guide and went the extra mile to make sure I had all the right equipment to climb.

The trip was simply great in all aspects! I will return for more

Jaime may be one of the most kind and capable human beings we’ve ever met. He let us know exactly what we needed to do to be safe on our summit, while also making it a fun and exciting experience. We were not as fit and experienced as we should have been, and Jaime made sure to not push us past any limits. We had an amazing time (even got engaged at the summit!). Coordination from Elisabeth beforehand was also clear and top-notch. An amazing trip that will forever be in our memories!

Jaime was a fantastic guide and I had for both the Cotopaxi and Chimborazo expeditions. Very knowledgable and you never feel too out of it when you're with him. He was consistent on checking if I was doing okay which I really appreciated. Eliz, who I worked with for coordination, was also great. Super on top of it on making sure things ran smoothly. They both were quick to ensure I had the proper gear to take on these summits too. Highly recommend.

Great trip. Summiting Cotopaxi was intense but gave us the most stunning sunrise I've ever seen in my life. The acclimation program was well thought out and the hikes were beautiful. Our guide was very knowledgeable and organized. I had a wonderful time. Bring heavy sunscreen (at least SPF 50 or better yet, 70). Also, train. I'm relatively fit--I run and climb regularly--but I wish I had done more specific training for this trip.

This was a fantastic trip from beginning to end. Javier, I especially appreciate how well Javier took care of my daughter's (gluten free) dietary restriction, and that he arranged to take my daughter and I for the covid tests required for our return to the U.S. at the end of our trip. The entire team of guides were all knowledgeable, professional, personable and highly attentive to the group's needs. I appreciate how well thought out the itinerary was planned. The daily hikes along the Avenue of the Volcanoes increased in elevation every day in order to acclimate to the higher altitude, giving the best chance of success in reaching the summit of Cotopaxi-the main event-at the end of the week. Cotopaxi is a VERY tough hike, unlike anything that I've ever done before and certainly outside my comfort zone Again, simply a fantastic trip from beginning to end.

Absolutely Incredible trip!! Couldn't recommend enough. Amazing terrains, hikes, food, people and guides! Such good value for money also. Cotopaxi summit day was the most challenging but worth it!

Great trip

It was amazing trip, Jaime is professional climber and the person who safety guide us to the top of Cotopaxi and back.

Edgar was great. I could talk with him over all questions (equipment, acclimatization, ...) before the tour easy via WhatsApp. I always feel good and save with him in the mountains. His motto „lonely summits“ was completely fulfilled.

Fernando was an outstanding guide. We (my 16 yo son and I) spent a week with Fernando and did 3 acclimatization hikes and a successful Cotopaxi climb. All were amazing. On the last two, Illiniza Norte and Cotopaxi, Fernando was very attentive to safety. He also read and understood our strengths and weaknesses after the first few hikes and used that insight to guide us up the mountain. We stayed most nights at Fernando’s hostel, it was very comfortable, a great experience. His family is lovely and the meals were delicious. Was an unforgettable experience and we truly appreciate Fernando, both his guidance and hospitality.

Even though Fernando is a fun and an experienced guide, I can't give him more than two stars. I was quite sick for the first three days so I could not keep up my normal pace. On my first hike I even had really bad balance disorders. This did not bother Fernando at all. Most of the time he was walking very far ahead. While descending he suddenly started walking so fast that I even lost him out of sight. I found him 2km later lying in the grass on his phone. I passed him and he just kept on being on his phone without even bothering about my medical situation. Beside his impatience the second thing is, that Fernando is always on his phone. I felt a lot better on my last day so we went on climbing Cotopaxi. He promised us a glacier school (since I've never used these tools before) but then at the refugee he just said that it's learning by doing. So when I tried to put on the crampons in the middle of the freezing night it of course took me a while. He didn't even bother to help, so my friend had to put on my crampons for me. Instead he just kept on walking. This repeated itself at our descent. I found him 20 minutes later sitting in the hut already. The only reason I decided not to give one star is his lovely wife. She is an excellent cook and kept the house clean and tidy.

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Super fun! Jamie is awesome. The experience was way more than I expected.

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Rafael was an amazing guide with many years of experience. The trip was planned very well from the begging till the end as well as acclimatisation. I get well prepared for high altitude. Highly recommended.

Fantastic people ! They were all friendly, accommodating and knowledgeable . I recommend them without reservation

Jaime was an awesome guide! Everything was taken care of, he was very aware about going at the best pace for me, and did everything possible to ensure a successful and safe summit.

Javier delivered an outstanding expedition from end to end. Everything was seamlessly organised - from transfers between haciendas/campsites to equipment hiring. Pace of the acclimatisation programme was just right, with rest days in between the summit attempts on Pasochoa, Ruminahui and Cotopaxi spent in beautiful accommodation with great food throughout. The other guides Pablo and Marco were exceptional: personable and professional - we felt very safe in their hands.

We summited Cotopaxi with Jamie Vargas as our guide. It was an unbelievable and perfect experience. Jamie was very knowledgeable, skilled, and personable. He shared just enough information with us for each part of the trip for us to be prepared but not too overwhelmed. It was very easy to communicate with our guide and the company before the trip. The food was really nice and the whole experience staying at the refuge and meeting other climbers and guides. We were very confident in Jamie’s skills and ability to keep us safe. His saying “never give up!” was very motivating for our successful summit. The gear was all very nice and up to date, we were given every tool we needed. I felt every emotion during this day from excitement, to fear, to fatigue, to gratitude, I cried very much at the summit because it was so beautiful and it was such a big accomplishment for myself and my husband. Overall this experience was our favorite for our time in Ecuador and even one of my favorites of my whole life! Highly recommend Jamie with Andean summit adventure. Worth every dollar as an investment for an experience of a lifetime!

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End-to-end this was very well organized with good communication. The guide was very knowledgeable and took the climb seriously. He was also easy to talk to, spoke good English and went out of his way to tell me about climbing in the region, the volcanoes and anything else I was I interested in.

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I found it pretty expensive to have a private guide. The climb was only 8 hours in total and costs me €570,-. Well, that’s the only complain i have. The service all over was great. Jaime was not my guide so i can rate him, it was Juan of course. He was an ok guide, sometimes a bit hurry up. And next time it would be good to get some more explanations about the dangers of the glacier. I’ve spoken to some real mountaineers and found out there were far more dangers then i realized when climbing the cotopaxi. Maybe something for you guys to consider next time. Best regards, philippe coopmans

Great experience climbing with Fernando: Well organised and we made the summit with him on Chimborazo. I'd recommend him for guiding in Ecuador.

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Had an amazing time with my guide Ramiro. He selected the perfect mix of mountains in order to properly acclimatize so I could achieve the summit of Cayambe. With his vast experience of more than three decades he was able to teach me a lot of skills and know-how along the way so I’d always feel safe on the mountains. I can only recommend a trip with Ramiro. You’re definitely in good hands and going to make wonderful experiences.

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Amazing experience. Wonderful guide Diego. Can’t wait to get back and summit another volcano.

we had a great time with the guide,  knows his buissnis , he took wonderfull shots from us at tungurahua during the climb. im sure he would have made great pics aswell during the cotopaxi climb,  very experienced guide indeed, and a friendly man with nice girlfriend elisabeth who went with us to tungurahua refugio,   and he can cook

Fernando is an excellent and knowledgeable guide, and the itinerary is a nice balance of climbs and recovery time, including time to explore a couple of cities. He also made sure we were well-equipped for the climbs. The guides are geared more toward getting you up and down than toward building any technique. It's not billed as an instructional course, so that's not a complaint -- just pointing it out for those who like to use one experience to build to another rather than just reach the summit.

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Edgar is an amazing guide. He is incredibly knowledgeable and encouraging. The combination makes you feel confident in the things that he teaches you and in your ability to reach the summit.

Edgar Parra is a great guide: thoroughly professional, safety conscious, always on time and with an engaging personality. He came highly recommended and I can only heap additional praise. He guided my son and I up Cotopaxi to a successful summit and made it a trip of a lifetime. In so far as putting my money where my mouth is, I plan to hire him in the future (2020) with my entire family for a trip to Machu Picchu. No better praise than a repeat customer.

Jaime was absolutely amazing. He always made sure that safety is the priority, even when I was tired and had problems with altitude. I'd climb any mountain with him!

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I did not guide with Fredy, I was passed off to another guide (who was IFMGA certified and great), just fyi, if this is something that is important to you. Accommodations are basic but good. I would add only that Chimborazo is a VERY difficult mountain with a ~10% success rate, so you really need to know what you are getting into. Do NOT rush acclimatization. You may consider doing Cotopaxi and then after choosing either Cayambe (same level as Cotopaxi) or Chimborazo, depending on how you feel.

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All went perfect. Thanks!

Fernando was a wonderful guide. Even though we didn't make it to the top we had a great experience. We plan to return in the future and make it to the top! We hope to have Fernando guide us again.

Fernando is a wonderful guide who understands the Cotopaxi route well. I recommend the climb for anyone looking for a tough mental and physical challenge.

I had an excellent experience with Andean Summit Adventure during my recent climb of Volcano Cotopaxi. Elisabeth did a tremendous job coordinating all of the logistics details for my trip while I was still in the United States. Jaime Vargas, my guide, provided a first-rate, safe, and excellent experience during the climb itself. I was completely happy with the support that Andean Summit Adventure provided me and I highly recommend them as a tour/guide service for outings in South America.

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The trip was amazing ! Raphael was highly knowledgable and I had a great time.

This was a fantastic mountaineering trip to Ecuador. The altitude was a bit of a challenge, but Ramiro did a great job with the acclimatization schedule leading up to the taller mountains. Overall, this was a challenging experience given the altitude of the climbs as well as the back-to-back climbing of four mountains. I would highly recommend this excursion for anyone who wants to experience a fantastic country/culture as well as someone who wants to gain some nice experience mountaineering!

Amazing short but exciting climb to a summit with outstanding views. Perfect acclimatization peak for the bigger Ecuadorian volcanoes, with a cozy hut and a nice approach walk. Fredy was fantastic, thank you so much for this unforgettable experience!

It was a great experience. Everything was very well arranged and taken care of. The guide (Fernando Iza) was extremely professional, safe, and friendly. I was very happy about everything, and would recommend booking with Fernando Iza for any hiking trip on Ecuador.

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