Ascent to Carihuairazo Volcano- 4-day trek

We will leave Quito heading south on the highway also known as “the avenue of the volcanoes.” If we’re lucky and have a clear skies you will be able to see the mountains of Pichincha, Pasochoa, Corazón, Illinizas, Rumiñahui, and Cotopaxi. We will pass through the cities of Latacunga and Ambato until we reach Urbina. From Urbina we will head towards the mountains to an ancient train station called “La Posada” at 3690 m, near Chimborazo. In the afternoon we will take a walk to acclimatize. We will spend the night either in the guesthouse of the station or in tents.

After waking up and eating breakfast, we will start walking towards Abraspungo Valley. We will walk though the highland ecosystem for 5-6 hours until we reach our next campsite in Plazapampa. Once there, our natural guide will teach you about the biodiversity in the region. If the climatic conditions allow, there will be plenty of opportunities to take photos of the surrounding volcanoes and wildlife. We will sleep at the campsite that night.

On the third day we will continue hiking in the Apraspungo Valley, ascending until we reach the ridge that separates Chimborazo and Carihuairazo. Our campsite for the evening will be next to the Black Lake. From here we will be able to see herds of vikuñas, llamas, and alpacas. We will eat dinner and go to sleep.

After an early breakfast we will hike for 2 hours to the base camp of Carihuairazo. At base camp we will outfit ourselves with mountaineering equipment. After about 2 hours we will arrive at the summit of Carihuairazo at 5100 m. We will have lunch at the summit and descend towards the west. After a descent of about 4 hours, we will arrive at Rio Blanco where the carriers will be waiting to take us back to Quito. We will arrive in Quito about 4 hours later and take you back to your hotel.