Ascent to Carihuairazo Volcano- 4-day trek
Fernando, an ASEGUIM certified mountain guide, leads you to the summit of Carihuairazo (5116 m), an Andes volcano near Chimborazo and the Abraspungo Valley.
Details
Trip Duration
4 days
Mountain Range
Andes
People per Guide
Trip Level
Sustained
Offer Period
Jan, Jun, Jul, Dec
Type of Trip
Not specified
Highlights
Price includes
- Guiding fee
- Accommodation
- Transportation from your hotel/airport (if in area) to the start of the trip and back
- Transport during the trip
- Luggage transfer during the trip
- Permit and entrance fees
- Group porters (transport of tents, cooking equipment, etc. for the group)
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Itinerary
- Day 1: Quito to Hacienda Posada la Estación
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.
- Day 2: Hacienda Posada La Estación to Plazapamba
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.
- Day 3: Plazapamba to Laguna Negra
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.
- Day 4: Climp up Carihuairazo, head back to Quito
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.
Other details
Quito
At Hacienda Posada de la Estación (first night)- guest house or tents
Other nights- tents
The following equipment is highly recommended:
Warm and waterproof clothing, hiking boots, a daypack, a backpack for your personal belongings (which will be carried by the horses), a flashlight/headlamp, a sunhat, sunscreen, a change of clothing, hiking poles, and a sleeping bag.
About the Guide
ASEGUIM Guide from Ecuador.
I was born and raised in Cotopaxi Province – Ecuador and know the country’s peaks intimately. I have a great mountaineering experience of more than 12 years of climbing in all Ecuador, and I also climbed in South America, Switzerland and France.
I worked for the Nuevos Horizontes refuge on Ilinizas Volcano from a young age and have a professional Guide Training, and I am officially Licensed as Natural guide organized by Ministry of tourism.
Some of the guiding courses I attended are:
* Mountain Guides Course by ASEGUIM (Ecuadorian Association of Mountain Guides),
* Mountain Guides Evaluation by ENSA (Ecole Nationale de Ski et d'Alpinisme) in October 2006. An event organized by the Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador and ENSA of France
* Pre-Course UIAGM an event organized by ASEGUIM and ENSA (Ecole Nationale de Ski et d'Alpinisme)
* First Aids course, Ecuadorian Red Cross
I live and manage a hostal and lodge in El Chaupi, a beautiful mountain village an hour south from Quito, just in between Illinizas Ecological Reserve and Cotopaxi National Park. It looks like a typical swiss town in the Alps, and has everything to become a great mountaineering center, the ‘Chamonix or Zermatt of South America’!
I speak fluent Spanish, English, and little German, French, Hebrew and kichua.
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