Cayambe plus 4 more summits 11 day guided climb
Pasochoa, Corazon, Illiniza Norte, Cayambe and Chimborazo summits. A top five of the best volcanoes of all Ecuadorian Range joined in a 11-day climb and snow experience.
Andes
11 Days
Jan - Mar, Dec
Very high
Intermediate
Description
Ecuador and its famous Avenue of The Volcanoes are one of the best places of the world for those who love mountaineering activities, variety of landscapes and challenging surfaces. This time we invite you to a very exciting hiking and ice climbing adventure across the green lands, the secret paths and the snow-covered peaks located along the Ecuador Line.
These 11 days will be very intensive because we will climb up to five different volcanoes. Our base will be El Chaupi, a small town at 3.300 meters, where we will go back after each summit hike in order to rest for the following ascent.
Here you have a estimated itinerary of the trip:
DAY 1: ARRIVAL TO QUITO
You will be taken from Quito airport to the accommodation where we will meet each other and get ready for the following day.
DAY 2: FIRST SUMMIT, PASOCHOA
We will drive 2 hours to get to Pasochoa. We will hike across a big forest and when we are in the middle of it, a 4230-meter summit will appear. It will have steep slopes during the ascent, but once in there we will have the most privileged viewpoint of all. Then, we will return to El Chaupi.
DAY 3: CORAZON SUMMIT
During the way up to Corazon summit, we will enjoy green lands and fantastic landscapes. But after an hour of the start we will find that the surface turns into a harder one. The ascent to Corazon 4.786-summit will take us about 8 hours. Once in there we hike down to El Chaupi again.
DAY 4: ACCLIMATIZATION IN NUEVOS HORIZONTES REFUGE
Nuevos Horizontes is a hut located at 4.750 meters of altitude, between two peaks called Illinizas. The climb up to there will help our body to acclimatise before our third high top: Illiniza Norte.
DAY 5: ILLINIZA NORTE SUMMIT
The ascent to Illiniza North top will be unbelievable. On the way we can admire green landscapes and scrambled paths. The climb will take us about 8 hours but once in the summit, you won’t want to go down. Our fifth day finishes when we get to El Chaupi after 3 hours of hiking.
DAY 6: OLEAS RUALES REFUGE
We will hike from El Chaupi to Oleas Ruales Refuge at 4.600 meters in order to rest there and have some preparation for the following summit day towards Cayambe Volcano.
DAY 7: CLIMBING TO CAYAMBE SUMMIT AT 5.790M
The climb up to Cayambe is amazing. During its 8-hour hike you will enjoy such versatile surroundings. Getting to the summit means we will be at 5.790 meters of high! After taking some pictures and admiring the viewpoint, we go down our base in El Chaupi.
DAY 8: REST DAY IN QUILOTOA SHALALA LAGOON
We will spend our deserved resting day in the marvellous lagoon of Quilota Shalala before returning to El Chaupi to sleep and get ready for the last part of this intensive trip.
DAY 9: ACCLIMATIZATION DAY IN WHYMPER REFUGE
Leaving El Chaupi early in the morning we will head to a hut called Whymper at 5.000 meters, the previous stop before our last summit.
DAY 10: CHIMBORAZO, THE FIFTH SUMMIT!
Chimborazo is considered the closest place to the sun because it is located just in the line of Ecuador, where the earth is wider, at 6.310 meters. After a hard climb we will get to the summit and celebrate we could visit the best five volcanoes of all Ecuador together!
DAY 11: FINAL POINT
Once in Quito again, you are free to go home o keep visiting the amazing country of Ecuador.
You can’t tell me this adventure is not a temptation for those who like mountain challenges. I am sure you are one of them! I will be waiting for your contact to organize your trip across these five volcanoes.
Extra details
GROUP SIZE
No more than 2 people per guide
THE PRICE DOES NOT INCLUDE
-Personal belongings for the expedition – Fights – Hotel lunches and dinners – Medical or travel policy
Price includes
- Accommodation included
- Guiding fee
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Transportation start and back
- Transport during the trip
- Permit and entrance fees
FAQs
What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?
About the guide
Fernando
4.70
(22)
Mountain Leader
ASEGUIM Guide from Ecuador
Fernando Iza was born and raised in the Cotopaxi Province of Ecuador and knows the country’s peaks intimately. He is an official ASEGUIM mountain guide with more than 18 years of mountaineering experience climbing in all of Ecuador, as well as in South America, Switzerland, France, and the United States.
Fernando has worked for mountaineering companies in Ecuador, Europe and the United States from a young age. Now, he has set up his own basecamp at Ilinizas Mountain Lodge, right next to Iliniza Volcano, Rumiñahui Volcano, and the famous Cotopaxi Volcano. He has summited Cotopaxi more than 637 times and has summitted Chimborazo Volcano close to 200 times.
Fernando got his degree in Tourism Technology at Cenestur Institute, and in 2021 started studying Business administration with Cuosera.
He has completed important courses such as:
- 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. This event was 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)
- Wilderness first aid courses
- Ecuadorian Red Cross courses
- He speaks fluent Spanish and English, as well as a little German, French, Hebrew and Kichua
The most spectacular guided tours that Fernando has done.
- Antisana South Peak Open new rout
- Alpamayo
- Matterhorn
- Denali
Languages
German | French | English
Certificates
ASEGUIM
What people are saying about Fernando
Jana
2.00
There were no briefings about the upcoming itineraries, I’d mostly find along the way, what’s the plan. He would make changes to his moods. He didn’t inform me in adavance about the specifics of each refugio/ lodge/ camp concerning the distance from car, electricity and would make fun/made snide comments “your choice” of the things I packed at the aftermath, but offered no guidance. I have read from others that he is very knowledgeable and explained a lot- that hasn’t been my experience, he surely is an apt mountaineer, but he wasn’t actively explaining or showing things, he was just always on his cellphone. He could be very short, abrasive and inpatient. At one time even another climber intervened “to save me”
Sebastien
5.00
Our guide Fernando was great to adapt the trip for our two little girls. A great experience it was fir us all. Thank you.
frederic
5.00
Fernando and Sergio are very good guides, not only very safe and motivating in the mountains, but very nice between the climbs. And i have learned a lot too about the culture in the country. Their hotel near Illniza is perfectly located, safe and you are received as if your were at home with Fernando's family. And they will take care of everything, so you just have to concentrate yourself on the climbs. Thank you!
Daniel
5.00
Thank you for putting this trip together for me at the last minute after my group canceled on me. Fernando was a great guide who knows the route up Cotopaxi very well. The meals and lodging were also great and well worth the price, in my opinion.
Lauren
5.00
Great experience. We did Rumiñawi, corázon, and Illiniza Norte as acclimatization hikes. All of them were beautiful. We attempted Cotopaxi but had a snow storm and heavy winds during the night of the summit and we were forced to turn around. The 3 initial climbs prepared us well for Cotopaxi and the altitude. There were some technical scrambling portions on corazon and Illiniza which were very cool. Overall would highly recommend!
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