Chimborazo Fauna Reserve guided trekking tour

Join Pablo, an IFMGA guide, and explore the Chimborazo Fauna Reserve in this 3 or 5-day trek. You will be able to discover amazing fauna and flora!

Pablo Puruncajas

Details

Trip Duration

5 days

Mountain Range

Andes

People per Guide

4 people

Trip Level

Intermediate

Offer Period

Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec

Type of Trip

Not specified

Highlights

I invite you to a great 3 or 5 day trek in the Chimborazo Fauna Reserve! We will hike the flanks of the majestic Chimborazo (6310 m), the highest peak in Ecuador. Also, we will enjoy the view of amazing native fauna and flora, with views of multicolored patchwork fields.

The Chimborazo Fauna Reserve (Reserva de Produccion Faunística Chimborazo, in Spanish) is famous for its herds of wild native camelids: the vicuña and guanaco. And we will see them in their native environment! Also, we will observe llamas and alpacas.

The sight of Chimborazo is among the most stunning in all of the Andes! The high altitude peak of Carihuairazo (5020 m) also lies within the Reserve.

This Reserve was also established to protect the unique páramo grasslands, mixed with peat swamps and glacial lakes.

Rabbits, deers, wolves and a great variety of birds also live here, the majestic Andean Condor included! Besides, the Reserve has a great biodiversity of unique plants!

Also, we will find small forest trees like the ancient Polylepis, also called paper tree. It only grows in protected and quite inaccessible areas. So, they receive a lot of pressures because of their value for firewood and construction.

Contact me if you are interested in this Chimborazo Fauna Reserve trek! I will answer any questions you may have. And we will plan an amazing trip! You can check the full itinerary below this text. Also, you can join me in my Carihuairazo 2-day guided climb! Check it out!

Price includes

Guiding fee

Cancellation Policy

Itinerary

Day 1: Cuatro Esquinas - Llama Pungo
We will drive to the trailhead in Cuatro Esquinas (3.300m). Then we will start our 3 to 4 hour hike to Llama Pungo (4.000 m), on the old “Pan-American” route. I will guide you along an ancient stone highway that passes through tiny villages. They are located on the lower slopes of the southeastern side of Chimborazo. Then, as we hike up higher, we will enter landscapes of farms, full of cattle and sheep grazing in the sloped pastures. Finally, the road will turn into a small path which winds up alpine meadows dotted with glacial creeks and flocks of wild vicuñas and domesticated alpacas.
*Optional: guests who do not wish to camp can arrange accommodation in La Estacion Urbina.

Day 2: Llama Pungo - Alto Urbina
Today, after breakfast, we will hike 5 to 6 hours east, towards our second camp at Alto Urbina (4.219 m).
*Optional: guests who do not want to camp can spend the night in the mountain hut Portal Andino.

Day 3: Alto Urbina-Abraspungo Pass-Mechahuasca
Early this morning, we will begin our hike to the Rio Mocha valley. We will circle around Chimborazo Peak directly across from Carihuairazo. Then, as we ascend into the hillside, we will find amazing views of the surrounding mountains. The highest point on today’s hike is at Abraspungo Pass at 4400 metres high. We will stop here to rest and enjoy the views of the surrounding snow-covered peaks. Then I will guide you on our descent to Mechahuasca (4265 m) on the north face of Chimborazo.

Day 4: Mechahuasca-Carrel Refuge
Today is the longest hike of the trek. We will hike up for 5 to 6 hours to Carrel Refuge (4.800 m), on the west face of Chimborazo.

Day 5: Carrel Refuge-Whymper-La Chorrera-Riobamba
On our final day. we will hike for 45 minutes to the Whymper Refuge (5000 m). Then, we will go for a short 2 hour hike along the original Whymper’s Route to the Chamonix Needles (5240 m). This is a spectacular panoramic point in the midst of the glaciated peak of the Chimborazo massif. Then we will start our way down to the Carrel Refuge. As we go down, we will enjoy some of the best views of Chimborazo on our trek! The stunning summit and cascading glaciers of the impressive massif will give us one last spectacular view before we end our trek. Once at the Carrel Refuge, we will descend 3 to 4 hours to La Chorrera (3900 m) where we will meet our ride to Riobamba. The rest of the day is yours to relax and explore the city.
*Optional: guests who do not want to hike down may be transported to Riobamba in a vehicle.

Other details

Accommodation

Camping and Carrel Refuge

You will also have the option of spending 1 night at La Estacion Urbina and 1 night at Portal Andino mountain hut.

More info

Contact me for information about the price and equipment.

About the Guide

Pablo Puruncajas

Mountain Guide

UIAGM/IFMGA Mountain Guide from Ecuador.

I fell in love with the mountains at a young age while climbing Ecuador’s volcanoes with my father. I guided in the Andes for 8 years and have been guiding for the past four years in the Northwest United States. In 1997 I expanded his adventure skills by taking on rock climbing. I represented Chimborazo province three times as the Ecuadorian National Rock Climbing Champion.

I completed his UIAGM certification with the Bolivian Mountain & Trekking Guide Association, accredited by the National School of Ski and Alpinism of Chamonix (ENSA), and completed Advanced Alpine and Rock Guides Courses with American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA).

I usually spend some months every year in Ecuador (from October to January, but it varies every year). The rest of the year I am based and guide in Europe.