Let Fernando, an ASEGUIM certified mountain leader, and his team guide you across mesmerizing landscapes in Ecuador. Join him on this 5 days ascent to the summit of Cotopaxi, Pasochoa, Corazón, and Illiniza.
Private
Andes
5 Days
Jan, Feb, Jun, Jul, Aug, Dec
Fit
Intermediate
Join me on this 5 days expedition and reach the summit of this stunning volcano along with other equally magnificent ones such as Pasochoa, Corazón and Illiniza.
Cotopaxi is regarded as one of the most beautiful volcanoes on Earth. This active volcano is also the second highest in Ecuador. Reaching its summit is not a highly technical ascent, but it requires some basic experience in glacier traverse.
Everyday will be a unique and marvellous adventure. Nonetheless, it will be the day on which we reach Cotopaxi‘s summit, one of the most unforgettable ones. We’ll leave the refuge around midnight. Then, around 6 am we will be arriving to the top with a hypnotizing sunrise accompanying us.
Due to the altitude of this expedition we highly recommend our Acclimatization Packages. So you can truly enjoy this mountaineering experience.
Also, please note this is a private trip. Therefore, I will take into careful consideration your requests and expectations.
Are you up for this mountaineering trip to the summit of Cotopaxi? Just send me a request and prepare to live an exciting adventure in Ecuador.
I also guide this Quilotoa Lake guided hiking day, if you want to further explore the region.
- Guiding fee
- Accommodation included
- Transport during the trip
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
The price includes: the fee of an ecuadorian qualified and experienced local Mountain Guide (ASEGUIM/UIAGM) ratio 2 climbers -1 guide; registration in the System SIB (System Information of Biodiversity); Technical mountain gear (mountaineering Boots, crampons, ice axe, harness, helmet); private transportation throughout the trip; 4 nights accommodation at the Hostal Andes Alpes; 1 night accommodation at the Cotopaxi Refuge Jose Rivas; all meals during the hikes and climbs. The price does not include: personal mountain gear (warm cloths, sleeping bags, sunglasses, head lamp, etc.); international flight tickets; accommodation in Quito, tips, insurance of any kind Travel accident and health insurance, luggage insurance and trip cancellation; other non-specified expenses.
Around 8 am we leave Quito. After that we’ll drive through the Avenue of Volcanoes until the Pasochoa Parking Lot. Thereupon we’ll hike and ascend steep slopes to reach the summit of Pasochoa. And at the end of the day we’ll return to El Chaupi. A box lunch and dinner are included.
After breakfast we’ll drive to the trailhead where we’ll begin our hike, which will take us through small Andean grasslands. Later, we’ll reach a sandy scramble section that leads to the summit of Corazon. Finally, we’ll return to the hostel for dinner and to rest. The meals included on this day are breakfast, a box lunch and dinner.
Early morning, after breakfast, we’ll drive to the La Virgen parking lot, from where our hike to the Nuevos Horizontes Refuge begins. Here, we’ll rest, gear up and head towards the summit of Illiniza Norte. Then, we’ll drive back to El Chaupi, and stay at the hostal Andes Alpes. The meals included are a box lunch and dinner.
We’ll depart from El Chaupi, driving through the Avenue of Volcanoes until we reach the Cotopaxi National Park entrance. From here will drive east to the Cotopaxi parking lot (14,764ft/4500m) then we’ll hike for around an hour to the José Rivas Refuge (15,951 ft. / 4862 m.). We will then have dinner and rest until midnight. At this point we will pack our belongings and get ready to make our final ascent. On this day the meals included are breakfast, a box lunch and dinner.
At midnight we’ll leave to the summit of Cotopaxi, having breakfast on the way. At the entrance of the glacier, your guide will explain all necesary tips needed for using crampons and ice axe if needed. After 6-8 hours we’ll reach the top. Then we’ll begin our descent, back to the refuge and the parking lot, where our private transportation will be waiting to drive us back to Quito.
Accommodation Hostels, mountain refuges and hotels |
Meeting point Quito |
ASEGUIM Guide from Ecuador.
I was born and raised in Cotopaxi Province – Ecuador and know the country’s peaks intimately. I have great mountaineering experience of more than 12 years of climbing in all Ecuador, and I also climbed in South America, Switzerland, and France.
I manage a guiding company, so sometimes I'm the one guiding the trips, but sometimes I'm focused on company management, and one of the certified guides of my team will be guiding you. All the guides with whom I work are professional and certified guides.
I worked for the Nuevos Horizontes refuge on Ilinizas Volcano from a young age and have professional Guide Training, and I am officially Licensed as a Nature guide organized by the 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 hostel and lodge in El Chaupi, a beautiful mountain village an hour south of 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 Quichua.
The guiding team I lead is committed and experienced. Contact me to help you organize an unforgettable adventure.
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