Climb Cotopaxi, 4 volcanoes in 6 days (Ecuador)

We will pick you up at 8:00 am and drive for approximately two hours to the Pasochoa parking lot. From there, we will begin our hike through an extensive forest, where the 4,230-meter summit will gradually come into view as we reach the heart of the woodland. The route includes a steep uphill section, but the effort will be rewarded with beautiful panoramic views from the summit. After the hike, we will drive to the village of El Chaupi, where we will spend the night at Ilinizas Mountain Lodge.

Tiempo: 08:00 Duration: 5 - 7 hours to the summit Altitude: 4,200 meters (13,779 feet)

After breakfast at 7:00 am, we will set off early from El Chaupi village and drive to the trailhead at 4,000 meters (13,120 ft), where our hike will begin. We will first ascend through areas of low Andean grass before reaching a sandy section that requires some scrambling on the way to Corazón summit. The hike will take approximately six hours, after which we will return to the hostel.

Altitude: 4,788 meters (15,778 ft) Tiempo: 07:00 Duration: 4 hours

We will set off early in the morning after breakfast at 7:30 am, driving to La Virgen parking lot at 3,900 meters (12,795 ft), where we will begin our ascent. The hike to Nuevos Horizontes Refuge, located at 4,750 meters (15,580 ft), will take approximately three hours. After a short rest, we will continue towards the saddle between the two peaks before making our way up to the summit of Illiniza North, which takes an additional two to three hours. We will then descend to the parking lot, a journey of around two hours, before driving back to El Chaupi.

Altitude: 5.126 meters (16.818 feet) Tiempo: 07:30 Duration: 6 to 8 hours

We will depart from El Chaupi in the morning and head towards Quilotoa Lagoon. Along the way, we will stop at an Indigenous hut and visit the Tigua community, where we can see traditional leather crafts. After approximately four hours of touring, we will reach a viewpoint offering beautiful views of the crater and lagoon. From there, we will follow a varied route downhill for about an hour to reach the lagoon’s shore, where we will have time to take photos and relax. After lunch, we will drive back to El Chaupi, a journey of approximately three hours.

Altitude: 3,914 meters (12.841 feet) Distance: 108 km (round trip)

We will leave El Chaupi and travel south along the Avenue of the Volcanoes until we reach the entrance to Cotopaxi National Park. From there, we will continue east to the parking area at 4,500 meters (14,763 ft). We will then hike for approximately one hour to reach the José Ribas Refuge, where we will have dinner and rest until midnight, when we will begin our final ascent to the summit.

Altitude: 4,864 meters (15,953 feet) Distance: 1.5 km (from parking lot to refuge).

We will wake up at midnight and, after a light breakfast, begin our ascent around 1:00 am. The climb to the summit will take approximately six to eight hours. Once at the top, we will have time to take photos of the crater and enjoy the surrounding views before descending to the refuge, which will take around two to three hours. After gathering our belongings and having a meal, we will continue down to the parking lot, where our transportation will be waiting to take us back to Quito.

Altitude: 5,897 meters (19,347 ft.) Tiempo: 01:00 Duration: 5 - 6 hours to the summit Distance: Climb 10 k (round trip).