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Hiking to Cotopaxi volcano area, 3 days

Discover some breathtaking panoramas in Ecuador. In this 3-day hiking trip, Fredy, IFMGA certified mountain guide, will take you around Cotopaxi volcano.

Not specified

Andes

3 Days

All year


Description

Come to this 3-day hike in the heart of the Andes in Ecuador. It will take us through trails where we will enjoy beautiful landscapes. In addition, we will see some of the most famous volcanoes of the country, like the breathtaking Cotopaxi.

During the day we will discover a great variety of local flora and fauna, and we will spend the night in two different lodges.

Does this hiking program sound interesting? Then please contact me so we can start planning the trip together. 

If you also want to ascend the mythical Cotopaxi, I can take you up there!

Price includes

- Guiding fee

- Accommodation included


Itinerary

Day 1: Quito - Chilcapamba Lodge (3487 m)

We start in the morning from Quito and drive until our starting point (3000 m). We will enjoy a moderate uphill walk through Haciendas and past by typical Andean houses. The hike continues through the valley between Sicncholagua and Pasochoa Peaks, where we can admire some waterfalls and Andean Forest along the Pita River. Then we continue on a road to Chilcapamba Lodge (3487 m). Overnight here at lodge.

Day 2: Chilcabamba Lodge - Tambopaxi Lodge (3700 m)

We start early in the morning and drive towards the east to Pita River Canyon for about 20 min, where we will start our hike for 5 to 6 hours. The first section is a nice Andean Forest and then on the border of Pita River, where we can appreciate the ancient lava flows from Cotopaxi last eruptions. We will get to Tambopaxi Lodge by late afternoon. Overnight here.

Day 3: Tambopaxi - Rumiñahui Base (4000 m) – Quito

Our 4-5 h hike starts in the morning. We will walk on the base of both mountains Cotopaxi and Rumiñahui. We can observe the native flora of the highlands, and we will pass Limpiopungo Lake where we can see some of the representative Andean fauna, especially birds. Return to Quito by late afternoon.

 

Details

Accommodation

Chilcabamba Lodge Tambopaxi Lodge

More info

Breakfast and lunch are included.

Meeting point

Quito

About the guide

UIAGM/IFMGA-ASEGUIM Mountain Guide from Ecuador.

I am a mountain guide, but also a passionate traveler, climber in rock and ice, and photographer. I spend my free time and holidays exploring new destinations, discovering new mountains and cultures.

I have more than 17 years of experience climbing mountains and volcanoes not only in Ecuador, but also in other South American countries such as Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina, and in the Alps in Austria, Italy, Switzerland and Germany. I also summited KhanTengri peak in the Himalayas, and Mt. McKinley in Alaska. This experiences prepared me to lead expeditions in challenging routes all around the world.

I studied 6 years of Tourism in the University, and followed ASEGUIM courses to become a mountain guide. I’ve also been evaluated by ENSA, and completed first aid courses in the Ecuadorian Red Cross.

I like guiding people from all around the world, and help them discover and enjoy the mountains, while reaching their objectives. I speak Spanish, English, German, Italian, and a bit of Russian.

Languages

Russian | Italian | German | English

Certificates

ASEGUIM | UIAGM


What people are saying about -Edgar Parra

Sarah ONeill

5.00

March, 2023

The only reason I give 4 to trip rating is that the first hike at Quilotoa was disappointing. The lake was definitely worth seeing but only going down and back up was not great. We would’ve much preferred hiking at least part way along the crater edge. Even if we only had enough time for there and back.

Manuel Perez

5.00

January, 2023

I highly recommend Edgar and Segundo Parra as your guides in Ecuador. Experienced and goal oriented service coupled with a safety first approach that will adapt to all levels of mountaineering.

Oded Guttman

5.00

January, 2023

The organization of the tour was flawless and every detail was taken care of. We engaged with Edgar through out previous months and he was very responsive and professional. Edgar had a minor injury prior to our trip so his brother, Segundo, was our guide. Segundo did a terrific job, he is very experienced and led us through the climbs with a lot of professionalism and knowledge. We really benefited from his abundant experience and we had a lot of fun.

Carolien Vreeken

3.00

September, 2022

Edgar did not host this trip but Ivan (at least this is what i understood) did. The reason I am not adding more starts is mostly because the guide did not speak English very well what made it a long and rather silent day. The weather did not cooperate which pf course is something out.of the guides control. But rain made it harder to descend and the guide did not pay enough attention to me. Therefore I ended up in the mud above my ankles and the last part of the hike he was more then a 100 meters ahead of me and did not look back once. He tried to make it work, especially with the driving but overall it definitely could be better

Mark Oveson

5.00

January, 2022

This review is a bit misleading, because we didn't climb Antisana and we didn't climb with Edgar. We had originally intended to climb this peak, but we changed to Cotopaxi after a few discussions. Also, Edgar got sick a few days before our climb, so we climbed with a different guide (Franklin). But we were extremely happy with both the mountain and the guide.

Justin Johns

5.00

January, 2022

Highly recommend!

Matthew Fleischman

5.00

December, 2021

The traveller did not leave a comment.

Tatsiana Shakhmuts

5.00

November, 2021

Great trip

Johannes Nothdurft

5.00

September, 2021

Edgar was great. I could talk with him over all questions (equipment, acclimatization, ...) before the tour easy via WhatsApp. I always feel good and save with him in the mountains. His motto „lonely summits“ was completely fulfilled.

Umesh Katdare

5.00

December, 2020

Outstanding job done by Edgar and Ivan who were professional and patient Recommend to all without a doubt

Benoit Feyen

5.00

February, 2020

The traveller did not leave a comment.

Michelle Lostracco

5.00

February, 2020

End-to-end this was very well organized with good communication. The guide was very knowledgeable and took the climb seriously. He was also easy to talk to, spoke good English and went out of his way to tell me about climbing in the region, the volcanoes and anything else I was I interested in.

Adam Behmer

5.00

January, 2020

Edgar Parra's guiding service was excellent. His guide understood the mountain, made sure I understood the approach, and did a good job of communicating. While Edgar can't control the weather, his guide did a great job of controlling the situations he could control. Highly recommended and would climb with him again.

R.Romendes

4.00

December, 2019

The traveller did not leave a comment.

Rachel La Fein

4.00

July, 2019

Edgar was a fantastic guide! We could not hope for better. Kind, courteous, interesting, interested in us and CLEARLY AN EXPERT with safety always at the forefront. We would choose to do any expedition with Edgar. The acclimatizing process was a bit unclear. I think we would have chosen to spend more days in preparation had that been suggested. We recommend asking very directly how many days are suggested for acclimatizing. That being said, there was NO DOUBT Edgar had our best interest at heart and as already stated, we would love to do more mountaineering with him again. He is the consummate guide and a wonderful human being. Lonely Summits provided any gear we needed and it was all comfortable and in good condition. If you’re looking for a well-structured trip with a highly skilled and knowledgeable guide, look no further!


 

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