Pichincha Volcano 2-day guided traverse in Ecuador

E-S Latam Adventure Guides will take you up on this hiking tour to the Pichincha Volcano, near Quito, the capital city of Ecuador.

Andes

2 Days

All year

Description

I invite you to join me in this 2-day hiking traverse to the active Pichincha Volcano in Ecuador. This active stratovolcano is just 10 kilometres west from Quito.

This hike is very popular for acclimatization purposes. The volcano and its peaks are visible from the city of Quito. We will climb three of its peaks along this 2 days.

We will start the traverse hiking up to the tallest peak of the volcano, Guagua (or Wawa) Pichincha (4776 m), the active caldera. After climbing its summit, we will return to a refuge where we will spend the night.

The last eruption of this volcano was in 1999. It covered Quito, the capital city of Ecuador, with a thin layer of ash. But now its trail is reopened to visitors.

We will continue or trip by climbing the Rucu Pichincha (4627 m). This is the second highest peak of the volcano, and the closest to Quito. We will go through the west side of Rucu, with a great diversity of colorful vegetation.

Then, at the summit, we will enjoy amazing views of Quito and the Avenue of Volcanoes. Besides, on our way to the top, we will pass below the Padre Encantado ("bewitched priest") peak.

Also, the Pichinchas are an important historical landmark for Ecuador. It was the site of the Ecuadorian Independence battle, that later originated the present day Republic of Ecuador.

So contact me if you are interested in this 2-day traverse to the Pichincha Volcano! We can start planning your trip! And if you are looking for a more challenging adventure, check my Chimborazo guided ascent!

Price includes

- Guiding fee

Itinerary

Day 1: Quito-Guagua Pichincha

We will drive from Quito to an elevation of 4100 m to Pichincha, just below Guagua. Then, we will begin our ascent to Guagua. At the summit, we will be able to see the new inner domes created from the 1999 eruption. Then we will hike down a bit and set up our high altitude campsite. We will have dinner and turn in for the night.

Day 2: Rucu Pichincha-El Padre Encantado-Quito

After breakfast we will start our traverse to Rucu Pichincha. After 1.30 hour of hiking we will pass below El Padre Encantado peak. Then, after two hours of climbing we will get to the Rucu summit. We will have lunch here, while we enjoy the best view of Quito. We will then make a short walk downhill to Cruz Loma, where we will board the new cable elevators that will take us back to Quito.

Details

More info

Contact me for information about the price and equipment.

Meeting point

Quito

About the guide

E-S Latam Adventure Guides

4.60

(12)

Mountain Guide

Tomás and his team of IFMGA/UIMLA-certified mountain guides, leaders and rock climbing instructors (Alvaro, Juliana, Merlin, Rodrigo, Armin, Alfredo, and Camila) are some of the top outdoor adventure professionals in Latin America.

Whether you wish to climb some of the most stunning mountains in the Andes or discover the vibrant peaks of Central America, among other amazing options, you will find yourself in good hands with this lively team of professional local guides that will not only show you the top spots in Latin America for outdoor adventures but also, bring you closer to the colorful local cultures of the places that you visit with them.

Tomás will be your main point of contact during the booking process and will help you with all the questions you have in order to make sure you receive the best possible guiding service.

Pick one of the E-S Latam Adventure Guides' programs and start planning an unforgettable experience in the beautiful mountains of Latin America!

Languages

French | English

Certificates

AAGM | IFMGA

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What people are saying about E-S Latam Adventure Guides

Christopher

5.00

We wish we could have Simon as our guide on every trek we do. His mountaineering experience and extensive knowledge of the area was impressive and definitely enhanced the trek for us. On top of this, we got along great with Simon and appreciate his easy going personality and sense of humor. We will definitely request Simon as our guide for the next hike we do from El Chalten!

Jim

5.00

Thoroughly recommended. Daniel is an excellent guide and we had a great day out.

Chase

5.00

This was a fantastic mountaineering trip to Ecuador. The altitude was a bit of a challenge, but Ramiro did a great job with the acclimatization schedule leading up to the taller mountains. Overall, this was a challenging experience given the altitude of the climbs as well as the back-to-back climbing of four mountains. I would highly recommend this excursion for anyone who wants to experience a fantastic country/culture as well as someone who wants to gain some nice experience mountaineering!

Kally

5.00

Fredy Tipan is like a superhero of the outdoor world. He knows absolutely everyone, has climbed and guided in the most epic of locations all around the world, knows the mountains like old friends, and really loves what he does and who he does it for. Our trip was completely messed up after an issue with our airline tickets. We weren't going to be able to leave until a week after our planned departure which jeopardized our entire trek with Fredy. We didn't expect him to take any sort of responsibility in replanning as it was our mistake that caused the airline issue but he absolutely did. Within days he rearranged the entire trek so that we would be able to summit all our desired peaks without cutting the days down and without changing the cost. He is a class act and an incredible guide and I'd say my husband and I both consider him a friend as well. We will definitely be booking another trip with Fredy Tipan and recommend him to anyone looking for the real deal in outdoor Guides. Thank you, Fredy!

5.00

Amazing short but exciting climb to a summit with outstanding views. Perfect acclimatization peak for the bigger Ecuadorian volcanoes, with a cozy hut and a nice approach walk. Fredy was fantastic, thank you so much for this unforgettable experience!