Volcano Trek 4 Days

Day 1 Trekking Pasochoa

From Quito we will travel to Santa Rita Private Reserve to start the hike to the Pasochoa Volcano. The hike goes from 3.000 m (9,842 ft) to 3.600 m (11,808 ft), and it takes about 6 hours. The trek follows a road surrounded by native forest and offers you a great view of the valley and some mountains such as Antisana, Pasochoa, Viudita, etc.

We will have a box lunch in the middle of the day and a delicious dinner when we go back to El Porvenir farmhouse. At night there will be a briefing about the history, landscapes, flora and fauna of the region. Then we can enjoy the tranquility of the night and rest.

Day 2 Trekking Rumiñahui

Early in the morning after our breakfast we begin the climbing to Rumiñahui Volcano, crossing vast highlands swept by the cold breath of the Andes. Form the peaks of Rumiñahui at 4712 m (15,455 ft) on a cloudless day we can admire in the distance the peaks of Ilinizas and Chimborazo. Trekking time: 6 hours approximately.

Hiking takes about 7 hours total round trip. Hiking difficulty is middle.

We will have a box lunch in the middle of the day and a delicious dinner and lodging at the traditional Hacienda El Porvenir.

Day 3 Padre José F. Ribas Refuge- Cotopaxi

 After a delicious breakfast we will travel into Cotopaxi National Park. Cotopaxi is considered one of the highest active volcanos in the World. This day we trek from Cotopaxi base to its refuge at 4800m. First, we start with a short hike from a parking lot on the volcano at 4500 m (14763 ft) to Padre Jose F. Ribas climbers’ refuge at 4800 m (15748 ft). Once in the refuge, we will have a light lunch and get ready for glacier practice. We will learn basic climbing and safety techniques. In the afternoon, we go back to the refuge, get into our sleeping bags until midnight.

Day 4 Climbing to the Summit

After getting all the climbing equipment ready we leave the refuge and start our climb to the summit of Cotopaxi at 5897 m (19347 ft). Most of the climb happens at night, so by the time we reach the summit we get the best views of the surrounding mountains as the sun rises. It takes about 6 hours of climbing and then 2 hours of descending back to the refuge. For this adventure, we have to be physically fit and focused. Although it is not a complex climb, we need enough training and mountain safety knowledge. After we return to the refuge and then to our car on the parking lot, we head back to El Porvenir to have lunch and after that we return to Quito.