Day 1:
Most flights arrive late in the evening. We will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. We recommend that you take this day to relax and visit our office, where we will go over the equipment list and review the upcoming itinerary, as well as payment issues. Make any last-minute purchases.

IF FOR ANY REASON YOU ARRIVE ONE DAY EARLIER, WE WILL BE MAKING THIS DAY PROGRAM! (City Tour of Quito)
We offer a scenic tour through Quito, a city of contrast between the Spanish colonial displays, pre-Colombian art and Inca culture. We also visit the national ethnological museum, which provides a good introduction to the history of Ecuador, several of the city's most interesting colonial churches, and the busy and traditional central market. Full day in Quito, (if you like this day just for relax and the first day for acclimatization, it is an option, too.)

Day 2: ACCLIMATIZATION Pasochoa (4.199m / 13.773ft)
We depart at 8.30 AM 30 km south of Quito to the Cerro Pasochoa at 4.199m (13.773ft). It is an ancient and highly eroded volcano, which has been inactive since the last ice age. We drive to the car parking lot, from where we follow the track as it surrounds the eastside of the mountain heading towards the rocky peak. This easy ascent will take us 3-4 hours to reach the summit. Rest for one hour, lunch during this time, and hiking down during 2 hours to the car parking lot, then drive back to Quito in the afternoon. B/L/-

Day 3: ACCLIMATIZATION Pichincha (4.794m / 15.724ft)
We take our first acclimatization ascent on the 4.794m (15.724ft) peak of the active volcano Guagua Pichincha. Quito is nestled on the slopes of this active volcano. Our primary goal here is to help each team member to start testing his or her response to higher elevation, and to give our bodies a chance to get used to altitude, while enjoying the many photographic opportunities. Afternoon drive back to Quito. B/L/-

Day 4: ACCLIMATIZATION Iliniza North Refuge (4.600m / 15.092ft)
After breakfast a mid-morning departure from Quito to Ilinizas and to the parking lot. We travel along the Panamericana high way, passing through very nice agricultural and green areas, watching many volcanoes in front of us, while you can have a good time for pictures, too. We will arrive at a remote paramo, which is near to an area called La Virgen. From here it is a 3 hours hike up to the refuge with our full back packing on us, the refuge is located at 4.600m. Dinner and sleep in the refuge. B/L/D

Day 5: ILINIZA NORTH (5.125m / 16.815ft)
Wake-up early in the morning at 5:00 AM. Breakfast, and departure to our 5.125m summit day attempt on Iliniza Norte. This peak is normally a fairly straight forward climb. The trail on this mountain is rocky, almost difficult to find the way, if the weather conditions are bad and cloudy, for sure it is very easy to lose the way. On one part of the way we will use a fixed rope to pass or negotiate "Death Pass." After this pass we reach the summit. 3 hours average to reach the summit. Pictures time, lunch. Descend for 1,1/2 hours to the refuge, resting before going down to the parking lot. Our private car 4x4 transportation will take us to an hotel near to Cotopaxi National Park to have a restfull night. Hotels, La Estación, La Ciénega or Volcano Land. B/L/-

Day 6: Cotopaxi Refuge (4.800m / 15.744ft)
Depart from the hotel to the Cotopaxi National Park until we reach the car parking lot located at 4.550m (14.924ft). From here we have a 45 minutes hike with full packs up to the Jose Rivas Refuge on the Cotopaxi flank north west at 4.800m (15.744ft) After arrival at the hut, we will enjoy a hot tea and a short rest before a training on climbing, rope knots, Pruxiks and good managing of safety climbing in the mountains. Rest, delicious dinner, relaxing evening. B/L/D

Day 7: Cotopaxi climbing SCHOOL
Cotopaxi Glaciers School day. Wake up at 7:00 AM for breakfast. We continue adjusting to altitude acclimatization. We go on the glacier at 8:30 AM. and engage in the moderate glacier section a good activity, where we will familiarize ourselves with the various climbing techniques, equipment work for climbing. Our guide trains you on glacier skills, all necessary techniques for climbing the high peaks like Cayambe, Cotopaxi, Chimborazo and other mountains, too. We'll learn and practice rope-handling, glacier travel, snow climbing, basic crevasse rescue skills and safety techniques. The general procedures for high peak mountains. After 6 hours training we go back to the refuge for delicious lunch and resting afternoon, of course we prepare our mountain gear for a midnight departure to Cotopaxi summit day. Early dinner and early to bed, usually by 6:30 P.M. B/L/D

Day 8: COTOPAXI SUMMIT (5.897m / 19.427ft)
Wake up at midnight. Breakfast and equipment check-up. We leave the refuge at 1:00 A.M. We will pass a group of uniform slopes and ice ramps of 30 and 35 degrees before reaching a glacier platform. We enjoy one of the spectacular color displays in the Andes. From this point we see the valley below us, where the morning sunrise welcomes us with incredible colors. Our route will pass under a base of rock 400 feet wide called Yanasacha. The quichua name says it all, it’s a black wall of impressive size. The Indians called it The Route of the Moon. Here we start climbing glacier slopes of 35 and 45 degrees, at the top of which we will only have 15 more minutes climb to emerge onto Ecuador's second highest summit: Volcano Cotopaxi at 5.897m (19.427ft) Our approximate climbing time will be 7 hours. Return to the refuge around 9:00 or 10:00 A.M. Rest and hike back down to the 4 x 4 vehicles to get back to la Ciénega for a restful night. B/-/-

Day 9: Resting Day
After Cotopaxi we highly recommend a resting day at la Ciénega, or, if your condition is very good, this day it is possible to visit the Quilotoa lagoon crater at 3.900m. Full day in this very nice area. In the afternoon back to La Ciénega Hosteria. B/-/-

Day 10: Chimborazo Refuge (4.800m / 14.545ft) Depart from La Cienega at 10:00 A.M. Drive south of Cotopaxi passing the agricultural towns of Latacunga and Ambato. 5 hours drive crossing agricultural and indigenous areas, where a picture or two may attract you. We will arrive at the lower refuge of Chimborazo 4.800m (14.545ft), and then hike up during 45 minutes to arrive at the second refuge of Chimborazo at 5.000m (16.400ft.) B/L/D

Day 11: Chimborazo Summit
Chimborazo, with 5 summits, is Ecuador's highest mountain and one massive volcano! We rise at midnight for breakfast and an equipment check-up. Leave the hut at 1:00 A.M. We move immediately to the huge glacier on Chimborazo's southwest face, where we first traverse moderately angled ice slopes, climb through a series of icefalls and up the steep ice ramps. Climbing simultaneously on moderate grounds belaying up the steep pitches. Our team will rope together in order to cross crevasses and finally make it to the summit. This is the highest point of the Ecuador Andes Peak, and from here we have a magnificent view of the emerging volcanoes that form the eastern and western Cordillera. The mentioned volcanoes seem to emerge from the clouds below our feet. Our approximate climbing time is 8 to 9 hours. After good pictures and resting on the top of the mountain, we will return to the refuge going down during 3 or 4 hours. Short resting time in the refuge. In the afternoon we drive back to Quito. Arrival in Quito at 8:00 or 9:00 P.M. B/L/-

Day 12:
Transfer OUT to your International flight.