Climbing Pichincha, Iliniza North, Cotopaxi & Chimborazo

Day 1:
Arrival. Pick up at the airport transfer in to your hotel.

Day 2: 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. Overnight in Quito. B/L/-

Day 3: 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 the volcanoes in front of us, 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 4: 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, that sometimes requires acclimatization days. 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 for a resting night. Hotels, La Estación, La Ciénega or Volcano Land. B/L/-

Day 5: COTOPAXI Refuge (4.800m / 15.744ft)
Depart from Hosteria 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. Overnight in the refuge. B/L/D

Day 6: COTOPAXI Refuge (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 drive to La Cienega, a beautiful country-side hacienda located at the base of Cotopaxi. Overnight in La Cienega. B/L/-

Day 7: CHIMBORAZO - 1. Refuge (4.800m / 15.744ft)
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 Carrel refuge of Chimborazo at 4.800m (15.744ft) at 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon. Overnight in the refuge. B/L/D

Day 8: CHIMBORAZO – 2. Refuge (5.000m / 16.400ft)
Breakfast 8:00 A.M. This day we will need to rest and acclimatize for a higher altitude climb. We begin the day with a 40 minutes walk with full packs up to the Whimper hut on the Chimborazo West flank, located at 5.000m (16.400ft). Later we will take a short 2 or 3 hours hike around the ridge and then return to the refuge, where we will rest and prepare ourselves for the early morning departure. Early dinner and once again, we go to bed early at 6:30 P.M. Overnight in the refuge. B/L/D

Day 9: CHIMBORAZO SUMMIT (6.310m / 20.697ft)
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 to 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 Andes, 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. Chimborazo summit is at 6.310m (20.697ft). Our approximate climbing time is 8 to 9 hours. Return to the refuge around noon. Lunch and return to Quito, arriving at the hotel in Quito at 8:00 P.M. Overnight in Quito. B/L/-

Day 10:
Departure out to your international flight.

IMPORTANT:
The client is responsible for additional expenses incurred due to changes/variations in the above itinerary (food, gas, hotels, guide, etc...)