Ecuador in the footsteps of Edward Whymper

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival transfer in Quito

  Upon your arrival at Quito International Airport, and after personally taking the necessary steps to collect your luggage, the guide will welcome you in the airport entrance hall. Then, a transfer of about 1 hour, the time needed to reach the hotel located in the heart of the Ecuadorian capital. On the way, you will first discover the modern city of Quito: its buildings, its offices, and its parks where Quiteños (inhabitants of Quito) like to relax on weekends. You will also pass near the famous La Mariscal district with its many bars and restaurants, which boasts the lively atmosphere typical of Latin American cities. Finally, you will arrive at your hotel in Quito where you will drop off your luggage. Dinner at your leisure. Overnight in Quito.

• day 2

  Visit of Quito

  You will set out to discover the colonial city of Quito, capital of the Caras and the Incas, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Partly built under Spanish rule, the city of Quito will dazzle you with its architecture, its tranquility, and its history. You will visit the Jesuit church La Compañía de Jesús, whose construction began in 1605, and its incredible gilding, the Plaza Grande where the cathedral and the Palacio del Gobierno (Government Palace) are located, as well as the churches La Merced and Santo Domingo. You will then pass through La Ronda, a famous colonial street in the Ecuadorian capital, lined with 17th-century buildings. Many artists, politicians, and writers once lived here. Finally, you will end your visit to Quito at the hill of El Panecillo, where the famous statue of the Virgin stands, which is the only representation of a winged Virgin in the world. You will also enjoy a breathtaking view of the capital. Dinner on your own in a central restaurant. Next, you will head to the Mitad del Mundo. Located 20 km north of Quito, this place marks the location of the equatorial line. You will cross from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere in the blink of an eye and enjoy small experiments to understand the scientific process. At the end of the afternoon, return to Quito. Dinner on your own and overnight in Quito.

• day 3

  Quito, Otavalo, Cuicocha, San Clemente

  In the morning, you will leave Quito early to head to Otavalo. The transfer takes about 2 hours. Here, you will visit the famous and colorful market of the same name. It is the best-known indigenous market, but also the largest in Ecuador. It is made up of three distinct sectors: the animal market, which takes place outside the city center (this part operates only on Saturdays), the typical fruit and vegetable market, and the colorful craft market. You will then head towards the magnificent Cuicocha lagoon, overlooked by the Cotacachi volcano and its 4944 meters. After a walk of about 45 minutes, you will enjoy an extraordinary panorama of the lagoon and its surroundings. Picnic lunch during the hike. One of the many existing legends tells that the Cuicocha lagoon was a volcano that, more than 3000 years ago, separated from its parents: mother Cotacachi and father Imbabura (the surrounding volcanoes). Its mother, the Cotacachi volcano, cried over the loss of her child and thus filled the lagoon with her tears. You will go around it. The walk, which is a perfect first acclimatization, lasts about 4 hours. At the end of the afternoon, you will join the indigenous community of San Clemente where you will spend the night. It will be an extraordinary moment of exchange. Dinner with the indigenous community.

• day 4

  Imbabura Volcano - 4,609 m

  You will leave early to conquer the Imbabura volcano, located northeast of Otavalo. After about 30 minutes of driving, you will arrive at the foot of the volcano and begin your ascent. The Imbabura volcano will be a first real test in view of your future challenges: Cayambe (5790 m) and Chimborazo (6310 m). Although the summit reaches a relatively low altitude (4609 m), the ascent, which lasts about 5 hours, remains quite tough due to difficult slopes, similar to what you will find later on the Cayambe volcano. The region is beautiful. Here you will see typical and lush landscapes of the Ecuadorian Andes. With some luck, you may be able to spot a condor that sometimes gets lost around the volcano. The descent takes about 2 hours. Picnic dinner. Then, you will return to the San Clemente community. Dinner with your family.

• day 5

  Cayambe Refuge - 4,600 m

  On day 5, you will continue your journey to the Cayambe refuge, located at an altitude of 4600 m (2-hour transfer). You will spend a first night acclimatizing, without effort. This will be an excellent step for your acclimatization in preparation for the upcoming ascent of Cayambe.

• day 6

  Cayambe Refuge - 4,600 m

  On day 6, for those who wish, the Cayambe volcano offers a superb terrain for an ice school where you can learn or review your glacier walking techniques. Dinners at the refuge. Early bedtime around 6 p.m. and suppers at the refuge. Wake-up will be around midnight for a departure an hour later, after a snack.

• day 7

  Cayambe - Ascent - 5,790 m, then Cotopaxi park

  Around midnight, after a light breakfast if you are hungry, departure to begin the ascent of Cayambe volcano, which is the third highest peak in Ecuador (5790 m). Technically quite easy, the ascent requires good physical condition and no known coronary problems. After a first part without crampons or ice axe (about 1h), you will reach the glacier. The beginning of the ascent is not very hard... You will in fact be on slopes of about 30%. The second part gets tougher. Without being inaccessible, the slopes will reach 40% in some places. When these slopes appear, you will not be far from the summit! You will be back at the refuge around 9 or 10 in the morning. The effort will therefore be about 8/9h. Dinner on your own on the road and transfer up into the heights of Cotopaxi National Park, where you can observe the superb active volcano. You will spend the night in a beautiful typical hacienda of the Andean mountains. With its thatched roof, The El Porvenir hacienda is easily recognizable! You will spend a warm and friendly evening. Dinner on your own at the hacienda.

• day 8

  Cotopaxi Park - 3,600 m

  Today, you will enjoy a free day of rest. Optionally (with a supplement), you can take advantage of one of the following activities: - Hike (visit at no extra charge): with your guide, you will go hiking in Cotopaxi Park where the volcano of the same name, Cotopaxi – whose name in Quichua means "crescent moon" – will watch over you throughout your walk across lunar landscapes typical of the Andean highlands. - Hike (visit at no extra charge): with your guide, you can reach the Condor Machai waterfall located north of the hacienda. Easy 7 km walk. Duration: 2h. - Horseback ride (supplement $45/person): you will go horseback riding in the heights of Cotopaxi Park to reach the Ruminahui volcano. A crossing of the páramo is planned to discover fabulous landscapes and the famous brave bulls. Duration: 3h. - Canopy (supplement $40/person): using cables from 180 to 480 meters long, set off in search of thrills on cables suspended above the void. You will enjoy the 7 cables of the reserve in complete safety. Duration: 3h30. - Via Ferrata (supplement $40/person): climb walls up to 35 m high. The routes allow you to climb easily, without any particular technique, since hoops welded into the rock will allow you to find your footing without difficulty. Duration: 2h30. - Mountain biking (supplement $45/person): you will set off for a half-day of mountain biking. Several options are available: descent from the Cotopaxi refuge down to the high plains or a ride through the Andean páramo for a more in-depth discovery of Cotopaxi Park. Duration: between 2h and 4h. Free dinner and free supper. Another night at the hacienda.

• day 9

  Hermanos Carrel Refuge at Chimborazo - 4,800 m

  On the morning of day 9, you will transfer to Chimborazo Park, which is home to the highest peak in Ecuador: the Chimborazo volcano (6310 m). You will drive your vehicle up the slopes of the famous volcano to about 4800 meters of altitude, where you will park the car. The Chimborazo reserve, which offers lunar landscapes made of sand, earth, and stones, will allow you to observe many vicuñas (called "vicuñas" in Ecuador), alpacas, as well as llamas roaming freely. Dinner on your own en route in a local restaurant. You will arrive at the Hermanos Carrel refuge in the early afternoon. The refuge is named after the famous Italian mountaineers Carrel, who were the first men, along with Whymper, to successfully attempt the ascent of Chimborazo volcano (6310 m) in 1880. Dinner at the refuge and bedtime around 6 p.m. for a wake-up at 11:30 p.m. The ascent will be done at night.

• day 10

  Rest day at the refuge

  On day 10, you will have a rest day at altitude at the refuge. Dinner and supper for day 10 are included.

• day 11

  Ascent of Chimborazo, then return to Quito.

  You will wake up around 11 p.m. after a short night spent at the refuge, with the goal of successfully ascending the impressive Chimborazo volcano (6310m). Chimborazo is the highest volcano in Ecuador and is also the point on Earth closest to the sun, due to its location (near the equator) and its altitude. The ascent requires about 8 to 9 hours of walking. Although technically the ascent does not present great difficulties, you will need to be in very good physical condition to reach the summit. Indeed, the slopes are quite steep throughout the Andean route. There are no flat sections on the path. The descent back to the refuge will take about 3 hours. Back at the refuge around 10/11 a.m., you will take the road back to Quito. Dinner on your own en route. Overnight in Quito and dinner on your own.

• day 12

  Departure Transfer

  The driver will pick you up at the hotel to take you to Quito airport. You will arrive there 3 hours before the departure of your international return flight. Dinner and supper at your leisure on site or during the flight.