Peaks: Cayambe 18,996ft / 5,790m
Cotopaxi 19,348ft / 5,911m
Chimborazo 20,703ft / 6,310m
Ecuador is a country of exquisite views, friendly people and outstanding mountains. Our Ecuador Volcanoes expedition offers you the opportunity to experience both the cultural and scenic beauty of the region, coupled with the fine climbing.
Those of you who are relatively new to mountaineering or experiencing altitude for the first time will really enjoy this programme. Our qualified guides will introduce you to international-standard climbing techniques through our glacier school, and you will also climb three splendid volcanic peaks, including Ecuador's highest, Mt Chimborazo.
Our acclimatisation begins by climbing a small peak called Pichincha near Quito. We then climb Cayambe where we’ll practice our climbing skills before moving onto Cotopaxi, one of the world’s highest active volcanoes.
Chimborazo is our third summit and a massive, five-summited mountain rising nearly 11,000 feet above Ecuador's central valley. It is visible from Colombia in the north, from near the Peruvian border in the south, and from far out on the Pacific Ocean.
Almost all ascents of Chimborazo have been done by one of four routes on the mountain's southeast side, all of which are now dangerously out of shape and subject to rockfall. We have scouted a new route on the north side of the mountain that will provide us with a much safer route to the summit. Our new route is very aesthetic; it offers high quality snow and ice climbing as well as a remote wilderness experience.
When travelling between our mountain destinations we will be staying in restored haciendas, some dating back to the early 1800s. These are now world-class resort hotels. Rest day options include visiting the majestic and wild ecological zone of the ‘cloud forest’. This area boasts some of the world’s highest hot springs nestled deep in the heart of the rainforest, and amazing biological diversity.
- An unequalled cultural and ecological discovery
- Short duration from North America
- Experience moderate altitude mountaineering on non technical routes
- Climb Ecuador's highest peak
Dates:
Jan 6 – 20, 2012
Jan 27 – Feb 10, 2012
Feb 17 – Mar 2, 2012
May 11 – 25, 2012
June 1 – 15, 2012
Jun 22 – Jul 6, 2012
Nov 2 – 16, 2012
Nov 23 – Dec 7, 2012
Dec 14 – 28, 2012
Duration: 15 days
Departure: ex Quito, Ecuador
Price: US$3,540 per person
Please click below to download trip notes for our Ecuador Volcanoes 2012 Expeditions:
 | Ecuador Volcanoes 2011-2012 Adobe Acrobat Document: 590 KB, 86 seconds @ 56kbps Ecuador Volcanoes Expedition Trip Notes |
Read the dispatches from some of our previous expeditions: Ecuador 2005, Ecuador 2008.
Follow our current expedition: Ecuador Volcanoes Nov / Dec 2011
This trip is an AC-AAI Alliance trip, click the icon for further information.
