Hiking in Ecuador

Two trips for Hiking in Ecuador.  Four day trip in the north of Quito, Otavalo and surroundings, by lakes and volcanoes and, the other of three days by the highest volcanoes of Ecuador, at the foot of them and their glaciers.

Hiking in otavalo surroundings      -     Hiking by refuges and glaciers

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Hiking in Otavalo surroundings
A progressive acclimatization in Otavalo surroundings:  Cuicocha & Mojanda lakes first and then, three volcanos, Fuya Fuya 4261ms (13980ft), Cubilche 3826ms (12553ft) and Imbabura 4630ms (15190ft).  Superb excursions to discover the varied landscapes as well as the Indian culture of this area of Ecuador.

Highlights • Great variety of landscapes. • Diverse hikings: flooded craters of volcanoes and summits of 4000 ms (1312ft). • An intense and progressive acclimatization. • 4 volcanoes in 4 days

Itinerary

D 1   Quito - Cuicocha

Transfer to Cuicocha lake(3h).  Cuicocha is a 3 km (2 mi) wide caldera and crater lake at the foot of Cotacachi Volcano on the Western Cordillera of the Ecuadorian Andes.  Its name comes from the Kichwa Indigenous language and signifies: "Lago de Cuyes" or Guinea Pig Lake in English. It was given this name due to the shape of the largest Island located in the middle of the Laguna resembling a Guinea Pig.  The caldera was created by a massive phreatic eruption about 3100 years ago that generated about 5 cubic kilometres (6.54 billion cubic yards) of pyroclastic flow and covered the surrounding area in volcanic ash up to 20 cm (8 inches) deep. The volcano has been dormant since that time.The hike will be by this flooded volcanic crater.  The trail offers a variety of Orchids, flora and birds and, you might also meet some lizards on the way.   Dinner and night in a hotel of the area. 

D 2   Fuya Fuya – San Pablo/Zuleta – La Esperanza

Early rise to have breakfast and depart from your hotel.  Fuya Fuya 4263m (13986ft) is located in the south of Otavalo.  Trails on the mountain offer straightforward climbs with spectacular views of the Mojanda lakes, Cayambe volcano and wide espanses of paramo grasslands.  The trek up to the summit takes approximately 2 hours.  In the afternoom you will be transferred to San Pablo lake to start an easy hike through indian rural communities.  Along the way you can enjoy the landscape of cultivated fields, Eucalyptus forest,  as well as the magnificence of mountains such as Cayambe, Imbabura and Cusin.  At the end of your walk the transport will take you to La Esperanza Hostel.

D 3  Cubilche volcano

Cubilche is one of the easy summits of this trip.  It offers great views of a lake and Ibarra.  Indeed, on the mountain`s lower slope, at the hamlet of El Abra, Bolivar surveryed the Spanish enemy in preparation for his successful attack.  The hike is characterized by its surroundings: Indian communities, farmed fields and paramo grasslans, as well as by the views 

D 4  Imbabura Volcano - Quito

 Imbabura is an inactive stratovolcano. Although it has not erupted for at least 14,000 years, it is not thought to be entirely extinct. Imbabura is intermittently capped with snow and has no permanent glaciers.

Covered in volcanic ash, the slopes of Imbabura are especially fertile.  The land around Imbabura is extensively farmed, Maize, sugarcane and beans are all staple crops of the region.  After breakfast and 20 minutes drive from Otavalo you will find yourself at the foot of this volcano.  A love story will be unwrap  for you, by the guide, about Imbabura and Cotacachi.  Mama Cotacachi rule the west of Otavalo and Taita Imbabura takes care of the Province.  Local people believe that Imbabura visits Cotacachi every night and from this love a baby-volcano was born, Yana Urcu.  The trek today is uphill to the summit 4630ms (15190ft) and, for about 6 hours.  After the hike transfer to Quito.

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Hiking by refuges and glaciers
A unique excursion, in three days you will be in three glaciers of three volcanoes and three national parks:   Cayambe with the only summit in the world crossed by the equator, Antizana with striking views and surrounded by striking lagoons that tend to reflect the Antisana Peak in their clear and undisturbed waters and, Cotopaxi one of the highest active volcanoes in the world.

Highlights • Hikes close to three Giants of Ecuador : Cayambe, Cotopaxi & Antizana • Confortable 4x4 transport • Splendid views on the hikes

Itinerary

 D 1   Cayambe Refuge

Early rise to depart from Quito.  A day to drive to the Oleas – Ruales –Berge refuge at 4,600 m (15,092 ft) considered to be Ecuador’s best-altitude lodging. It was named after the Ecuadorian climbers Carlos Oleas, Cesar Ruales and the French climber Joseph Berge who were killed by an avalanche in 1974.  The refuge was built in March 1981 on the western flanks of Cayambe 5,790 ms (18,896 ft) and it is owned and managed by Grupo de Ascencionismo del Colegio San Gabriel de Quito. The glacier (Glaciar Hermoso) can be easily seen and accessed by the right side of the refuge,  On your way up and when you reach the base of the volcano, Condor nests can be seen in the cliffs from this area as well as beautiful waterfalls dropping down from the glacier.   Your hike to the Glacier will be from the refuge.  After this wonderful experience you are transferred to Los Chillos Valley some kilometres south east of Quito.

D 2   Antizana Volcano

Very early rise to be driven to a Hacienda near the Mica Lake.  From this point your hike begins towards the glacier.  Due to its access this volcano is not very much visited so a lot of its vegetation remains intact.  The surroundings is made up of paramo grassland (vegetation of high elevation).  It is not strange at all to meet herds of wild horses, rabbits, birds of prey, condors and even wild bulls.  After a day of enjoying a fab scenery, wild life and hike, return to the hotel in los chillos valley.  

D 3  Cotopaxi Refuge

Today you are driven to Cotopaxi national Park where you can enjoy vegetation of different altitudinal ranges from 3200m (10499ft) to 4800m (15748ft), bird wildlife, wild horses, lava flows and the cotopaxi itself.  After driving through the park you reach the car park at 4600m (15092ft) from where you start a trek to the refuge and also to the glaciar.  Depending on the time of the year you might have snow at this level.  The day finish with a visit to Limpiopungo lagoon at the foot of Rumiñahui Volcano.  You have here the posiibility to hike down to this lake.  After this you return to Quito.

 

 

 

 

 

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