5-day Trek to the Refugio José Rivas in the Cotopaxi National Park in Ecuador

Join Javier, ASEGUIM-certified Mountain Guide, on this spectacular hike across a pristine National Park in Ecuador, all the way up to Refugio José Rivas (4,800 m) and back.

Andes

5 Days

All year

Intermediate

Beginner

Highlights

Unique route and itinerary to trek into Cotopaxi National Park.
Great opportunity to see the rural life in the Ecuadorian Andes.
An excellent gradual acclimatisation process.
Hike from the Limpiopungo Plateau to the refuge of Cotopaxi; a 1.050 m

Description

Join Javier, ASEGUIM-certified Mountain Guide, on this spectacular hike across a pristine National Park in Ecuador, all the way up to Refugio José Rivas (4,800 m).

The Cotopaxi volcano (5,897 m) is one of the most beautiful mountains on Earth, with its near perfect cone shape and its stunning glaciers and snowcapped peak, and it’s without a doubt the most famous mountain in Ecuador and one of the most popular climbs in the Andes.

However, on this trip we are going to do things a bit differently than most of the people who visit this Park: rather than driving in and out and zoom past all of the gorgeous landscape, we will hike all the way to the refuge. This on will, on one side, give us a great opportunity to enjoy all of the peaceful countryside surrounding the volcano and immerse ourselves in the rural lifestyle of the ecuadorian Andes, and on the other side it will put our physical skills to the test, as we will be climbing up to a height equivalent to that of Western Europe’s highest peak!

Before reaching the José Rivas hut, we will also be hiking to the top of Pasochoa (4.200 m) and the Central Summit of Rumiñahui (4.600 m) which will allow us to achieve a prefect, gradual acclimatisation. We’ll take a rest day after that in order to replenish our energy reserves ahead of our last day’s push to the Refuge on Cotopaxi.

Request to book this trip now and I’ll ensure that every detail of this trip is taken care of with safety and fun in mind, so that you can enjoy a spectacular 5-day trek in one of South America’s most beautiful National Parks.

If you think you’re up for the challenge of climbing all the way to the summit of Cotopaxi, you should definitely check out this other amazing trip I’m offering!

Price includes

Accommodation included
Guiding fee
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Transport during the trip
Permit and entrance fees
Mountain guide expenses
Tents
Sleeping pad
Cooking utensils
Sleeping bag
Snacks
Clean drinkable water

Itinerary

Day 1: Hike to Hacienda Santa Rita - 3.280 m

After a short drive of only one hour, we start hiking from the village of Santa Clara located in the Valley of Los Chillos at 2.750 m / 9,020 ft. The trek follows cobble stone roads on the side of the Pita River, which comes from Cotopaxi National Park.
Close to the Hacienda Santa Rita we pass in front of a Shrine, where locals come to worship the “Virgen de la Piedra”, the Virgin of the Rock.
Today’s hike will take around 5 hours. When you get to the Hacienda the camp will already be set up. You will spend your first night at an altitude of 3.280 m / 10,758 ft.

Day 2: Hike to Pasochoa - 4.200 m

Today we leave in the morning around 8 a.m. for a 6 hours hike to the Pasochoa volcano. We will be crossing the fields of Hacienda Santa Rita.
Pasochoa is an ancient and heavily eroded volcano that has been inactive since the last ice age. If the weather permits, from the summit, we will be able to take a good look at the crater. Inside you will see the Pasochoa Protected Forest Reserve, a humid Andean Forest with more than 110 species of birds and 45 species of trees, located between 2.700 m / 8,856 ft and 4.200 m / 13,776 ft. On a sunny day you can normally see condors. We return to Santa Rita camp site for the night.

Day 3: Hike to Hacienda El Porvenir - 3.600 m

Today we hike towards the hacienda El Porvenir. Part of the hike goes through humid Andean Forest where there is a chance to see hummingbirds.
El Porvenir is one of the largest farms in Ecuador. It can be used as a base for excellent hikes within the Cotopaxi Park. Located at 3.600 m / 11,808 ft, El Porvenir is surrounded by four volcanoes: Cotopaxi, Sincholahua, Pasochoa and Rumiñahui. Here you will be able to enjoy your stay in a comfortable, functional and beautiful traditional Andean hacienda. The “casa de hacienda”, or farmhouse, is built with materials such as brick, straw, wood and adobe that have been used for centuries. If Porvenir is not available we will use Hacienda Los Mortiños

Day 4: Central Summit of Rumiñahui - 4.600 m

From Hacienda El Porvenir we start hiking towards the central ridge of Rumiñahui, leading to the middle summit. The rock on this mountain can be a bit loose underfoot, so we have to take care, but the views from the summit are really worth it. The volcano is located only 13 km North West of Cotopaxi and it is named after Atahualpa’s general, who was the last Inca Emperor. After the emperor was murdered, Rumiñahui led the fight against the Spanish conquerors. In Quichua his name means “stone face”. We spend the night at Tambopaxi.

Day 5: Hike to José Rivas Refuge - 4.800 m

After breakfast we start hiking towards Cotopaxi Volcano. Cotopaxi is the highest active volcano in the world and its refuge is as high as the highest mountain in Western Europe. The hike will take 4 hours uphill until we reach the refuge at 4.800 m / 15,744 ft. The hut stands at the highest altitude reached during our trip. With luck we will be able to enjoy the sun setting over the surrounding peaks. Later we return to Quito.

Details

More info

Please note that this itinerary is a guide line only. We will do every effort to follow it, but in case of unforeseen circumstances we may have to make changes.

Meeting point

Equipment you will need to bring

Water bottle

Backpack

Poles

Sunglasses

Thermal base layer, thermal midlayer, wind-stopper outer shell jacket and pants, trekking boots, hat, gloves, sunscreen

FAQs

What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?

We understand that finding the perfect place to stay is an essential part of your adventure experience. To help you with this, we’ve curated a list of three highly recommended hotels that offer comfort, convenience, and a touch of local charm. These accommodations are well-suited for adventurers looking to relax and rejuvenate after an exciting day of exploration

Hotel Los Alpes Ibagué Colombia

See rooms

Hotel Internacional Casa Morales Ibagué Colombia

See rooms

Hotel Lusitania Ibagué Colombia

See rooms

About the guide

Javier

5.0

(10)

Mountain Guide

He has been climbing in Ecuador for more than 25 years and has been working as guide for 15 years. As a mountaineer, he has led many ascents in the Andes, the Alps, the Karakorum and the Himalayas. The eight expeditions he headed in Nepal include guiding on two 8000-meter peaks.

He is currently the mountain rescue coordinator of the Ecuadorian Association of Mountain guides (ASEGUIM), and has completed several courses with ENSA, the French National School of Guides. He is also the program director in Ecuador of the American Alpine Institute

During his cycling career he won seven times the National Road Racing Championship, and also a gold and silver medal in the Pan-American games of 1990, for which he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Honour for the highest merit in Sports.

If Javier Herrera is not available, he works with an excellent team of bilingual ASEGUIM/UIAGM guides.

Languages

English

Certificates

ASEGUIM

Request more information

What people are saying about Javier

Andreas

Fredy, Pablo and Christian were our guides. We were one of very few parties who managed to summit all of the mountains and that was because of the flawless planning of our guides. Fredy knew exactly what each of us was capable of, timed the departures perfectly and was always there to help physically or morally. There was not a question left unanswered and whenever one of us (four total) struggled a bit or had wishes he tried everything to help. The planning of the whole trip was perfect, all acommodations were beautiful as well as the food along the way great. Andean Face and Fredy Tipan all the way! Thank you for this unforgettable trip, the many times we laughed and the memories that will last forever.

The simple fact is there are any number of guide services that can get you to the top of Cayambe, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. But if you really want to have the experience of a lifetime, then choose Andean Face

The whole trip was fantastic! Of course the three climbs were very challenging, especially the Chimborazo, but thanks to Jose and Mauricio for their encouragement I enjoyed the location of the different haciendas for the rest. A true ecuadorian experience! I will definitely recommend Andeanface to other climbers.

I'm very happy with the expedition and to have reached planned summits. The guides were very good and dedicated The logistics were very good and the drivers were very kind and did also a great job. I have enjoyed it a lot and it was a very good experience for me.

This was a fantastic trip from beginning to end. Javier, I especially appreciate how well Javier took care of my daughter's (gluten free) dietary restriction, and that he arranged to take my daughter and I for the covid tests required for our return to the U.S. at the end of our trip. The entire team of guides were all knowledgeable, professional, personable and highly attentive to the group's needs. I appreciate how well thought out the itinerary was planned. The daily hikes along the Avenue of the Volcanoes increased in elevation every day in order to acclimate to the higher altitude, giving the best chance of success in reaching the summit of Cotopaxi-the main event-at the end of the week. Cotopaxi is a VERY tough hike, unlike anything that I've ever done before and certainly outside my comfort zone Again, simply a fantastic trip from beginning to end.