Cayambe, Chimborazo, 11 Day Guided Ascents

Come and enjoy an 11 day climbing adventure where you will get to scale 2 of the most famous peaks in Ecuador, Cayambe and Chimborazo, with Raphael, an ASEGUIM certified guide.

Andes

11 Days

Sep

High

Intermediate

Description

There are a number of absolutely breathtaking volcanoes on the famous volcano avenue in Ecuador. And 2 of the most famous are Cayambe (5,790) and Chimborazo (6,310m), which you will get to climb on this 11 day trip.

Beginning in Quito, which is remarkably less than 90 kilometres away from the famed volcano avenue, we will transfer to the town of Otavalo. From Otavalo, the journey will begin.

Prior to climbing Cayambe and Chimborazo you will get to see and visit several amazing highlights in the area. Those highlights include several lakes: Cuicocha, Caricocha, Huarmicocha and Yanacocha, which you will get to hike around and admire, and the Fuya Fuya volcano (4,200m), which you will get to ascend. Hence giving you a chance to properly acclimatize for the climbs to come.

Another climb you will get to enjoy, and will also help you acclimatize even more, is Imbabura (4,600m). From the summit, you will be able to see the Yaguarcocha lagoon.

Following all of those highlights, on the second half of the trip, we will climb Cayambe and Chimborazo. The climbs will be long, and at times challenging. They will also take place at night, as both climbs begin at around midnight. However, the views you will get, as the sun rises on both occasions, are, to put it simply, unbelievable!

Cayambe and Chimborazo are spectacular peaks. And for 11 days, I would like to take you to each of their summits, while also exposing you to many more of the area’s most beautiful spots. So send me a request, come to Ecuador, and let the adventure begin.

Would you like to experience a shorter climbing trip in the Ecuadorian Andes? Then join me on this 2 day ascent of Illiniza south.

Price includes

Accommodation included
Guiding fee
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Transport during the trip
Permit and entrance fees

Price details

The price does not include insurance, additional beverages and personal equipment.

Itinerary

Day 1: Quito - Otavalo

We will leave from Quito to Otavalo and spend the night in a hotel.

Day 2: Otavalo - Cuicocha (3,500m)

After breakfast, we will take a short transfer to Cuicocha lake (3,100m) where we will start our hike around the lake to an altitude of 3,500 metres before returning and then going back to the hotel in Otavalo for the night.

Day 3: Otavalo - Fuya (4,200m) - Otavalo

Following breakfast we will hike for approximately 4 hours to the summit of Fuya. Afterwards, we will return to our hotel in Otavalo for the night.

Day 4: Otavalo - Imbabura (4,600m) - Otavalo

Today we will make our way to the summit of the Imbabura volcano before returning to our hotel in Otavalo. The ascent and descent should take approximately 6-7 hours.

Day 5: Otavalo - Cayambe (5,100m) -Oleas refuge (4,600m)

After breakfast, we will take a transfer to the town of Cayambe. From the town we will hike to the Oleas refuge where we will practice ice climbing, get acclimatized and spend the night.

Day 6: Cayambe

Today we will continue to practice ice climbing and continue to acclimatize. We will spend another night in the Oleas refuge.

Day 7: Cayambe summit (5,790) - Banos

Today we will wake up at midnight, prepare, eat breakfast, and make our way to the summit. If weather is agreeable, we should reach the summit by sunrise, where you can enjoy some amazing views. The climb should take approximately 6-7 hours. Afterwards, we will descend to the refuge, and then transfer to Banos, where we will spend the night.

Day 8: Rest day in Banos, city tour

Today we will spend the day in Banos, where you can relax and enjoy a city tour.

Day 9: Banos - Riobamba - Whimper Hut (5,000m)

Today we will leave Banos and make our way to the Whimper refuge, where we will rest.

Day 10: Chimborazo summit (6,310m) - Quito

Early in the morning, we will make our way to the Chimborazo summit. The climb should take approximately 8-10 hours. Afterwards we will return to the Whimper refuge and take a transfer to Quito, where you will spend the night in a hotel.

Day 11: Transfer to airport

After breakfast, you will take a transfer to the airport where you will catch your flight home.

Details

More info

Participants on this trip should bring the following items: personal clothing, warm clothing, rain jacket, sunglasses, sun screen, gloves, tennis shoes or hiking boots, sleeping bag, head lamp.

Meeting point

Quito

About the guide

Rafael

4.8

(31)

Mountain Guide

Rafael was born in Quito and grew up in the Andean Region. Since childhood he Ioved hiking and climbing the mountains.

In the 80 ' He participated in expeditions in Peru, Bolivia South America. In the Alps and Pyrenees and also in the Pamir Pick Communism of 7500mts.
In the 90 ' He was the founder of the School of Guides ASEGUIM, President for 7 years of the Guides Association and promoted and formed the mountain rescue group GRA.

He graduated as Mountain Guide and Guides Instructor at the ENSA in Chamonix–France.

Since 2000 he have been advising, training and participating in 16 expeditions around the world: Alaska, Aconcagua, Alps, Pyrenees, Cordillera Blanca. He has also trained and counseled Ecuadorian climbers who managed to make the 14 eight thousands without auxiliary oxygen, the 7 highest peaks of the world and Big Walls. Since 2001 he started his Adventure Tour Company which operates successfully up to the present under the name of CLIM BIKE HIKE.

Since 2010 he has been training and participating in the project EVEREST without auxiliary oxygen in one day. He has climbed the EVEREST 2 times, and he has reached the summits of: Manaslu, Shisha Pangma, Aconcagua 7 times, Denali 5 times and the summits of the Alpes Materhorn, Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa, Agille. Vert, Zugs Pitze among others.

During his 27 years of experience as a professional mountain guide Rafael has guided more than five hundred times to Cotopaxi volcano and more than one hundred times to Chimborazo, sharing with clients the culture and wonderful mountains of Ecuador.

Languages

French | English

Certificates

ASEGUIM

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What people are saying about Rafael

Wojciech

Super trip of a lifetime, I conquered cotopaxi and chimborazo. A lot of hard work but an equally great acclimatization program from Rafael. Super man, with great knowledge on mountain subjects, always helpful and friendly. He was eager to tell us about nature and the towns we were in. Everything was organized very well, the hotels were of very good quality, the food very tasty, and the ascents into the mountains themselves safe under the supervision of a professional who watched over and helped. The organization was of a very high level. Safety always came first. Super people, I would gladly go again. I highly recommend, you can learn a lot from Rafael and experience a great adventure with great people.

Peter

my friend and i really enjoyed the trip. Rafael was a fantastic guide. He was informative and great person to be around.Rafael was full of laughs but when on the mountains his focus on safety was second to none, he gave clear and direct instructions and was always willing to help. his vast experience in mountaineering was clear and the respect and admiration from all the other mountain guides we met on the road in Ecuador towards him shows how highly he is thought of. hopefully we can team up with him again in the future. was a fantastic experience.

Gérald

Rafael is a very Kind and professionnal guide. Its organisation was perfect. The rythme was perfect too. Even when troubles appeared, he solved the problems easily and quickly. I’ll come back to climb with him for sure.

Kateryna

Rafael was an amazing guide with many years of experience. The trip was planned very well from the begging till the end as well as acclimatisation. I get well prepared for high altitude. Highly recommended.

Andrew