Day 1
Meeting at the airport of Bogota, transfer to the hotel, which is located in the tourist area - Parque 93, famous for its excellent restaurants and wonderful atmosphere.
Day 2
Breakfast. City tour in the historical part of Bogota at an altitude (2660 m). The first visit is a cable car ride to Montserrat Sanctuary, an iconic church located at an altitude of 3152 m overlooking the city. The tour will then continue on foot to see the charming colonial area known as La Candelaria and its main attractions: La Plaza Bolivar (Bogota's mains square), the Museum of the famous Colombian artist Botero and the world famous Gold Museum.
Duration 6-7 hours.
Day 3
Breakfast, transfer to the airport for the flight (1 hour) to the city of Pereira, located in the heart of the coffee district. Upon arrival, we will have a stop there to buy groceries and missing items. Next, there will be a drive for about 2 hours along the banks of the Otun River, bypassing the rural areas of La Florida and La Suiza, to the beginning of the trail known as El Cedral (2105 m). From this place the group will follow a very beautiful trail with a moderate ascent rate for 2.5 - 3 hours to the La Pastora refuge, which is located in a rainforest of clouds where you can spend the night.
Overnight in a tent.
Ascent: 355 m / Highest altitude: 2460 m / Distance: 5.9 km / Activity duration: 2.5-3 hours
Meals included: picnic, dinner
Day 4
After breakfast, we begin our journey along the road to the very famous farm "El Jordan", located in an idyllic location between the volcanic hills, covered with dense vegetation and decorated with waterfalls with crystal clear waters, it will take about 2.5 hours. From here, the vegetation begins to turn into paramo and the forest begins to open up. The last section is quite steep, along a long trail we go to the ridge of the El Agrado valley, which will lead to the next farm "Berlin" (3848 m). This is one of the most beautiful places in the park, in a little-visited area.
Overnight in a tent.
Ascent: 1388 m / Highest altitude: 3848 m / Distance: 10.9 km / Activity duration: 4 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Picnic, Dinner
Day 5
Today is the first ascent of the program and, therefore, a very early breakfast and start is required. The hike begins with an ascent along the valley of the El Agrado River to the La Angustia mountain pass (4193 m). Then a smooth descent to the Quebrada Cardenas valley and a short climb on the northern slope of the valley to the beautiful humedales wetlands area (4193 m). After a good lunch break, the team will climb the extinct volcano El Paramillo del Quindio, the highest peak in the state of Quindio. Most of our trail will be along slippery talus that runs in an almost straight line up to the ridge, called "El Caballet", from where the ascent follows along a very impressive red sandy ridge to the main peak (4745 m). El Paramillo has one of the best views in the park as it is located almost in the center of the park with 360-degree panoramic views. On clear days, all three main peaks can be seen: northern Nevado Santa Isabel (4965 m) and Nevado del Ruiz (5321 m) and southern Nevado del Tolima (5221 m). Descent along the same trail to the wetlands, and further down the southern slope of the Cardenas Valley to the La Linea mountain pass (4019 m), which separates the departments of Quindio and Tolima. From this natural border, you can descend to the farms of La Primavera or La Playa in the Tolima Valley (3769 m).
Overnight in a tent.
In the area of Humedales: Ascent: 345 / Descent: 424 m / Highest altitude: 4193 m / Distance: 16.4 km / Activity duration: 7-8 hours
To the summit of Paramillo del Quindio: Ascent: 897 / Descent: 976 m / Highest altitude: 4745 m / Distance: 19.4 km / Activity duration: 9-10 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Picnic, Dinner
Day 6
Breakfast, rest, transfer to the high-altitude camp of Nevado del Tolima. We will have trekking in the Tolima Valley, which is a gentle climb with beautiful landscapes and views of the volcanoes and valleys below. The last part of the hike goes up a steep mountain slope to the ridge known as "El Calvito" and from there a short walk to a camping site called "Arenales" which lies above the yellow sand moraine. This camp can be quite windy and open, but with very beautiful views. After setting up the camp, the guide will instruct you about the ascent the next day and help prepare everything. Before the camp there will be horses carrying equipment, food, water, etc.
Overnight in a tent.
Ascent: 576 m / Highest altitude: 4345 m / Distance: 8.4 km / Activity duration: 4-5 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Picnic, Dinner
Day 7
Very early breakfast and departure from the high camp, ascent along a series of moraines of different steepness and several climbing passages to the glacier at an altitude of 4750 m. Here the group prepares for the glacier crossing, starting on a very light slope, passing a couple of ice cliffs before the final plateau where the main crater is located. and then reach the top. Nevado del Tolima (5221 m) is an active volcano and the third highest peak in the central Cordillera. The climb is not technical, but it requires physical effort, not only because of the ascent, but also because of the distance that must be overcome. Descent along the same path to the camp. After a good break and packing the camp, the team will head to the Primavera / Playa farm. Overnight in a tent.
Ascent: 876 m / Descent: 1452 m / Highest Altitude: 5221 m / Distance to summit: 2.8 km and from summit to farm: 11.2 km / Activity duration: 8-10 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Picnic, Dinner
Day 8
Breakfast, packing. Our day begins with a slight climb, and then a descent through beautiful landscapes and rainforests, a semicircular climb that completes the trail in the famous Cocora Valley, an impressive valley located at an altitude of 2425 meters, decorated with the national tree of Colombia: the wax palm. Once in the Cocora Valley, the group will be picked up and taken to the beautiful city of Salento in traditional Willys jeeps (25 min.), Which are a symbol of coffee culture. Upon arrival in Salento, the group will be taken to a hotel located in the colonial part of the city. You will have a good time to enjoy the city and drink the best coffee in Colombia!
Overnight at the hotel.
Ascent: 123 m / Descent: 1467 m / Distance: 15.1 km / Activity duration: 6-7 hours.
Meals included: Breakfast, Picnic, Dinner
Day 9
After a well-deserved rest and a quiet morning, the group will embark on a coffee excursion to one of the area's traditional coffee farms. The Coffee Tour shows the entire coffee production from seed to final product. It also includes a very pedagogical coffee tasting, to learn about the different types and properties of local coffee. Lunch will be at one of the typical Salento restaurants (1919 m) and then you will have some free time, to enjoy a relaxing holiday in this quiet town and a wide range of handicrafts and local products. For the active traveler, there are many optional tour options such as the La Casa Botanical Tour, led by fauna and flora experts, horse riding trails, mountain biking trails and much more. There will be an evening flight to Bogota and transfer to the hotel.
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 10
Morning transfer to Bogota International Airport for the flight (1.20 min) to Ecuador, Quito (2850 m). Upon arrival in Quito, transfer to the colonial city center for a half-day city tour. This private city tour in historic Quito includes: La Basilica Church, La Compagnia Church and El Panecillo, a hill in the center of Quito, which overlooks the city and the historic center. From here, on clear days, we can observe several snow-capped volcanoes surrounding the capital. It's also a great opportunity to just soak up the local vibe of this tranquil city. After checking into the hotel, the mountain guide will give a briefing about the climbing program for the coming days.
Meals included: breakfast
Day 11
After a good rest and well-deserved breakfast, 2-hour transfer to the Cotopaxi car park (4587 m). Then an hour trek to the Cotopaxi mountain hut (4847 m), a short break, and then continue the hike for another 45 minutes to the bottom of the glacier (4990 m). Here are classes in mountaineering techniques, equipment check. This is an alpine course, this is just a short introduction to
the technique necessary for the ascent. This activity will also improve acclimatization due to physical activity at altitude. After training, the team will return to the Cotopaxi hut (4847 m) for the night. The rest of the day is preparation for the ascent. The guides will provide detailed instructions on all aspects of the ascent and help with all the equipment. An early dinner will be served and then rest until the guides call for breakfast, usually around midnight.
Overnight in a hut in rooms with bunk beds.
Ascent: 403 m / Descent: 143 m / Highest Altitude: 4990 m / Distance: 1.2 km one way / Activity duration: 4-5 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Picnic, Dinner
Day 12
As noted earlier, the start time will be set by the mountain guides depending on the team's physical condition and weather forecast, usually in the range from 23:00 to 2:00. Breakfast will be served 1 hour before departure. The group will begin their ascent from the hut along a well-marked trail that climbs smoothly along a shallow stone moraine for about 1 hour. Once on the edge of the glacier (4990 m), the group will gather and split, in the case of a large group, into smaller teams at the rate of 2 clients per 1 guide. Climbing Cotopaxi requires endurance and considerable mental strength. The Cotopaxi glacier is quite safe and the climb is not technically difficult, but there are several cracks and several ice slopes that make the route interesting. The first part of the glacier is a gentle slope that gets steeper as you climb, there are a series of return routes known as the "Heart Breaker" which are the most difficult part of the climb due to its demanding steepness and continuity. Thereafter, the very beautiful ridge gradually gains height, passing close to the protruding rock known as "Yanasacha", at an altitude of about 5630 m. From here, a relatively long traverse to the right before another series of return roads leading to the edge of the crater, and a few meters later - to the main summit. The ascent takes an average of 7-8 hours. The summit of Cotopaxi is one of the most impressive, overlooking the crater with a double edged and on clear days most of the neighboring volcanoes can be seen: Antisana, Kayambe, Ilinizas, Chimborazo, El Altar and the active Tunguragua. The descent is carried out according to the same scheme, it takes from 3 to 4 hours. Back at the huts and after reuniting the whole group, a little descent (20 minutes) to the parking place and transfer to the town of Banos de Santa Agua (1820 m), (3-4 hours).
Overnight at the hotel.
Ascent: 1050 m / Descent: 1315 m / Highest Altitude: 5897 m / Distance to the summit: 2.47 km and distance from the summit to the parking spot: 3.22 km / Activity duration: 10-12 hours
Meals included: Breakfast, Picnic.
Day 13
The town of Baños, as it if locally know, lies in the Tunguragua province just at the foothills of the active Tunguragua Volcano (5023 m). Baños is called the “Gateway to the Amazon” as it’s the last andean town before reaching the Amazon basin. Due to its privileged location, this town offers a great deal of activities. The best known are the hot-springs (baños), which one can enjoy many places around town. Adventure sports are also widely spread like mountain biking, rock climbing, hiking, etc. Banos also have some great scenery with the famous waterfalls that lie few kilometers down the valley. The best known are “El Pailon del Diablo” (Devil’s pot) and “El manto de la Novia” (the Bride’s veil), which can be visited taking a local taxi. The “Tarabita” (Cable-car) to cross over the Pastaza River and on the other side of the valley, it is possible to hike through the orchards and gardens of the local peasants.
In few words, there are plenty of options to do or just take a easy going day to enjoy the nice temperature and beautiful surroundings.
Night at hotel.
Included meals: Breakfast
Day 14
After a day of leisure and a relaxing morning in the town of Baños, the group will pack and drive (3 h) back to the highland towards Chimborazo National Park. On the way, there will a couple of short stops and time to buy the last snacks before leaving “civilization”. Chimborazo volcano is an impressive mountain that stands out from the “Volcanoes Avenue”. The indigenous farmed land that surrounds the mountains are all traditionally worked and very colorful during the harvest season. While driving up to the main entrance, it is possible to see very dramatic landscapes were the actions of the old eruptions have shaped the geography of the place. After crossing the park borders, the landscape turns very arid, like a desert, where it is possible to see one of the rare South American camelids: Vicuñas. These animal are difficult to see because they life in quiet inaccessible areas. They are master to survive in difficult conditions. The ones living in this park are not originally from the area, but introduced many years ago and over time became permanent residents. The road goes all the way to the door of the lower hut “Refugio Hermanos Carrel” (4800 m), where an 1 hour acclimatization hike starts by a moraine valley up to the Whymper hut (5000 m) and then back down to the Carrel hut. The rest of the afternoon-evening will be to prepare the climb and have an early dinner. The mountain guides will provide all the information and help to assure the best logistic for such a demanding climb.
Night in dormitories with bunkbends.
Ascent: 200 m / Descent: 200 m / Highest Altitude: 5000 m / Activity duration: 1.5 h
Included meals: Breakfast, Picnic, Dinner
Day 15
Chimborazo is the highest mountain in Ecuador and also the highest in the world measured from the center of the earth, due to is location on the tropical belt. The mountain has five mayor summits all linked by a ridge called the “Arista del Sol” (Sun’s ridge), which probably is the main reason of its Quichua name, which translates “Ice braid”. The main summit is the Whymper (6268 m), named after the British mountaineer Edward Whymper who has the first person to climb it on 1880 along with the Swiss Carrel brothers. Climbing Chimborazo by its normal Southwest route is a challenging affair, is a long 1468 meters ascent and descent in one push at a considerable altitude. The terrain is also complex, as it changes from an easy moraine trail to ice, snow and rock sections, with some easy scrambling at some specific spots. Even though it is not a technical climb, it is physical demanding. The climb starts between 10 PM to 1 AM, according to the team fitness, acclimatization level and meteorological conditions. The mountain guide will decide the departure time and wake up the clients up, 1 hour before, to have some breakfast and get ready for the activity. The first part of the route is no longer the normal route, but a variant known as the “Marco Cruz route”, named after the legendary Ecuadorian mountaineer who first ascended it. This variant joins the normal route after “El Castillo” rock pillar, making the ascent much safer and more scenic.
Once on the march, the first part (1 h) is basically a flat moraine until it begins to get steeper, with some few scrambling sections, before reaching the top of the ridge. After a short while walking on the ridge a bit exposed section hiking around the “El Castillo” rock before a flat area where the variant route joins the normal route. The glacier rises on a wide ridge that goes up to an approximate altitude of 5850 m. From this point a gentle traverse elevates westwards reaching 6000 m and then a relative strait up climb to the first summit: the Veintimilla (6230 m), then descend few meters to cross a col and then back up to the main summit: Whymper (6268 m). This is a memorable ascent to a summit above 6000 meters and a test of physical and mental endurance.
The descend is done by the same route back to the Carrel hut and, after packing, there will be a transfer ready to take the group back to Quito (4 h).
Night in hotel.
Ascent: 1468 m / Descent: 1468 m / Highest Altitude: 6268 m / Activity duration: 10-12 h
Included meals: Breakfast, Picnic
Day 16
It's time to leave the volcanoes of Ecuador!
Hotel pick-up and transfer to Quito airport (1-2 hours) - End of our tour. Until next time.
Included meals: Breakfast
Attention! Before your trip, you can include interesting places in Colombia and Ecuador in the tour program. See links above
Article "Peru, Colombia, Ecuador - Hot Three" - read