Cotopaxi Trek & Climb
Get intimate with one of the World’s highest active volcanoes
TRIP OVERVIEW
Cotopaxi is considered without a doubt one of the most beautiful peaks in the world.
It is the most popular mountain of Ecuador and due to the fact it has the highest number of clear days in our country, it is perhaps the most frequently climbed in all the Andes.
Often people drive into the park, climb the mountain and leave again. But Cotopaxi and its surrounding areas offer much more. The National Park has several other smaller volcanoes and peaks that are wonderful to climb, and at the same time offer great acclimatisation opportunities.
So we would like to offer you Cotopaxi in a different way…
Instead of the normal Cotopaxi climbing tours that drive in and out, you will be hiking. In this way, Andeanface offers you a fantastic chance to enjoy and experience intensively the beautiful landscape around the mountain.
If you would like to get an impression of this unique expedition, then watch the movie made by Andeanface clients Anna & Robert Higgins: “Cotopaxi Trek and Climb Expedition 2011”.
After a four day hike in which we climb Pasochoa 4.200 m /13,776 ft, we get into Cotopaxi National Park. Once within the park we hike up to the central summit of Rumiñahui at 4.600 m / 15,088 ft, then have a rest day and later continue towards the Jose Rivas Refuge at 4.800 m / 15,744 ft. This itinerary has proved to be very effective for acclimatisation. It provides the best chance to summit Cotopaxi in a short period whilst minimizing the amount of driving.
This short video summarizes our Cotopaxi trek and climb program https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2Kcchb9OsY
Arrive/Depart: Quito
Group Size: 2-10 Guests
Pre-requisites: Good physical condition
Difficulty Levels:
Easy: Pasochoa
Moderate: Rumiñahui
Intermediate: Cotopaxi
EXPLAIN DIFFICULTY LEVELS
Accomodation: 6 nights - 2 Camping / 3 Haciendas /
1 Mountain Refugue VIEW LODGING
Activity: Trekking / Wildlife & Natural History / Glacier Practice / Climbing
Seasons: All year round
Equipment: Climbing Expeditions Gear List
Download PDF
ITINERARY
DOWNLOAD ITINERARYDAY
01
Hike to Hacienda Santa Rita [3.280 m / 10,758 ft]
Activity: 4-5 hours hiking
Accommodation: Camping
Transportation: Private van or jeep transfer
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
DAY
02
Pasochoa Hike [4.200 m / 13,776 ft]
Activity: 6-7 hours hiking up and down Pasochoa
Accommodation: Camping
Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch, Dinner
DAY
03
Hike to Hacienda El Porvenir or Los Mortiños [3.600 m / 11,808 ft]
DAY
04
Central Summit of Rumiñahui [4.600 m / 15,092 ft]
Activity: 5-6 hours trekking up and down Rumiñahui
Accommodation: Tambopaxi Lodge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY
05
Hike to the hut and to the Glacier [5.000 m / 16,400 ft]
Activity: 2-3 hours hiking
Accommodation: Tambopaxi Lodge
Transportation: Private van or jeep transfer
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY
06
Cotopaxi Refuge [4.800 m / 15,700 ft]
Activity: 1 hour hiking up to the refuge
Accommodation: Jose Rivas Refuge
Transportation: Private van or jeep transfer
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
DAY
07
Cotopaxi Summit / Return to Quito [5.897 m / 19,300 ft]
Activity: 8 hours climbing up and down Cotopaxi
Accommodation: In Quito (not included in the program)
Transportation: Private van or jeep transfer
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Important: Please note that this itinerary is a guideline only. We will do every effort to follow it, but in case of unforeseen circumstances we may have to make changes.
2025 Prices
1 pax - USD 3.050
2 pax or more - USD 1.660 per person
Single room and tent - USD 370
Trip Cost Includes
- All transport by private vehicles during the program when needed
- All the food once out of Quito
- Accommodation in haciendas (standard “shared” rooms) and hut of Cotopaxi shared too
- Two nights of camping
- Permits and park fees
- One hiking guide for the group
- One bilingual qualified mountain guide per every two climbers on Cotopaxi
- Climbing gear: crampons, harness, ice axe and group gear such as ropes
The price does not include
- International flights
- Travel insurance
- Accommodation and meals while in Quito
- Alcoholic drinks
- Extras, laundry, tips
- Plastic mountaineering boots for rent from $20 per day
WHY TAKE THIS TRIP WITH US?
There are several reasons: It is a unique approach to Cotopaxi where we minimise the amount of driving! Our team is formed by the best Ecuadorian mountain guides. Some of us have historical guiding achievements, including guiding in the Himalayas while others are well known for their leading mountaineering expeditions in South America. Our mountain guides are an integral part of Andeanface because they understand and share our climbing principles. The quality of our guiding staff is what makes us stand out from other companies. The accomodation used during this expedition gives it an added value, some nights are spent in Haciendas, which are traditional fams houses converted into mountain lodges.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
We stronglly recommend spending one day in Quito at 2.800 m / 9,000 ft before the start of the trek, as the first nights of the program are spent at Santa Rita’s campsite at 3.200 m / 10,496 ft. We will be based there for two nights, during this time we will have the support of a cook who is also our base camp manager & driver. During this trek our large bags get transported in a 4x4 jeep, so our clients will only need to walk with a daypack. Part of the trek is done on a dirth road. The only time when our clients will need to carry a large bag with their gear is when we hike to the refuge of Cotopaxi which is for 45 minutes. We try to limit the use of a 4x4 jeep on the trek, however, there will be some driving involved.
Because of Ecuador’s location on the equator, weather patterns do not change very much during the year, and Cotopaxi has the largest number of clear days amongst the high peaks of Ecuador.
Hi Javier, The trip was wonderful! Thank you for putting all of this together, we have enjoyed every minute and all the people we met along the way!
Alisa and Mike
USA Cotopaxi trek and climb
Thank you so much again for your incredible service, care and organization of our trip. From the detail of making sure where we stayed at bread alternatives for me, to the gear rental and of course taking care of me when I got sick, you went above and beyond. It really was something we'll never forget and we couldn't have done it without you. I hope you have enjoyed some of the blog posts that include Andean Face and we will continue to spread the word on what an amazing company you are. Kind regards
Michelle Jackson
Canada
A quick thank you for organizing a great trip up Cotopaxi. Please pass along our sincere thanks to our guide for getting us prepared and safely up the mountain. He is a fantastic guide and was patient, knowledgeable and took really great care of us. All the best,
William Fitzgerald
USA
Alex and I were really glad to go with Andeanface. Javier took care of all the logistics and everything worked out really smoothly. Gaspar was a great guide and pushed me on to the summit while making sure we were safe. The whole trip was even better with good company; we all got along pretty well. The food, logistics, lodging, the hiking and climbing were really well thought out and laid out. The acclimatization worked great for us (and of course, training at home helps everything). Also what I really liked was their focus on safety and getting to the top and the bottom safely. Overall, we loved our trip and can highly recommend Andeanface. Thanks!
Stephanie and Alex Vu
USA
According to our climbing experiences all over the world, Andeanface is at the higest level of organization and performances. Very good guides as well as nice people, always willing to listen and help. They have taken care of every detail and could not have asked anything better. We can highly recommend Andeanface for your climbing experiences in Ecuador.
Giorgio Massetti & friends
Italy
