Antisana Trek & Climb

An exceptional adventure off the beaten path

DURATION 7 days

STARTING FROM $ 1470

DIFFICULTY Moderate to Advanced

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TRIP OVERVIEW

Without doubt, Antisana is considered one of the most beautiful peaks of Ecuador. Due to its eastern location, it has one of the largest glaciers and in its region we still find native Andean wild life such as wolfs, deer, spectacle bears and the majestic condors. At the same time Antisana is one of the less visited peaks. The region has been untouched by time and well preserved due to the fact that for many years the only road that reaches the mountain used to be privately owned by the Delgado family. However in 2010 the Ecuadorian government created the Antisana Reserve and the access to the mountain became easier. Most climbers that attempt Antisana normally drive into the reserve, climb the mountain and leave again. But Antisana and its surrounding areas offer much more, including excellent acclimatisation opportunities. So we would like to offer you Antisana in a different way…

Instead of the normal Antisana climbing tour, driving in and out, you will be hiking towards the mountain during a couple of days. In this way, Andeanface offers you a fantastic chance to enjoy and experience the wonderful landscape of the remote Papallacta- Antisana region also known as the “lake district of Ecuador”.

During this trip you will enjoy the combination of camping in remote areas where the only sounds you will hear, will come from nature & relaxing in comfortable hotels. You will get inspired and reenergized in Ecuador’s most beautiful spa hotel where you will enjoy the hot springs.

After a five day hike in which we trek to the volcano lake at 3.500 m / 11,480 ft, hike up Chusolongo 4.600 m / 12,300 ft you will be well acclimatized to climb and summit Antisana 5.740 m / 18,827 ft. This itinerary has proved to be excellent for acclimatisation. as it provides the best chance to summit in a short period whilst minimising the amount of driving.

Arrive/Depart: Quito

Group Size: Open to private groups

Pre-requisites: Good physical condition / Some glacier travel experience

Difficulty Levels: Trek: Intermediate Climb: Advanced
EXPLAIN DIFFICULTY LEVELS

Accomodation: 6 nights: 2 Hotel nights / 4 Camping VIEW LODGING

Activity: Hot Springs / Trekking / Wildlife & Natural History / Mountaineering in a remote peak

Seasons: Better from September to February

Equipment: Climbing Expeditions Gear List
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ITINERARY

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DAY
01

Drive to Papallacta Hot Springs [3.280 m / 10,758 ft]

We leave Quito driving east, following the main road that goes into the jungle. While crossing the Andes from the west to the east, at its highest point of 4.000 m, we will stop to enjoy the wonderful view of the forest of Antisana. We will descend to Papallacta Lagoon and will arrive to the hot springs where we visit the interpretation centre, have lunch and do a short walk in the afternoon. During the rest of the day we enjoy & relax in the hot springs of Papallacta.

Activity: Driving / Hiking / Hot springs

Accommodation: Termas de Papallacta or similar

Transportation: Private van or jeep transfer

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

DAY
02

Hike to Laguna Tumiguina known as Laguna Volcan [3.400 m / 11,152 ft]

Today we leave in the morning around 9 AM. After a short drive on the main road we arrive at a location called el Tambo, where we meet the rest of our team and our horses. It is here, where our trek starts. Along the trail we need to cross a couple of small rivers and pass a small water fall. The hike to Laguna Volcan takes 4 to 5 hours. Laguna Volcan is located at the beginning of a massive lava flow that descended from Cachaco Volcano a long time ago. Once we get to the camp, the tents will already be there and during the rest of the afternoon we explore the lake and it’s north side, where the ancient lava flow starts.

Activity: 4-5 hours trekking

Accommodation: Camping

Transportation: Short drive in private van or jeep

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY
03

Hike to Santa Lucia [4.300 m / 14,432 ft]

We start the hike at 9 AM. Today’s hike is steep, especially during the first two hours. We walk through an amazing polilepis forest and some of the vegetation we will see are Chuquiraguas, Pumamaquis and Achupallas. There is a chance you will meet spectacle bears as they are fond of Achupallas. The last part of the trek is easier as we get into the plateau, where we can appreciate the majestic Antisana. Today’s hike would take 6 hours. Once we get to the camp the tents will already be there and you will enjoy your well deserved rest.

Activity: 6-7 hours trekking

Accommodation: Camping

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY
04

Hike to Chusolongo Grande [4.600 m / 15,092 ft]

From Santa Lucia camp we start hiking towards Chusalongo Grande, also known as “Antisanilla”, a hill that stands out on the plateau in front of Antisana. We will hike as high as 4.650 m / 15,256 ft and descent via a lake to our next camp on La Mina 4.075 m / 13,369 ft. This hike takes normally 5 hours.

Activity: 5-6 hours trekking

Accommodation: Camping

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY
05

Hike to the Glacier of Antisana [5.000 m / 16,400 ft]

We meet our driver and our 4x4 transport in the morning. After a short drive today we do a gentle 2-hour hike to 5.000 m on Antisana to increase our acclimatisation and enjoy good views of the surrounding peaks such as Sicholahua, Cotopaxi, Pasochoa and the Ilinizas. Afterwards we drive down to Ilatoa Lodge for the night. It is a comfortable rustic lodge, located close to the town of Cumbaya and Tumbaco. It is an excellent location to rest at a lower elevation before our summit push.

Activity: 4 hours trekking and driving

Accommodation: Ilatoa Lodge or similar

Transportation: Private van or jeep transfer

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY
06

Antisana Drive and Hike to Camp [4.600 m / 15,088 ft]

From Iltoa we drive one hour to the base camp on Antisana. After we set up our camp and have lunch we walk to the glacier where we will do some glacier skills review prior to the ascent. Also you will be briefed about the technical aspects of the ascent. Night camping.

Activity: Driving / Hiking / Glacier practice

Accommodation: Camping

Transportation: 1 hour drive in jeep or van

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

DAY
07

Antisana Summit / Return to Quito [5.740 m / 18,827 ft]

The long awaited day is there… we will be climbing Antisana. We leave the camp around 1 AM for a 6-hour climb. Along the way we will walk over complex crevasse patterns and snow bridges. Route finding makes the climb very interesting. After passing through a crevassed area, we reach the final summit slope. Here a challenging section of 38-45 degrees snow leads to the abrupt finish of the climb on the main summit of this beautiful mountain. From the top of Antisana we hope to see most of the peaks of Ecuador and towards the east a sea of clouds over the amazon jungle. The view from the summit is one of the most spectacular one’s in Ecuador. Technically the normal route is not difficult, but special care has to be given to potential hidden crevasses. The descent usually takes around two hours. After resting and packing we drive back to Quito.

Activity: 8 hours climbing up and down / Drive back to Quito

Accommodation: In Quito

Transportation: Private van or jeep transfer

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

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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.

HIGHLIGHTS

An off the beaten track expedition
Enjoy the comforts of Papallacta
Hiking combined with mountaineering in a remote area
Climbing the least frequently climbed high mountain of Ecuador
A step further than Cotopaxi and Cayambe
Antisana is home to the magnificent condor and highlands wildlife
Camping in a remote desolated environment

MAP

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ZOOM
CONVERSATIONS

The best and easiest way for us to answer any questions you might have about the expedition, as an individual or a group, is through a Zoom call with the head guide from our team. We are happy to arrange a meeting ideally pm Eastern time for us, Let us know by sending an email to

info@andeanface.com

COMPLIMENTARY
EXTENSIONS

Our Complimentary Extension Packages offer great opportunities to explore some of Ecuador’s most dramatic scenaries, which have earned the country a reputation as one of the most bio diverse and unique regions on the planet.

We work with carefully selected tourism operators, which will offer the same quality and high standards of service that our clients expect from us.

You can choose from a selection of various (active) outdoor activities in the Galapagos, the Cloud Forest or Amazon Jungle. We highly recommend to extent your trip with a rafting experience.

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DATES & PRICING

Scheduled Dates

We run this trip only on private basis for groups.

Please send us an e-mail to book this

Antisana Trek & Climb Expedition.

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2024 Prices

1 pax - USD 3.400 per person in single occupancy
2 pax - USD 2.000 per person in double occupancy
3 pax - USD 1.730 per person in triple occupancy
4+ pax - USD 1.470 per person in cuadruple occupancy
Single Room Suplement and tent - USD 420
Double Room Suplement in Papallacta - USD 170

Trip Cost Includes

All transport by private vehicles during the program
Horse support for the trek
All accomodation: 1 night at: Termas de Papallacta (shared bathroom), and Ilatoa Lodge (private bathroom), both in double basis
All the food once out of Quito
Camping gear
Permits and park fees
One guide for the acclimatisation hikes
One bilingual qualified mountain guide per every two climbers
Climbing gear: crampons, harness, ice axe and group gear such as ropes

Trip Cost Does Not Include

International flights
Hotel nights in Quito
Travel insurance
Airport transfers
Lunch and evening meals while in Quito
Alcoholic drinks
Extras, laundry, tips
Double plastic boots for rent at $20 per day

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WHY TAKE THIS TRIP WITH US?

There are several reasons: It is a unique approach to Antisana! 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?

The majority of our clients come from North America, UK or Europe, so %98 of the times the expedition is guided in English, however, under request for private trip we could provide a German or French speaking guide. For acclimatization reasons we strongly recommend our clients arriving two days earlier in Quito at 2.800 m / 9,000 ft before the start of the expedition. On the second day in Quito our clients are invited come to our office for a briefing, gear check and a coffee. During the trek towards Antisana we have the support of a cook+ one assistant. The larger bags (duffle) of our clients will get transported by horses and part of it in a 4X4, so our clients will only need to hike with a day pack and their rain gear. Part of the trek towards Antisana is done on wet terrain so we strongly suggest to bring a pair of rubber boots for it however the camps are located in dry terrain. During the trip there is internet access on days 1 and 5, good mobile signal on day 1,2,6 and 7. All foreign telephone companies work with a local provider, Claro is known to be the best local company especially in rural areas

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

Hello Javier, Thank you so much for hosting our excellent trip to experience some of Ecuador’s mountains. I enjoyed it very much. Marco is an excellent guide. I to return to Ecuador some day in the future for more mountaineering. When that time approaches, you will be the first person I contact! Thanks again,

Ryan Hebrink

USA

The trip was excellent. The logistics were organized beautifully. Our guides Gaspar, Topo and Cesar were knowledgeable, competent, helpful, caring and fun and I felt safe and comfortable with them throughout the trip. A special thanks to Gaspar for encouraging me to try Antisana. The ascent up the glacier was a new experience for me and I really enjoyed it (besides feeling so tired and out of breath in the final hours!) Hiking from base camp under clear skies with stars, moon, lightning in the amazon, seeing Sangay erupt in the distance when it got light, then getting to the summit and having views above the clouds was an awesome experience. I have had many great memories of the trip and hope I will return to Ecuador for another trip with Andeanface in the future. Merry Christmas!

Andrea Batistel

Canada

Hi Javier: I had great Time with Andeanface and Diego Castillo and, I would say he is probably the best mountain guide I have worked with, and I was really impressed with his knowledge of the climbs and his good company. It was disappointing not to quite make the summit of Chimborazo afterwards, but no other team made it up on that day. Antisana was really good!. I will definitely come back and book more climbs with Andeanface again!

Sam Worsley