Diapositiva 1
$55 por persona | Desde Quito

Cumbre del Cotopaxi

El Segundo pico más alto de Ecuador
Guaranteed departures
  • Disponible todos los días

“1872: Reiss and Escobar reached the summit. 160 years later: So will you.”

Nuestro itinerario

Cotopaxi Climbing Tour

AVG. TEMPERATURE
0°C / 32°F

TOUR RATING
4.8 / 5

AVG. ELEVATION
5,897 m / 19,347 ft

DIFFICULTY
Challenging

1

Equipment Check & Departure from Quito

Start your adventure by meeting your guide at our Quito office at 10:00 a.m. We’ll go through a comprehensive equipment check to ensure everything is in order for the climb. This is an essential step to guarantee your safety and comfort during the expedition. Once all gear is checked, we will depart Quito, heading south toward our first stop.

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2

Lunch & Journey to Cotopaxi

We’ll drive to the picturesque town of Machachi, where we’ll pause for a hearty lunch. This stop allows you to enjoy local cuisine and provides a break before the ascent.

After lunch, we continue our journey in a sturdy 4×4 vehicle, navigating rugged terrain until we reach the parking lot at 4,600 meters (15,091.86 ft). At this point, you’ll put on most of your climbing equipment to minimize the load you’ll carry to the refuge.

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3

Hike to Refuge & Training

From the parking lot, we’ll embark on a 45-minute hike to the José Rivas Refuge, situated at 4,800 meters (15,748.03 ft). This hike helps with acclimatization and prepares you for the climb ahead.

Upon arrival, you’ll settle into the refuge. In the afternoon, we conduct a glacier school session to familiarize you with the use of climbing equipment such as crampons and ice axes. This hands-on training is crucial for your safety on the glacier.

We’ll have dinner at the refuge, followed by rest to prepare for the early morning summit attempt.

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4

Midnight Summit Attempt

The second day begins around 00:30 a.m. with a wake-up call and a cup of tea. After final preparations and packing only the essentials, we’ll set out on our summit attempt. The climb from the José Rivas Refuge to the summit of Cotopaxi typically takes about 5 to 6 hours. This slow and steady trek aims to reach the summit by sunrise, between 6 and 7 a.m. Although challenging, the ascent is incredibly rewarding, offering breathtaking views as dawn breaks over the Andes. This timeframe can vary based on weather conditions, the climbers’ pace, and acclimatization.

In the event that any member of our team cannot continue and needs to descend for safety reasons, we will need to make a collective decision. Please keep in mind that there will be two climbers per mountain guide. If one traveler is unable to continue, the entire group must return. In some cases, if there are other climbers attempting the summit, there may be an opportunity for the traveler who wishes to continue to join a different rope group. However, this is never guaranteed and may involve additional costs.

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5

Descent & Return to Quito

After reaching the summit and taking time to celebrate and capture photos, we’ll begin our descent back to the refuge.

Once there, you’ll enjoy a well-deserved breakfast. We’ll then pack up and start our journey back to Quito, aiming to arrive around 2:00 p.m.

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Tarifa de grupo: desde 430 USD por persona con un mínimo de 2 participantes.
Solo Traveler Rate: from 860 USD for 1 participant.

Las salidas son todos los días de la semana.

Importante:

Tenga en cuenta que el itinerario está sujeto a cambios sin previo aviso debido a factores externos y a discreción del guía.

Los horarios de las actividades son aproximados y pueden ajustarse si es necesario.

Aunque recomendamos que los participantes tengan buena condición física para afrontar las exigencias físicas de las caminatas y ascensos, ten en cuenta que nuestro guía experimentado siempre estará presente para brindar apoyo.

Tenga en cuenta que, cuando viaja solo y nos solicita emparejarle con otro montañista, no podemos garantizar la condición física ni la experiencia previa de su compañero, al igual que no podemos garantizar sus condiciones y experiencia al otro escalador. Como viajero solitario con experiencia significativa en montaña y un fuerte deseo de alcanzar la cumbre con éxito, siempre recomendamos reservar un tour privado.

Private transport in a 4×4 vehicle.

Certified ASEGUIM guide fluent in Spanish and English.

Meals: lunch and dinner on the first day, breakfast on the second day.

Accommodation at the refuge, including a bed, mattress, and thermal blanket.

Glacier school session, weather permitting.

Technical mountain equipment: plastic boots, crampons, harness, carabiner, helmet, flashlight (without batteries), external two-finger gloves, gaiters, ice axe, waterproof pants, waterproof jacket, and rope.

Extra food, snacks and drinks, 2 liters of water per day.

Personal clothing: Lycra-type shirt and pants, fleece jacket and pants, internal gloves, 2 to 3 pairs of socks.

Backpacks: one 40-liter and one 15-liter.

Buff (neck gaiter).

Sunblock.

Sleeping bag.

Sunglasses.

Camera.

Batteries for the flashlight (2 pairs of AAA).

Impuestos para turistas y empresas ecuatorianas.

Get ready for climbing tour with this packing list:

Lycra-type shirt and pants

Fleece jacket and pants

Internal gloves

2 to 3 pairs of socks

1 large backpack (40 liters)

1 small backpack (15 liters)

Buff (neck gaiter)

Saco de dormir

Sunglasses

Camara

Flashlight batteries (2 pairs of AAA)

Sunblock

Extra food and drinks

2 liters of water per day

 

Y para un sello de pasaporte de Chimborazo:

Traiga su pasaporte original.

Tarifa de grupo: desde 430 USD por persona con un mínimo de 2 participantes.
Solo Traveler Rate: from 860 USD for 1 participant.

Las salidas son todos los días de la semana.

Importante:

Tenga en cuenta que el itinerario está sujeto a cambios sin previo aviso debido a factores externos y a discreción del guía.

Los horarios de las actividades son aproximados y pueden ajustarse si es necesario.

Aunque recomendamos que los participantes tengan buena condición física para afrontar las exigencias físicas de las caminatas y ascensos, ten en cuenta que nuestro guía experimentado siempre estará presente para brindar apoyo.

Tenga en cuenta que, cuando viaja solo y nos solicita emparejarle con otro montañista, no podemos garantizar la condición física ni la experiencia previa de su compañero, al igual que no podemos garantizar sus condiciones y experiencia al otro escalador. Como viajero solitario con experiencia significativa en montaña y un fuerte deseo de alcanzar la cumbre con éxito, siempre recomendamos reservar un tour privado.

Private transport in a 4×4 vehicle.

Certified ASEGUIM guide fluent in Spanish and English.

Meals: lunch and dinner on the first day, breakfast on the second day.

Accommodation at the refuge, including a bed, mattress, and thermal blanket.

Glacier school session, weather permitting.

Technical mountain equipment: plastic boots, crampons, harness, carabiner, helmet, flashlight (without batteries), external two-finger gloves, gaiters, ice axe, waterproof pants, waterproof jacket, and rope.

Extra food, snacks and drinks, 2 liters of water per day.

Personal clothing: Lycra-type shirt and pants, fleece jacket and pants, internal gloves, 2 to 3 pairs of socks.

Backpacks: one 40-liter and one 15-liter.

Buff (neck gaiter).

Sunblock.

Sleeping bag.

Sunglasses.

Camera.

Batteries for the flashlight (2 pairs of AAA).

Impuestos para turistas y empresas ecuatorianas.

Get ready for climbing tour with this packing list:

Lycra-type shirt and pants

Fleece jacket and pants

Internal gloves

2 to 3 pairs of socks

1 large backpack (40 liters)

1 small backpack (15 liters)

Buff (neck gaiter)

Saco de dormir

Sunglasses

Camara

Flashlight batteries (2 pairs of AAA)

Sunblock

Extra food and drinks

2 liters of water per day

 

Y para un sello de pasaporte de Chimborazo:

Traiga su pasaporte original.

Preguntas Frecuentes

Escalada al Cotopaxi

Q: How difficult is the climb to the summit of Cotopaxi?

The climb is challenging and requires good physical condition. It involves a 5 to 6-hour ascent on ice to reach the summit by sunrise.

Q: Do I need prior mountaineering experience?

We require and appreciate a certain level of experience for this tour to ensure you get the most out of the experience.

 

Q: What if someone decides to turn back during the climb?

Please keep in mind that there will be two climbers per mountain guide. If one traveler is unable to continue, the entire group must return unless there are additional guides available to split the group.

 

Q: How should I prepare for high altitude on the climb?

Proper acclimatization is key. We offer other acclimatization tours recommended before your summit attempt. The itinerary includes gradual ascent and overnight stay at high altitude. Stay hydrated and follow the guide’s recommendations.