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Departure day has arrived and you may be filled with nerves and excitement you set off on this long-awaited expedition. As you say goodbye to family and friends, remember that this is what all the hard work has been for. The flight arrives in Quito – 2,800 metres above sea level. Here fears will fade away as new friendships are formed.
Today you will arrive in Quito in the morning and have the rest of the day to rest and acclimatize to the altitude.
Today is spent touring Quito in order to acclimatise. First stop is La Virgen De Quito, from where there is a panoramic view of the city and the setting of our challenge: the Avenue of the Volcanoes. We then head to Mitad del Mundo, a monument on the equator dividing the northern and southern hemispheres. Later the guide will run through a final check list before the challenge.
Today we drive towards our first hurdle, volcano Pasochoa. The trek meanders through lush rainforests, before continuing on to the volcano’s narrow ridge. It’s a steep climb, but team spirit will push you through to the summit. Return to Quito for dinner and overnight.
Hiking Rucu Pichincha is a relatively straight forward climb and very good for acclimatization
The active caldera of the Pichinchas is on the western side of the Guagua Pichincha Mountain. Both peaks (Rucu and Guagua) are visible from the city of Quito and both are popular acclimatization climbs. Guagua Pichincha is usually accessed from the village of Lloa outside of Quito
After an early breakfast, we start our 7-8 hour long high altitude (over 4,000m) trek, crossing the Pichinchas valley. This day there is no summit, however trekking at high altitude gives you a great acclimatization advantage. The trekking will end at the cable car, from where you will be picked up in order to continue towards Otavalo for overnight at the local hotel.
After breakfast, depart to Fuya-Fuya, located in the Mojanda paramo, an ecosystem where there are three beautiful lakes that originally formed part of glacial volcanoes. From the lakes we will start our hike towards the Fuya Fuya Mountain, and once we arrive to the top we have a short rest and a boxed lunch. We start our descent and drive back for overnight at a local hotel in Otavalo.
Today will be a relaxed day. Enjoy some free time and leave with enough time to Cayambe Town for lunch. After lunch we start driving towards Cayambe‘s Hut (1 hour). Once we arrive, we get settled and if weather permits, we can do some ice practice in the afternoon and/or relax for the rest of the day.
Today will be spent practising crampon and ice technique in preparation for tomorrow. Our guides will help to ensure we feel comfortable for the ultimate challenge of summiting Cayambe. There may be an afternoon walk, as we continue to acclimatise. Bedtime is early, as we try to sleep through nerves and excitement ahead of the moonlit start ahead.
The gruelling eight-hour climb begins at midnight. Along the way we face steep glaciers and sharp inclines of 30-40 degrees in extreme conditions. Roped up to our professional guides with crampons and ice axes, we reach the summit tired but triumphant. Feeling on top of the world, we’ll descend through the clouds for lunch, before heading back to Quito for a real celebration.
NB: To climb Cayambe you can hire crampons, helmets, harnesses and ice axes from the local supplier, but please inform your operations manager eight weeks before the trek departs. They will then be brought out to you for the summit and glacier practice by the climb support team.
There will be free time on this final day to explore Quito and pick up some last minute souvenirs. The flight home is the perfect opportunity to reflect on all we’ve achieved, before sharing your fantastic journey with friends and family.
We arrive back as victors on home soil. From here it’s a heartfelt goodbye to your new friends and trekking partners.
BELIEVE >> ACHIEVE >> INSPIRE
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