Women+ Ecuador Volcanoes

This expedition ascends both Cayambe (18,996 feet) and Cotopaxi (19,347 feet). We will work towards these high altitude peaks by utilizing Pasochoa (13,800ft) and Ruco Pichincha (15,696ft) as acclimatization ascents.

You will be joined by the only certified female guides in the country as well as our guides. This is an amazing opportunity to learn from high level women in the industry, and pioneers in Ecuador.

Ecuador is an amazing country, full of rich culture and beautiful high altitude mountains. This expedition will begin and end in Quito (9,350 feet), located in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. Acclimatization begins the minute your plane touches down! We will spend a few days on local peaks, working up to Cayambe Ecuador’s third-highest mountain, about 70 kilometers northeast of Quito. Cayambe is the only major mountain in the world whose summit straddles the Equator.

After a rest day in the countryside, we will head to Cotopaxi, Ecuador’s second-highest summit. Since 1738, Cotopaxi has erupted more than 50 times, most recently in 2022, resulting in the creation of numerous valleys formed by lahars (mudflows) around the volcano.

You can also add on Chimborazo (20,548 feet), which is Ecuador’s tallest peak and the furthest point from the center of the Earth. Chimborazo, as it’s a great way to make the most of your acclimatization, training, investment and time in Ecuador.

Day 1: Arrive in Quito, Ecuador

• Meet together in the evening once everyone has arrived to the beautiful Ilalo Garden Hotel. We will stay here for the next several days.

Day 2: Quito City Tour

• We will spend the day acclimatizing in the city of Quito, resting at nearly 10,000ft. A local guide will show our team around the beautiful city.

Day 3: Acclimatization hike on Pasochoa

Day 4: Acclimatization hike on Ruco Pichincha

Day 5: Head to Cayambe

• We will move from our lovely Hotel in Quito towards the rural mountainside of Caymbe, staying in a mountain hut at the base of the mountain called Refugio Yanacocha. Here we will practice skills and get all climbers feeling confident to embark on the first major climb of the trip.

Day 6: Cayambe

• We will spend the day exploring the mountain and continuing our glacier skills training.

Day 7: Summit bid on Cayambe

• Our day will begin very early in the pre-dawn hours and continue through the day.

Day 8: Rest day

• We will be staying in a beautiful lodge near Cotopaxi. This is the perfect location to relax, read a book, or walk around the countryside.

Day 9: Travel to Cotopaxi and explore the base of the mountain

• We will settle into our mountainside Refugio and prepare for another big climb.

Day 10: Summit bid on Cotopaxi

Day 11: Departure day for those not climbing Chimborazo. Rest day for those continuing on.

Day 12: Hike to Chimborazo High Camp

Day 13: Summit Bid for Chimborazo

Day 14: Final debrief and departure

• Professional Certified Mountain Guides

• Team hotels and mountain huts at single or double occupancy (does not include early arrivals or late departures)

• Breakfast is provided daily, and expedition food is available in the huts. While on the mountain, dinners and breakfasts will be provided

• Expedition management and all logistics

• All group transportation is provided while on the expedition. If you depart early, you are responsible for the added expenses for transport, lodging, rescue, and evacuation.

• Team gear, including fuel, ropes, safety gear, and tents when applicable

• Satellite phone communication

• Spend two weeks with an amazing group of supportive women. Learn skills to feel more confident in high altitude terrain in a non-egotistical/machismo environment.

• Pack in two-three iconic high-altitude summits, Cotopaxi, Cayambe, and Chimborazo in just two weeks with our most talented mountain guides.

• Stay in haciendas, boutique hotels, and beautiful mountainside huts.

• Experience the rich culture and amazing hospitality of one of the world’s best travel destinations—Ecuador.

This program is of moderate difficulty and is great for those with previous experience with crampons, ice axes, and rope travel on peaks such as Mount Baker. It requires solid fitness and an ability to perform well at altitude, but it is not beyond the abilities of many people who are willing to train for the climb and work hard on the trip.

Your climb begins long before you reach Ecuador. We encourage you to incorporate training into your daily routine at least six months before the departure date. As your climb rolls around, you want to be in top physical and mental condition. Being fit at home is different from being strong at high altitudes and in extreme conditions.

By the time you depart, you should be comfortably able to do multi-day hikes with strong elevation gain carrying a 40-lb pack. While you won’t necessarily always have a pack that heavy in Ecuador (you will be carrying all of your gear to the Cayambe and Cotopaxi huts and, if you do the Chimborazo add-on, to high camp), it is a great way to build your power and strength in the areas you will need it. The average pack weight in Ecuador is 20 lbs (10kg) on a hiking/climbing day and 30 lbs (15 kg) on a day we are carrying to/from a hut or high camp.