Cotopaxi Volcano Trekking (LFMA-07)

	Duration: 7 days Departing: Daily
	Itinerary Day 1 Horse back ride in the Pasochoa paramo Day 2 Hiking at the Porvenir Day 3 Hiking in the Inca fortress Day 4 Hiking in the Tambo and Quilindaña Volcano Day 5 Hiking in the Chirimacvhay Mountain Day 6 Hiking to the Limpiapungo Lagoon Day 7 Hiking to the Cotopaxi Volcano
	Package Descriptions

Day by Day Itinerary

Day 1 – Horseback ride in the Pasochoa paramo

Our ride begins at Hacienda Santa Rita Private Reserve at 3,300 meters after a short lesson about how to handle the horses. The ride will take us along the native Andean forest until we reach the majestic “páramos” of Pasochoa, enjoying the magnificent view of the neighboring mountains covered with snow. We will take a rest and enjoy a snack to recover our strength and continue with our journey. Reaching the base of the rock we can take a short hike to the summit at 4,200 m. (13,776 ft.). This is will be an easy and very beautiful experience. We return to El Porvenir hacienda on our comfortable 4X4 vehicle. (B – L - D)

Day 2 - Hiking at the Porvenir

The group will have a couple of hours to wake up, have breakfast and be ready to be picked up at 8:30am. Then, transfer to Amaguaña to start the hike to Hacienda El Porvenir. The hike from 3.000 to 3.500 meters will take about 6 hours. The hike will go trough a road with native forest and you have a great view of the valley and some mountains like Antisana, Pasochoa, Viudita, etc. at night there will be a briefing about the history, landscapes, flora and fauna of the region. (B – L - D)

Day 3 – Hiking in the Inca fortress

After breakfast we will go to a place called “El Pucara del Salitre”, a strategic military fortress from the old Inca Empire. This “fort” was used to monitor the “incananes” or roads that led to the Amazon rainforest and to the Latacunga valley. Following the “incanan” or old Inca road, we will head to our campsite. We will have the chance to see herds of Alpacas and learn a little bit about them. This hike takes 6 to 7 hours, and it's relatively flat. (B – L - D)

Day 4 – Hiking in the Tambo and Quilindaña Volcano

This day our hiking goes to el Tambo, a pre-colonial Inca refuge and stockyard on the road towards to the jungle. Many volcanoes surround this magical place, mainly Quilindaña that presides over it, and other mountains like Yanahurco, or black hill, legendary predicator or majestic Antisana. The hike will take 6 hours and 30 minutes and it is relatively flat. El Tambo is at 3.700 meters. (B – L - D)

Day 5 - Hiking in the Chirimacvhay Mountain

The group will loop around the Hacienda El Tambo going to Chirimachay’s base camp through the Cotopaxi's páramos. . The scenery of this area is unique because it is one of the courses that the lava set through in the Cotopaxi’s last volcanic eruption. Here we can observe how the Lava Rivers flooded this area. This hike takes about 5hrs. Because of the bulls some chagras will ride with the group this day. At night one of the chagras will talk about his life at the páramos and some legends of the region. Chirimachay is at 4.000 meters. (B – L - D)

Day 6 – Hiking to the Limpiapungo Lagoon

We will start our hike in the morning going trough the water channel road to the Limpiopungo Lagoon, the place for our campsite. This is a perfect place to take breathtaking pictures of the Cotopaxi, Rumiñahui and Sincholagua Volcanoes. The hike will take 6 to 7 hours. This night we’ll have musicians to play music to the group. (B – L - D)

Day 7 – Hiking to the Cotopaxi Volcano

This exiting day we will hike to the hut refuge of the Cotopaxi at 4.800 meters! The hike takes 4 to 5 hours up to reach the refuge and 2 1/2 hours down to the campsite. Here our vehicles will pick us up to take us to Hacienda El Porvenir from where we will return to Quito. (B – L)