Itinerary

Day 1: Machachi (10,170ft/3.100m) – Cotopaxi Refuge (15,958ft/4.864m)

We will leave from Machachi (10,170ft/3.100m) in the morning and drive south through the Avenue of the Volcanoes until we get to the Cotopaxi National Park entrance. From here we will drive east to the Cotopaxi parking lot (14,764ft/4.500m). We get our gear ready and hike up for an hour to the José Rivas Refuge (15,958ft/4.864m). In the afternoon we will go to the glacier for ice practices and training. We will learn some basic techniques, which include last but not least proper handling of the climbing equipment (crampons, ice axe, rope, etc). We will go back to the Refuge for dinner and rest (-/-/D)

Day 2: Refuge – Cotopaxi Summit (19,347ft/5.897m) – Machachi 

We will wake up at midnight and depart to the top (19,347ft/5.897m) around 1 am after a light breakfast. The climb will take us about 6 to 8 hours. The first part is about an hour hike to the glacier, where we put the crampons on and start the glacier ascent. Once at the summit we will take our time for pictures of the crater and surroundings and then we will head back to the refuge in 2 to 3 hours. At the refuge we will rest, pack our belongings, have something to eat, drink and go down to the parking lot, from where we return back to Machachi (B/-/-)

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