10 Day Ascent of Ruco Pichincha, Illiniza Norte, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo - Departure Date: 20th of December.

Join us on that departure date: 20th of December. Final expedition price will be stablished once the group is finally closed. Check all details on
http://www.pioneerjourneys.com/10-day-ascent-of-ruco-pichincha-illiniza-norte-cotopaxi-and-chimborazo.html

Overview
This is a beautiful combination of acclimatization mountains and high altitude volcanoes. Climbing Ruco Pichincha (4.698 m / 15,413 ft) and Illiniza Norte (5.116 m / 16,785 ft) through its Andean grass carpets will let us to properly acclimatize for the following high altitude challenging mountains: Cotopaxi (19,347ft/5.897m) the second highest volcano in Ecuador and one of the most perfect cone shaped active volcanoes in the world; and Chimborazo (6.310m/20,702ft), the highest peak of Ecuador and of the World if we measure it from the core of the globe.

Itinerary
Day 1: Rucu Pinchincha (4.698 m / 15,413 ft)
We'll leave Quito in the morning and drive by car to the Cruz Loma, situated 10 kilometers west from the capital. From there it will take us approximately 3 and a half hours to reach the summit. Later in the afternoon we'll be back in Quito.

Day 2: Quito – El Chaupi Hostelry (4.650 m / 15,256 ft)
Leaving Quito in the morning, we’ll drive 2 hours to the base of the Illiniza. Today we will do a 3 hours hike around the base of the Illiniza to get a good acclimatization. We’ll accommodate in our associated El Chaupi Hostelry.

Day 3: Illiniza Norte Summit (5.116 m / 16,785 ft)
Our climb begins at 5 am following a rocky ridge. Under normal conditions, no special skills are required. Nevertheless, our guides will be always prepared to overcome any difficulty in order to reach the summit safety (some times our path can be pretty snowy or we may encounter bad weather conditions). From summit you’ll have a privileged view of the Avenue of Volcanoes: Cayambe, Cotopaxi, Chimborazo…After our descent, we’ll head to enjoy a very good meal in our associated Tambopaxi Hostelry, right in the base of Cotopaxi Volcano.

Day 4: Refuge of Cotopaxi (4.800 m / 15,750 ft)
After breakfast, we’ll drive to the entrance of the Cotopaxi National Park and to the car park located at 4.600 m / 15092 ft. From there, we’ll hike for about an hour to the refuge (4.800 m / 15,750 ft). Once in the hut, we’ll take lunch and prepare for the climb to one of the most beautiful mountains of the high Andes: the perfect cone of Cotopaxi.

Day 5: Cotopaxi’s Summit (19,347 ft / 5.897 m)
Our climb will begin at about one in the morning. As all normal big Ecuadorian volcanoes routes, this is also quite physically demanding. After a 30 degree rocky and ashy slope, we’ll enter the glacier area and the several 30 to 45 degrees slopes that will take us to the edge of the one of most impressive crater formations. Having enjoyed the sunrise during our climb, from the top of that gigantic perfect cone shaped active volcano (19,347 ft / 5.897 m), we’ll be amazed at the views of the deep crater and the also caped mountains of Antizana, Cayambe and Chimborazo. After our 3 hours descent, we’ll head back to our hostelry where you’ll be able to rest and enjoy some good meals.

Day 6: Drive trip to the City of Riobamba and the base of Chimborazo Volcano.
This day is important in order to recover the strength and prepare for our last challenge in Chimborazo. We will drive for about 3 hours through the Andes till the City of Riobamba and to the comfortable mountain refuge Estrella del Chimborazo. We will have time to relax and visit some interesting historic points.

Day 7: Estrella del Chimborazo to High Campsite (5.047m/16,558ft)
After breakfast, we’ll get prepared for a three hours hike up to our high campsite. Once there, we’ll spend the afternoon preparing for the climb.

Day 8: Summit of Chimborazo (6.310m/20,702ft)
Chimborazo, with 6.310m/20,702ft, is the highest mountain in Ecuador and, somehow, the world’s highest point if we consider the distance from the center of the Earth (because of its ovoid shape caused by rotation). Although Chimborazo is considered an extinct volcano, its massive towering ice-capped peak can easily be seen from the Pacific Coast. Beneath the spectacular summit is a crater that today is eroded and contorted, suggesting that this mountain might have been even higher in more ancient times.
Our climb will start at midnight following the normal route. We should be reaching the summit after 8 to 9 hours of climbing. From there, you’ll enjoy one of the most extraordinary views in Ecuador: the Pacific Ocean, the Amazon rain forest, the peaks of Altar, Illinizas, Anizana and Cotopaxi, and the smoky active volcanoes of Tungurahua and Sangay.

The descent to the Estrella del Chimborazo takes around four hours. There, we will relax and recover our bodies with some delicious celebrating meals.

Day 9: Return to Quito
After having breakfast we’ll drive through the Avenue of Volcanoes back to Quito where we’ll accommodate in our hotel and celebrate the end of the trip with a great dinner.

Day 10: Extra Day
This extra day is highly recommended in order to improve the chances of climbing all of our goals. For instance, it can be used as an extra day for climbing Chimborazo if bad weather conditions delay our climbing attempt or and extra rest or acclimatization day is needed. If that extra day is finally not needed for climbing, it can be spent to do some cultural visits or even perform some activities in the cloud forest near Quito or relaxing in the hot springs of Baños, always according to your preferences.

Ask us any other detail you need to know, and join this group departure on the 20th of December.

Contact us:
Josep Nebot
Sales Manager
PIONEER JOURNEYS
The Custom Adventure Travel Company of Ecuador
Web: www.pioneerjourneys.com
Skype user: pioneer.journeys
E-mail: jnebot@pioneerjourneys.com

THE AMAZING AND WILD SANGAY NATIONAL PARK

It is the largest park in Ecuador’s central Andes, connecting three provinces, Morona Santiago, Tungurahua and Chimborazo. For Pioneer Journeys this National Park is a very special destination because it contains three of Ecuador’s best climbing options: Tungurahua Volcano, the sharp Altar and the mysterious Sangay volcano.
It was in 1979 that the Ecuadorian authorities decided to protect 270,000 hectares of pristine landscapes and astonishing biodiversity. A few years later, UNESCO declared that reserve a World Heritatge Site, and then the government doubled the protected area to more than half a million hectares.
Pioneer Journeys adventurers and guides like so much Sangay National Park because of its enormous backcountry that remains pristine and hard to reach…a lot of true adventure possibilities.
Doing a trekking on it one can find 10 different life zones through its 4,400 meter altitude range: wetlands, lowland rainforest, alpine tundra, midrange woods, etc. That condition creates a huge diversity of flora and fauna: anteaters, jaguars, monkeys, and more than 500 different bird species. The Andean Tapir is one of the most precious animals of that territory, sometimes seen near the Sangay Volcano. There we can also see one of the most rare deer species, the Pudu Deer, one of the smallest of the world and in critic danger of survival.
Also the Sangay National Park contains two different indigenous groups: the Canalos Quechua and the Shuar. This is also the place of ancient Indian archeological discoveries, dated as far back as 500 B.C.

Sangay Volcano
You must know that Sangay Volcano is the most active one in Ecuador! Emerging above the Amazon Jungle on the edge of the eastern Andes, the smoky Sangay (5230 m above sea level) has always been an untouched mysterious jewel for adventurers and climbers.
Its name was taken from the Quechua word “samak” which means “frighten”. Its reputation is certainly true: when is well active, one can see rock falls, easily feel the tremors and the sulfur…if you climb it you might be able to say you’ve climbed perhaps the most thrilling climb in all South America.
The first recorded success ascent was in 1929! The main problem of climbing it has always been the tremendous volcanic activity…only when the volcano is quiet one can attempt to climb its slopes, and that doesn’t happens often. The mountain’s continual activity quickly makes any detailed route description obsolete because the peak and surroundings are being continually transformed. That’s why hiring a guide is so important, besides the fact that in order to reach the slopes of the volcano one have to do a long, difficult hike. Te best time to climb it is from October to February on the driest time in the area. July and August are usually sodden and the hike to the base usually takes two or more days.
This adventure gives you also the opportunity to see and literally walk over some geologically marvels! La Playa, for instance, is a flat lava platform at the very base of the volcano, from where one can admire enormous lava rocks, see and hear explosions several times per minute. From there the climber faces lava and snow slopes (not steeper than 35 degrees) and on the top one can see three perfect craters, usually with fog moving in and out. 6 hours for the ascent and 4 for the descent, a gift for our souls full of feelings and nature!
See http://www.pioneerjourneys.com/sangay-trekking.html for all Santay Trekking details.
See http://www.pioneerjourneys.com/trekking.html for all trekking option in Ecuador.

Josep Nebot
Sales Manager
PIONEER JOURNEYS
The Custom Adventure Travel Company of Ecuador
Web: www.pioneerjourneys.com
Skype user: pioneer.journeys
E-mail: jnebot@pioneerjourneys.com
Cell phone: from abroad (00593) 91334508
from Ecuador 091334508
Office: from abroad: (00593).2.3332687
from Ecuador: (02)6042278

Recommendations for Kayaking and Rafting in Ecuador…Possibly the best tropical white water in the world!
We can say that river running is starting in Ecuador, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a better country for it. Experienced paddlers have been visiting Ecuador for the past 10 years describe the kayaking in Ecuador rivers as some of the best they’ve seen anywhere. They like to talk about wide, brown rivers that wind through thick, green foliage and precipitous rocky gorges before suddenly falling into Class IV wild white water. And, most of all, they like to remark that the water and environment is warm, the sceneries are gorgeous and the rivers are so easily accessible that it is a wonder this places aren’t overrun yet with paddlers.
From Quito from one day to one week paddling trips can be arranged, and for all levels of expertise. The upper section of rivers in the Andes, before they fall to the flat Amazon Basin, offer difficulties, even technical Class V runs best left to expert kayakers. As they flow downward and increase in water volume, the flows become softer but rapids can still be continuous, requiring endurance and sustained effort to manage the hours of Class III and IV white water…that continuity characteristic of Ecuadorian rivers are one of the most remembered by white water lovers!
Some river descriptions can be found in http://www.pioneerjourneys.com/kayaking-and-rafting-expeditions.html . Río Blanco is the most frequently run in Ecuador, in part because it is so accessible to Quito. Much of its 200 paddling km of white water in that river can be done in a day trip. Upper Blanco River has a 47 km sustained Class III-IV rapids that can be done in 4 hours! That is probably the most white water you will ever hit in a day. After that section, if you are still hungry for more white water, other rivers can be taken, the Mindo River Class III-IV, Pilaton (Class IV-V), Saloya (IV-V) or the upper Toachi (IV-V). All difficulties depend on the time of the year and we strongly recommend to always hire guiding personalized tours that will bring you to enjoy the best of that paradise.
For less experienced kayakers or also professionals, Río Quijos offers everything from Class II to steep Class IV-V white water. It is placed in an astonishing environment, near the snowed capped Antisana Volcano Reserve. Class IV-V streams drop through narrow rock canyons. There, rafters head to the main Quijos (Class III-V) and fanatic kayakers tackle the Papallacta (V) or Oyacachi (Class IV) tributaries.
Río Napo and most of its tributaries offer a crazy variety to let you paddle a different river every day during a whole week. Class III Uper Napo, Class IV Misahuallí River are maybe the most popular. As I said before, all theses rivers can suffer extreme changes in water levels but there are always alternatives thanks to the jungle mountains and weather particular conditions of tropical western Ecuador.
Pioneer Journeys (www.pioneerjourneys.com) work with the most experienced guides and has a good range of quality technical equipment. Rescue and first-aid training is a requisite for our tour leaders. Bear in mind that we have specialized in both guiding professional kayakers to personalized expeditions and also instruction courses to introduce newcomers to the thrills of white water…surrounded in that case by pristine tropical flora!