Ccotopaxi & - the ring of fire trek

13 days of pure adventure which includes reaching the summits of 4 of ’s highest volcanoes.

Your go to high altitude experts from Everest to Kili and all the adventures inbetween What's inside?

About the Ring of Fire Expedition 3

Why trek with EverTrek? 4

What’s included? 7

What to expect on the trek 8

Best time to go 9

How fit do I need to be? 10

Your itinerary 11

Equipment list 23

Chat to our Yetis 25

2 about and

chimbarazo

The Cotopaxi and Chimbarazo - Ring of Fire trek takes you through the ‘Avenue of Volcanoes’ as it’s called locally. It’s 13 days of awesome adventure which includes reaching the summits of 4 of Ecuador’s highest volcanoes, Imbabura (4560m), (5790m) Cotopaxi (5897m) and finally the mighty Chimborazo (6268m).

This is a true South American adventure offering you full immersion into the sights and sounds of Ecuador as well as experiencing altitude in one of the world’s most beautiful ranges.

3 Why trek with eveRtrek?

Are the calling you again? EverTrek are the UK’s leading specialists in hardcore high altitude trekking. Why our customers think we’re awesome? We spend more time on preparing our EverTrekkers and truly believe they are the best prepared trekkers on the mountain with a success rate of over 95% (industry standard 65%).

You get a personalised trip planner which will be your trekking bible for both before and during the trek to help prepare you practically, mentally & physically.

Access our training portal for mountains of knowledge in the EverTrekkers Members Hub to get clued up on everything you need to know about your trip, training & trek.

Get booked up on one our awesome UK based training weekends to kick start your trek training, socialise with other EverTrekkers & get pick the brains of our experienced Adventure Experts (or as we call them - the Yetis). Saving the world one trek at a time Over the last couple of years, we have made it our priority to find a solution to the environmental issues that our industry faces in Nepal and the other countries we operate in. We became one of the very first companies to offer fresh filtered drinking water in Nepal using water filters on every trip. Customers no longer need to buy plastic bottles or use chlorine tablets.

This means less plastic and a far more pleasant experience for our customers.

We have also teamed up with Mossy where we now plant a tree for every customer that books with EverTrek.

4 Flexible Yeti’s

We like to remain as accessible and as flexible as possible having our Adventure Experts on hand to supply all the information you need for a successful and worry-free trip.

We offer lifetime deposits, instalment plans, private transfers & airport pickups/send offs and if you need to change your trip for an emergency you won’t be stung with any admin or surprise-fees.

All your food and fantastic accommodation on the trek is covered by us, so you don’t need to stress over the details. You can feel confident that our quality assured accommodation is completely taken care of so you can focus on having a ton of fun on your trip.

customer reviews

“Has to be one of the best run and professional companies I have come across.”

This trip was exceptional from start to finish. Has to be one of the best run and professional companies I have come across. Before we even started we were sent weekly emails and lots of correspondence to get us excited for the trip. Any questions and worries were answered straight away - some even by video replies!!

The actual Everest base camp trip itself was one of the best experiences of my life, however very tough! Everything from start to finish was run perfectly. I couldn’t have asked for more from Andy, Dave and the Sherpas they provided! A 5 star service all round!& sherpa who take care of you every step of the way. Thank you Evertrek!

Lee Wardle - Triathlete and Personal Trainer

“The guides were truly amazing, professional and were always on-hand to look after us.” Thanks guys for the experience of a lifetime. What can I say about EverTrek! Simply brilliant. From the moment we spoke with Andy and signed up it was all taken care of. The guides were truly amazing, professional and were always on-hand to look after us.

Listen, this is a tough challenge but it’s well within the reach of most of you out there considering the possibility. I’ve kept myself pretty fit all my life (63 years young) but trying to keep up with my sons was, at times, pushing my limits. I cannot recommend EverTrek highly enough. Don’t think about this for too long - just do it. They’ll get there and you’ll never forget the experience. Thanks again Andy and EverTrek.

Alan Irwin - Head of awesome parenting (Took his 3 sons to EBC)

5 cotopaxi & chimbarazo - ring of fire trek In a nutshell: Trip duration: 13 days Accommodation: 3 nights in hotel, 2 nights in Banos and mountain hut accomodation for volcanoe summit attemps. Trek detail: 4 Summits and 1 summit buffer day.

“Something a little different but The Ring Of Fire trek is a tough trek a fantastic route.! as are climbing 4 very high volcanic Something that sounds a little peaks. As always with our trips, it’s all crazy, climbing a Volcanoe. about the acclimatisation so we will Certainly gets the adventure juices flowing thats for sure. spend some time in Quito as well as some training as low down as If you want to experience possible. trekking in the as well as summiting some peaks, this is Acclimatisation is the magic word once again the one for you. A proper bucket as you summit Imbabura (4560 m)and list trek.” Cayambe Volcano (5790m) before we attempt the big 2 volcanoes, Chimbarazo and Cotopaxi. These are our ulimate goals but there entire area is a fantastic place to trek and visit.

. Andy Moore CEO & Head Yeti

6 what's iNcluded?

Airport Pick-up and Drop-off International flights to Quito, service in a private vehicle Ecuador. B & B accommodation at the Ecuadorian visa Hotel in Quito, Banos and Otovalo. Meals in the city except All transfers to start of summit breakfast attempts. and other mentioned meals 4 summit days with 1 buffer day Personal expenses including in case of bad weather or altitude mineral water, and alcoholic issues drinks and beverages All peak climbing & Tips for guides & porters trekking permits Your altitude travel insurance Full Quito Guided tour Any other extended trips Climbing assitant guide or additional accommodation on Cayambe, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo ratio: 1:2 Gear for your climb (Available to hire at hotel if needed). All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) on the trek All accommodation whilst on trek in mountain huts. Experienced Local Mountain guide during the entire program Assistant mountain guide during the entire program from groups of 5 or more Boiled water on the mountain EverTrek Trip Planner & Access to our online programme EverTrekker T-shirt & Neck Buff 15% discount with Cotswold Outdoor

7 What to expect on the trek

Accommodation and Food

On any ordinary adventure, the level of food & accommodation can vary but considering you are on an expedition, the food is awesome. You will need it on this trip that’s for sure as your body requires decent amounts of food to give you the energy and fuel for your trek.

We know how important it is to get a good meal in you and as well as a good night’s rest (with earplugs of course). That’s why we hire the best cooks and use and use the best huts that’s available on the Volcanoes.

There’s nothing worse at altitude when you’re lacking energy due to a poor nights sleep and only having a substandard meal the night before. That’s why we don’t cut corners. Our on the ground staff want to give you the best service and experience on your journey to the summit all four peaks.

As this is remote trip you will be staying at high altitude mountain huts, depending on space it will be a dormatory type accommodation. There will also be limits to showers due to the remote location. The toilets are also super basic so do take some hand santiser and some good wet wipes.

8 When is the best time to go? As Ecuador lies as you may have guessed it, near the it follows very closely to the other nations that lie along the Andes mountain range. This is why the season to climb it is during November - February which is the driest time and also June-August. November to February & June-August These are the 2 best times of year to climb in Ecuador as they are driest months. That being said, the weather can be very challenging at any time of year but the weather conditions outside of these months can be very unstable. fa Q All of our treks come with our ‘Awesomeness Guarantee’ as well as your land transfers, accommodation and all of your meals but here are a few more detailed specifics:

Transport All transport during the trip is included, whether private or public, including road transport and transfers as per the itinerary.. Accommodation The standard of accommodation we use can vary from our comfy hotels in Quito and Banos to basic high mountain huts. We always try to choose comfortable accommodation with local character, although in some areas this may not meet Western standards. Where hotel accommodation is provided, this is based on twin occupancy. On climbing trips that are on the Ecuadorian volcanoes the huts are normally dormatory standard. Included Meals Wherever practical, all meals are provided within the trip price. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all included whilst trekking and some meals whilst staying in Quito. Staff All EverTrek groups are accompanied by a professional mountain guide as well as assistant guides depending on the size of the group. All of our guides we use for this trip have summited numerous peaks at high altitudeand are vastly experienced. All of our guides are also fully qualified and medically trainined for high altitude. We have high standards when it comes to mountain guides. Some climbing trips will have 2 or more leaders, depending on group size.

9 how fit do i need to be for the ring of fire trek?

As an adventure travel company who takes our customers safety very seriously, we always suggest people who take part in any of our trips have some level of fitness and taking on 4 high altitude summits is not easy. It’s meant to be challenging and it’s not one of those trips where you can turn up and hope for the best. You need to be prepared for it as it’s a long trek as well as some tough summit nights. Hiking at altitude can be tough at times and we always recommend doing some CV exercise prior to the trek whilst also incorporating some hill walking to get the legs used to going up and down mountain paths. The more you do before the trip the more you will get out of it. If you want some advice on specific training for this trek then email us at info@ evertrek.co.uk and we can send over some training plans. Most of the treks and climbing expeditions we operate are at high altitude where the body and mind will be tested to its limits. The trips are meant to be tough and challenging and that’s what makes the journey so worth it but the decision to take part is one you will have to make yourself.

10 itineRary

Here is a detailed description of your itinerary on the Ring of Fire trek.

Day Arrival in Quito (2850m/9,350ft) 1

Hola! Welcome to Ecuador!

Today is the first day of your South American adventure and a member of the EverTrek team will be there to greet you and welcome you to Quito. It’s a short private transfer straight to the hotel for you to relax and get over the long haul flight. Enjoy some free time getting to know your fellow EverTrekkers and the local food and drinks.

11 Day 2 Full day City tour as well as “Mitad del Mundo”

After breakfast your private tour around Quito begins. You will leave the modern part of Quito and head to the ancient historical part of the city where you will spend time basking in the local atmosphere. Some highlights include the La Basilica Church, La Compania Church and El Panecillo Hill.

After some lunch at a local restaurant you will visit ‘Mitad del Mundo’ where you can stand on the equatorial line and take part in some fun experiments! Which way does the water go down the plug is one of the many! Meals included: Breakfast .

Day 3 trek to

We leave Quito early morning with a pick up from the hotel. We then take the scenic drive of roughly 3 hours to Cuicocha’s volcanic lake, on the way stopping at the Equatorial line and the town of Otavalo. Once you arrive at the Cuicocha park entrance the first day of trekking begins! Hiking around the crater rim you will already be acclimatising as you reach an altitude of 3400m. The hike will go almost all the way around the lake, to a dirt road where the transport will be waiting to take the team back to Otavalo. Once in Otavalo, you will have free time to visit the famous indigenous market, where it is possible to find all sorts of souvenirs. There is a wide variety of bars, restaurants and cafes to enjoy, but as you are already at altitude we recommend saving the beers for another day, as tomorrow is your first high altitude volcanic summit!

Ascent: 300 m / Descend: 300 m / Highest Altitude: 3400 m / Activity duration: 4 h Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch

12 Day 4 First summit: Climb Imbabura volcano (4,560 m)

The Imbabura volcano is beautifully located at the shores of San Pablo lake just in front of the town of Otavalo. It’s an early morning pick up at the hotel and 1.5 hour drive to the trailhead known as La Esperanza which is already at an altitude of 3165m. Imbabura has two summits and we do this acclimatisation climb to the first summit, slightly lower and closer that the second. This is a great climb as Imbabura stands alone and has an awesome view of the neighbouring volcanoes of Cotachachi and Cayambe. Imbabura is also not as crowded as other summits more commonly climbed for acclimatisation. It is important to be aware that even though the ascent is not technical it is a long steep climb and the altitude will take your breath away as well as the views. After the climb the group will return to Otavalo for a good rest and a long sleep at the lower altitude..

Ascent: 1365 m / Descend: 1365 m / Highest Altitude: 4560 m / Activity duration: 6-7 h Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

13 Day 5 Cayambe – Glacier training (4,680 m)

After a good rest and a well deserved breakfast it’s time to leave Otavalo and drive for 2 hours to the Cayambe’s Parking area at 4350m. Then a 1 hour hike to your home for the night, the Cayambe mountain hut at 4621m. Here we can have a short break before continuing for another 30 minutes to the lower part of the Cayambe glacier. Once at the glacier you are at 4680m and it’s time to gear up, your guide will be giving you an introduction course in the use of crampons, ice axes, ropes and all the appropriate technical gear for the climb. The climb itself is not overly technical so the course if not a full on alpine climbing course, it’s more of an introduction into the techniques needed for the ascent.

The whole time on the glacier you will also be furthering your acclimatisation which will make sure you are strong and healthy for the days ahead. After the training the rest of the afternoon is spent back at the hut getting ready for the summit. The guides will do a detailed briefing about all the aspects of the ascent and help with all the gear. An early dinner will be served and then it’s time to rest, until your guide does the wake up call, usually around midnight.

Ascent: 330 m / Descend: 59 m / Highest Altitude: 4680 m / Activity duration: 4 h Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

14 Day 6 Second Summit: Climb Cayambe Volcano (5790m)

The summit day starts very early; your guide will choose the start time based on the weather and the team’s overall speed and condition to ensure enough time to safely reach the summit and return, this is usually between 11pm and 2am. The team will begin the ascent from the hut heading up a moraine for about 1.5 - 2 hours. Once on the edge of the glacier, it’stime to put on the crampons. Cayambe’s glacier is one of the biggest ice masses in the country and the climb, though not technically difficult, does have a series of crevassed areas and some few icy slopes that make the route a fun challenge. The first section of the glacier is a gentle slope until a rocky formation called Picos Jarrin, from there the route goes by a main ridge that leads up to the summit. The weather on Cayambe changes rapidly, as it is located on the Eastern range looking down into the amazon, so this is also a determining factor for a successful ascent. The climb takes an average time of 7- 8 hours. The summit of Cayambe is just spectacular, the view and sense of achievement is worth every slow step of the way. Once back at the huts after a 4 hour descent, the team will hike down to the parking vehicles which will be waiting to take you to Cotopaxi National Park and the best sleep of the trip so far.

Ascent: 1169 m / Descent: 1440 m / Highest Altitude: 5790 m / Activity duration: 10-12 h Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

15 Day 7 Cotopaxi Huts (4847m)

After a good rest and a well deserved breakfast, the group will start getting all your equipment and gear re-organised again for the summit of Cotopaxi. Around midday, the team will jump into the vehicles and drive 1 hour to the Cotopaxi’s Parking area (4587m). Then a 1-hour hike to Cotopaxi’s mountain hut (4847 m). The rest of the afternoon is for the climb’s preparations, your guides will do a detailed briefing about all the aspects of the ascent and help with all the gear. An early dinner will be served and then rest, for another early wake up call. The summits just keep on coming!

Ascent: 403 m / Descend: 143 m / Highest Altitude: 4990 m / Distance: 1.2 km one way / Activity duration: 1 h Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

16 Day Third Summit: Cotopaxi (5897m) 8 The first section of the glacier is a gentle slope that gets steeper as it goes higher, there is a series of switchbacks known as “The Heart Breaker” for being the toughest part of the ascent but you will have the right mindset and acclimatisation in place to get past this section heart intact!. After the Heart Breaker life gete a little easier as you follow a very nice ridge that gradually gains altitude, passing close to the prominent rock face known as “Yanasacha ‘’ at about 5630m. From this point your route is a relatively long traverse to the right before another set of switchbacks that lead up to the crater’s rim and a few meters later to the summit.

Cotopaxi’s summit is one of the most spectacular,, looking down into the double rim crater and, on clear days, it is possible to see the neighboring volcanoes of , Cayambe, Ilinizas, Chimborazo, and the active Tunguragua. Once back at the huts and after the whole group reunites, a short hike down (20 minutes) to the parking place and then a 3 - 4 hour drive to the town of Baños

Ascent: 1050 m / Descent: 1315 m / Highest Altitude: 5897 m / Distance to the summit: 2.47 Km & Distance from summit to parking place: 3.22 Km / Activity duration: 10-12 h Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

17 Day 9 Rest day at the Town of Baños de Santa Agua (1820m)

A well needed rest day in the town of Banos which is also called the “Gateway to the Amazon’’ as it’s the last andean town before reaching the Amazon basin. Due to its privileged location, this town offers a great deal of activities, the best known are the hot-springs (baños). Baños also has some great scenery with the famous waterfalls that lie a few kilometers down the valley. The best known are “El Pailon del Diablo” (Devil’s pot) and “El manto de la Novia” (the Bride’s veil), which can be visited by taking a local taxi. Also by taking the “Tarabita” (Cable-car) to cross over the Pastaza River it is possible to hike through the orchards and gardens of the local community. Or you can just kick back and relax at the lower altitude and enjoy the warm temperature and beautiful scenery. Meals included: Breakfast

18 Day 10 Chimborazo – Carrel hut (4800 m) After a day of leisure and a relaxing morning in the town of Baños, the group will pack and drive for 3 hours towards Chimborazo National Park. Chimborazo volcano is an impressive mountain that stands out from the “Volcanoes Avenue”. The indigenous farm land that surrounds the mountains are all traditionally worked and very colourful during the harvest season. While driving up to the main entrance, it is possible to see some very dramatic landscapes where old eruptions have shaped the geography of the place. After crossing the park borders, the landscape turns very arid, like a desert, where it is possible to see one of the rare South American camelids: Vicuñas.

The road goes all the way to the door of the lower hut “Refugio Hermanos Carrel” at 4800m. You will complete a 1 hour acclimatization hike by following the valley up to the Whymper hut at 5000m and then back down to the Carrel hut. The rest of the afternoon and evening will be to prepare for the climb and have an early dinner. Your guide will do a briefing and help with all your gear and equipment.

Ascent: 200 m / Descent: 200 m / Highest Altitude: 5000 m / Activity duration: 1.5 h Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

19 Day Fourth Summit: Chimborazo (6268m) 11 Chimborazo is the highest mountain in Ecuador and also the highest in the world measured from the center of the earth, due to its location on the tropical belt. The main summit is called Whymper and stands at (6268m), named after the British mountaineer who was the first person to reach the summit in 1880 along with the Swiss Carrel brothers. Climbing Chimborazo by its normal Southwest route is a challenging affair, it is a long 1468m ascent and descent and the terrain is complex, as it changes from an easy moraine trail to ice, snow and rocky sections, with some easy scrambling at some specific spots. Even though it is not a technical climb, it is physically demanding. This will be a truly memorable ascent and the sense of satisfaction of reaching the top of a 6000m volcano and the highest mountain in Ecuador will no doubt bring a tear to you eye. The descent is done by the same route back to the Carrel hut and, after packing, there will be a transfer ready to take the group on the 4 hour drive to Quito

Ascent: 1468 m / Descent: 1468 m / Highest Altitude: 6268 m / Activity duration: 10-12 h Meals included: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner

20 Day 12 Spare summit day / extra day in Quito

This day is to allow for extra time to reach the summit and account for any weather delays in the unusual event they occur. We will endeavour to keep to the main schedule so this day will likely be spent relaxing and celebrating in Quito. Meals included: Breakfast

Important note: Every effort will be made to keep to the above itinerary, but as this is adventure travel in a remote mountain region, we cannot guarantee it! Weather conditions, and the health of team members can all contribute to changes. The guides and their support staff will try to ensure that the trip runs according to plan, but please be prepared to be flexible if necessary

21 Day Time to head home 13 Enjoy the last moments grabbing some last minute souvenirs before you will get transfered to the airport for your flight home. What a journey! 4 Volcanoes and the big 2 Chimbarazo and Cotopaxi. Huge bucket list tick!

Your trip may be over, but the memories will last a lifetime.

Trip PS - So will the blisters finished

22 equipment list

As this is a trip where you will be spending quite a bit of time over 5000m in glacial conditions there will be come specialist items you will need as well as our regular recommended high altitude trekking items which you can find below. We suggest you bring the following Items:

Hiking boots Water bottles 1 Litre x2 Socks Washbag and toiletries Trekking trousers Toilet paper (you can also buy this in the lodges if necessary) Underwear Antibacterial handwash Baselayer shirts Travel towel Fleece jacket or warm jumper Selection of dry bags (to Waterproof jacket keep trek bag contents dry) Warm Down Jacket Small padlock (to lock trek bag) Sunhat/Warm hat/Beanie Daypack roughly 30 litres Neck Buff Sleeping bag (3 or 4 season) Sunglasses Trekking Poles Thermal gloves Warm and waterproof Most of this equipment can be hired locally so gloves or mittens don’t worry if you haven’t got all of this kit or Headtorch and spare batteries forget to pack an item or 2. Sun protection

Technical Items for summit climbs and glacier travel:

Long handle Ice Axe Crampons Helmet Climbing Harness Crampon Compatible Boots 

All of this can be hired locally for a nominal fee per item for the summit attempts.

23 personlised tRip planneR

When you book a trip with us and become an ‘EverTrekker’ you also get access to a FREE personalised trip planner full of awesome info to make sure you’re the best prepared trekker on the mountain! are you ready for a trip of a lifetime?

Andy and the rest of our Yeti team at EverTrek are trekkers, climbers and travellers just like you. We use our personal experience and specialist knowledge that comes from this to help plan your next adventure.

Call or email Andy & the team

02920 003216

[email protected]

Your go to high altitude experts from Everest to Kili and all the adventures inbetween.