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Day 1
Arrive in Quito. Welcome to Ecuador! You will be met at the airport and taken to your hotel in Quito.
Day 2
We will spend our initial day meeting our guides and the rest of the group, and then taking a private tour of the beautiful city of Quito. Quito sits at an altitude of 9,000 ft., so this will be our first day of acclimatization.
Day 3
On the third day we will take an acclimatization hike of about 6 hours to the top of Ruco Pichincha (15,400 ft.), a peak of the extinct volcano Pichincha that overlooks the city of Quito. The entire trek offers beautiful views of the city and the surrounding mountains.
Day 4
We travel to a magnificent hacienda on the outskirts of Otavalo, a city known for its centuries- old Indian market and beautiful handicrafts. We will also take a short hike around the beautiful Lake Cuicocha.
Day 5
We take another acclimatization hike, this time to the top of the volcano Imbabura (15,100 ft.). This is a beautiful but challenging trek that will prepare us for Cayambe and Cotopaxi. We spend that night at one of the oldest and most beautiful haciendas in Ecuador.
Day 6
After a restful and relaxing morning at the hosteria, we will travel to the refuge at the base of Cayambe. The refuge sits at 15,100 ft. We will spend the night there, as this will help our bodies acclimatize for the upcoming climbs.
Day 7
We will spend day 7 going through a basic mountaineering school given by ASEGUIM- certified guides. After an early dinner, we will turn- in to prepare for an early alpine start.
Day 8
Rising at midnight, we will begin our ascent of Mt. Cayambe. The climb takes approximately 6-8 hours. Once on the summit, we will have a celebratory photo session and take time to admire the incredible views. After descending, we will travel to the volcanic springs of Papallacta where we will soak our bodies and have a celebratory dinner. We will then travel to a comfortable hacienda for much deserved rest and relaxation.
Day 9
We will take a day to physically recover from the climb and explore the surroundings of one of the most beautiful haciendas in Ecuador.
Day 10
Traveling south on the Avenue of the Volcanoes, we enter Cotopaxi National Park. We disembark at the parking lot and walk about thirty minutes to the refuge. After admiring the views from the refuge, we will have an early dinner and then turn-in to get prepared for an early alpine start.
Day 11
After a 6-9 hour climb, we reach the summit of Cotopaxi, the highest active volcano in the world! Weather permitting, we will be able to enjoy magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and also see into the crater of the volcano. After a short celebration and photo session, we return to our initial hotel in Quito.
Day 12
We will spend this day touring the Alliance for Children orphanage and meeting the beneficiaries of our fundraising and physical sacrifice. If you brought items such as clothing and shoes, there will also be time to hand those out as well.
Day 13
Transfer out to airport.
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