CLIMBING PICHINCHA
VOLCANO IN ECUADOR

Altitude: 4784m / 15695ft

Distance: 16km / 10mi

Duration: 1 Day

Date: All Year

Climbing Pichincha Volcano in Ecuador is an excellent acclimatization training & very common among climbers to gain good physical condition. Pichincha Volcano is a mountain range formed by 4 main peaks (Guagua Pichincha, Padre Encantado, Cerro Ladrillos and Rucu Pichincha) with a maximum altitude of 4784m/15695ft and are located to the west of the city of Quito, which makes it a very common and visited mountain for tourists. The route is easy to do in one day and it is a perfect mountain and quite common to start in the world of mountaineering and trekking, plus it is excellent to start gaining acclimatization to climb other high mountains such as Cotopaxi, Cayambe, Ilinizas or Chimborazo. The landscapes offered while climbing Pichincha volcano in Ecuador are very varied. The active crater in the Guagua Pichincha and its fumaroles are a spectacle to see on a clear day, open to the west, it offers us a landscape from another world, plus there is a great variety of species.

The most common route for this excursion is via Lloa, where we will go up 14km by truck to the Guagua Pichincha refuge and we will begin our walk at almost 4700m high. The route is perfect to go and enjoy the moors that Ecuador has along with an incredible view of the city of Quito. The path is well signposted and we will have quite a positive difference in level throughout the journey through which we will pass through the 4 summits mentioned above. Climbing Pichincha volcano is normally done in one day and every four passengers will have a certified mountain guide. If you travel alone, the ascent will be carried out only by the certified guide with the passenger. Come to live this incredible experience touring the Andes of Ecuador and reach the summit of this beautiful mountain with us.

DAY 1: Climbing Pichincha Volcano in Ecuador

We will pick you up from the hotel or place of your choice at 06h00 where we will have a one and a half hour trip in our private transport until we reach the Guagua Pichincha refuge, the point where we will begin our climb. We will give some brief safety instructions before starting and after approximately 45 minutes we will reach our first and highest summit of the entire route, the summit of Guagua Pichincha, which also is an active volcano. After a while at the summit we will descend a large sandbank and cross some beautiful grasslands until we reach Padre Encantado, where we will climb our first sandbank to reach our second summit of the day. We will go down the sandy area in the direction of Cerro Ladrillos, our third and lowest summit of the ascent and finally, after walking a short path and one last sandy area, we will climb a bit on rock until we reach the summit of Rucu Pichincha, our last summit where we will enjoy the incredible views of our entire journey and the neighboring volcanoes such as Cotopaxi, Cayambe, Antisana, Ilinizas and many more. We will descend the classic Rucu Pichincha route to end at the Quito cable car where we will descend through the cabins to our transport that will be waiting for us at the bottom. The return journey will take us approximately 20 minutes, but before that, we will stop for lunch and then drop you back at the starting point at your hotel or place of choice.

MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT (INCLUDED):

• Helmet.
• Harness.
• Shared Equipment (rope, carabiners, cord). 

CLOTHING REQUIRED (NOT INCLUDED):

Three layers of clothing for the legs and torso:
• Base layer: Thermal clothing for body and pants (usually made of synthetic material).
• Second layer: Warm jacket and pants, preferably water repellent (goose down, fleece or polar type).
• Third layer: Waterproof jacket and pants (in case of rain).
• An extra thermal or jacket (in case of extreme cold).
• Backpack between 25L and 35L.
• Gloves.
• Factor 4 sunglasses (with UV protection).
• Buff.
• Thick socks.
• Sunscreen.  

In case you do not have something from the list of personal clothing, Mauna Expeditions can provide you with the rental or sale of said accessories.

The services included in the cost of the program are:

✓ Registration and preparation for the best experience of your life.
✓ Guidance for the ascent with certified guides (ASEGUIM/UIAGM), one guide for every 2 people.
✓ Private door-to-door transportation for the entire day of the tour.
✓ Entry Permits. 
✓ Adventure video about the experience in the program.
✓ Mountain equipment (specified above).
✓ Lunch on the way down on the day of the ascent.
✓ Thermo of Mauna Expeditions.
✓ Buff of Mauna Expeditions.
✓ Lunch Box and hydration for the ascent.

The following services are NOT included in the cost of the program:

X Clothing and personal equipment.
X Airplane tickets.
X Hotel or hostel in Quito or place of preference.
X Life insurance or against some type of accident.
X Other expenses NOT specified in our program.
X Tips.

1 person: 
2 people: 
3-5 people: 
6-10 people: 
11-24 people:

To book a tour and set prices depending on the number of adventurers coming, please contact us CONTACT US.

PAYMENT AND CANCELLATION OF THE PROGRAM

To book the ‘Climbing Pichincha Volcano in Ecuador’ tour, Mauna Expeditions requires a payment of 25% of the cost of the program. Full payment must be made up to a maximum of two weeks before the start date of the tour. We do not send vouchers or confirmation messages until full payment for the program is made. Our team reserves the right to cancel the tour if the full payment is not made until the start date of the program.

The Mauna Expeditions team has put a lot of effort into organizing your program. Therefore, any cancellation must be made at least 21 days in advance. After 21 days, Mauna Expeditions may make a 50% refund depending on the cause of cancellation. Any cancellation notified less than 21 days from the start date of the program will be charged a penalty of 100% of the value of the program.

COSTS

Costs vary depending on the size of the group. A minimum of 1 person and a maximum of 24 people are required to make the ascent. For costs information please CONTACT US.

RECOMENDATIONS

Mountaineering is a high-risk sport, where we are exposed to conditions on extreme occasions. We do not recommend doing this activity for people with asthma or some kind of heart condition. The level of difficulty of the program is demanding and there is nothing that interests us more than your safety and that you enjoy our program without any external problem.