Cotopaxi Lodge to Lodge Trek 6D/5N

Cotopaxipungo to Hacienda El Porvenir- Chagra’s life

Rise and shine! After breakfast, we start the hike towards Hacienda El Porvenir. Today’s adventure starts on native forest trails and will take us through a Chagra (Andean Cowboy) community, where we can appreciate the peasant lifestyle. Also,  on our way, we will pass by one of the local schools,  learning about the challenges and strategies that the community is using to improve their education standards together with our social projects.  We will hike through trails, canyons,  gravel roads, and portions of cobalt stone roads.

On our arrival at Hacienda El Porvenir, we will visit Manto Blanco Waterfall before we reach the house where a wholesome meal awaits us and we will be given an enlightening talk on the local history, geology, scenery, flora, fauna, and culture. Trekking time 6 hours approx. Overnight stay at Hacienda El Porvenir. (Breakfast/Packed Lunch).

Hacienda El Porvenir to Tambopaxi

After a recharging breakfast, we head towards the exclusive trails at Hacienda El Porvenir, we will hike up through the native forest, part of our conservation project, until we reach the paramo and the Mirador de Los Guardianes del Volcan. This is a fantastic viewpoint with wooden sculptures that resemble the cosmovision of the ancient cultures and their relation with the volcanoes in the Andes. We continue our way down to Tambopaxi Lodge at Cotopaxi National Park. Trekking time is 7 hours approximately. Overnight stay at Tambopaxi.  (Breakfast/Packed lunch).

Tambopaxi to Hacienda El Tambo

Get ready! Today’s walk takes us to Hacienda El Tambo, on the eastern flanks of the Andes. We cross hills and valleys guarded over by Quilindaña, a peak hard to see from the Central Andean Valley, which looks very much like the Matterhorn seen from the Italian side. The average altitude that we walk at today is 3,800m. Although we get as high as 4,200m. on one mountain pass. We reach El Tambo, which was an Inca refuge for travelers going to the Amazon, The hacienda house is built on original Inca stones. Today our walk lasts approximately 7 hours. The terrain is mainly flat but there are a few steep hills. By the end of this day, we will have covered 32km (20 miles). Overnight Hacienda El Tambo (Machai twin rooms with shared bathroom). (Breakfast/Packed Lunch/Dinner).

 Hacienda El Tambo to Santo Domingo Lagoon

We start out early in the morning, heading westward. We reach a very accessible, flat path, from where we look over glacial valleys and get some wonderful panoramic views. After a 7-hour walk, we reached to Santo Domingo Lagoon where the driver will be waiting for us to take us to Hacienda El Porvenir. The average altitude of the walk is 3,850m. (12,631.ft) assuring us that we are now acclimatized for our final challenge, getting up to Cotopaxi Refuge at 4,800m (15,744 ft). Today we will have walked 26.4 km (16,5 miles). Overnight at Hacienda El Porvenir. (Breakfast/Packed Lunch).

Limpiopungo Lagoon to Jose Ribas Refuge

After a delicious breakfast the driver will pick us up from Hacienda El Porvenir for the final assault: reaching 4,800m (15748.03). after 5 days of physical preparation. Today’s walk will start at Limpiopungo Lagoon and it will take approximately 5 to 6 hours, culminating at the climbing hut (Refugio José Ribas), where we will feel the sheer power of the immense volcano at close quarters. Once we arrive at the refuge we will take a delicious box lunch to then descend to the parking place where a vehicle will be waiting to take us back to Quito. Today’s walk is basically a long steep climb. The average altitude is 4,200m, with an ascent of 1,067m. from Limpiopungo lagoon to the refuge. The walk covers 10.00 km (6.3 miles). (Breakfast/ Box Lunch).