Chimborazo Climb 4 days

Riobamba

Your guide will be waiting for you at the Riobamba office at 8:30 in the morning. You will load your mountain equipment in the 4x4 and head to the Mechahuasca Community, located between the Carihuairazo and Chimborazo volcanoes, at 13943 ft. (4.250 meters) altitude. 

An hour and a half later you will have arrived at your destination. Here you will begin the first acclimatization hike.

Hans Meier Glacier

The guide will help you to put on the equipment and will explain the basic safety notions to take into account. This first route will last 5 to 6 hours.

Leaving through the moorland pastures, and crossing small mountain lakes, you will reach the Hans Meier Glacier, located at 15099 ft. (4.600 m.) And here you will have your first contact with the use of crampons and ice axes from the hand of your guide.

Return to Chakana Lodge

Once the route is finished, you will be picked up in the 4x4 and taken to the lodge located at 12631 ft. (3.850 m.) at the base of the Chimborazo volcano, where you will spend the night.

It's time to have dinner, rest and gather strength for the next day. The route continues!

Carrel Refuge

After breakfast at the lodge, you will be picked up in the 4x4 to take you to the Carrel Hut, located at 15912 ft. (4.850 meters above sea level), where the second day's route will begin.

From Carrel you will climb up to the Whymper Needles at 17388 ft. (5.300 m.) where you can practice the glacier climbing techniques learned the day before.

Return to the lodge

At the end of the route, and being already an expert in the use of crampons and ice axes, you will descend again to the Carrel Refuge car park, passing by the Condorcocha Lagoon. The 4x4 will be waiting for you to go back to the lodge for dinner and rest.

Carrel Refuge

After breakfast at the lodge and get your strength for the day, you will be picked up and taken in the 4x4 to the Carrel Refuge car park at 15912,07 ft. (4.850 m.). 

And from here you will start the first approach to the Stubel Base Camp or High Camp located at 17388 ft. (5.350 m.) of altitude. A road of boulders, rocks, snow and ice awaits you. Let's start!

High Camp

After about 3 hours of trekking you will arrive at the camp, located at 17388 ft. (5.350 m.) of altitude. The views from here will start to leave you speechless.

Once installed at the camp, the guide will give a safety briefing with indications about the final ascent, and the weather and snow conditions forecast for that day. As well as a review on the correct use of the equipment.

You will have the whole afternoon to rest in your tent and, if the weather permits, enjoy a unique sunset. Take the opportunity to sleep a few hours, and at midnight, you will begin to prepare yourself to start the final ascent.

Veintimilla Summit 20430 ft. (6.227 m.)

After having rested for a few hours at the camp, the time has come to start the ascent to the summit of Chimborazo. 

Secured in a rope with your guide, you will begin the ascent along the glacier ridge. This part of the route has steep slopes of between 30 and 40 degrees and some icy stretches of up to 45 degrees. 

After 5 hours of ascent, you will reach the first summit: the Veintimilla, at 20430 ft. (6.227 m.) First peak reached!

Whymper Summit 20548 ft. (6.263 m.)

At this point, if you still have enough strength left and if the weather is good, you can decide if you want to continue the hike to the summit of the Chimborazo volcano. 

In 1 hour you will reach the Whymper summit at 20548 ft. (6.263 m.), the furthest point from the centre of the Earth!

Descent to the Carrel Refuge

You can't even imagine the views that await you in the Ecuadorian sky. 

After a short break to regain your strength, you will start the descent to the Carrel Refuge. In about 4 hours you will arrive at the car park where the 4x4 will be waiting to take you back to Riobamba.