- Tour details
- Itinerary
- What to bring
- FAQs
Chimborazo Day Tour from Riobamba
Ascend to the Whymper refuge and descend Chimborazo by mountain bike or private vehicle
Get closer to the sky of Ecuador, with this private Chimborazo Day Tour from Riobamba.
You will hike the volcanic rock trails from the Carrel Hut (4850 m.) to the Whymper Hut (5050 m.) and the Condor Cocha lagoon (5100 m.) on a short easy level route accompanied by a professional guide.
And you will also have a plus of adrenaline at your choice. You can descend the Chimborazo volcano by mountain bike choosing between one of the two routes (easy or difficult). Or if you prefer, you can do it from the comfort of a private vehicle.
The tour includes lunch at a local restaurant in San Juan, the entrance permit to the Chimborazo Reserve, private transportation from Riobamba and all the necessary equipment to enjoy this adventure. Will you join us? 😎
Tour details
Included
- Certified guide
- Private transfers to and from Riobamba + support vehicle
- Marin Mountain Bikes
- Top quality safety equipment: helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, gloves and goggles.
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Chimborazo Reserve entry permit
Not included
- Insurance
- Tips
Important information
Altitude reached on foot: 4850-5100 m / 1591-16732 ft.
Duration of the walking tour: 2 hours
Altitude reached by bicycle: 4850-2900 m / 1591-9514 ft.
Duration of the bicycle route: 2 hours
Average temperatures 0°/ 32° F (highest point) to 16° C/ 60° F (end of cycling route)
The tour can be done all year round, but it is recommended to do it from May to August and from November to February.
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation! If you cancel at least 30 days before the tour starts, you will receive 100% of the amount paid. If you cancel between 29 and 8 days before the tour starts, you will receive 50% of the amount paid. After this time, or in case of no-show, no refunds will be given.
Tour itinerary
Chimborazo Day Tour
👣 Walking route: 2 hours - 2 km.
🚲 Bike route: 2 hours - 37 km.
🔺 Maximum altitude: 5100 m / 16732 ft.
🔻 Minimum altitude: 2900 m / 9514 ft.
Departure from Riobamba
The tour will start from your accommodation in Riobamba at 8:30 in the morning.
You will board the private vehicle (only for your group) and take a road trip of approximately 1.5 hours to reach the Carrel Refuge, located at 4850 m., inside the Chimborazo Reserve.
Along the way, you will make several short stops to take pictures of the mountains and observe the vicuñas. In case you didn't know, they are the wild cousins of llamas and alpacas. For this reason, you will see them more disheveled 🦙
Carrel Refuge 4850 m.
From here, and after receiving safety instructions from the guide, you will begin the 1 km. hike on a rocky and (depending on the weather of the previous days) snowy trail.
Whymper Refuge 5050 m. - Condor Cocha Lagoon 5100 m.
The road will gradually ascend to the Whymper Refuge at 5050 m. and the Condor Cocha Lagoon. A small glacier lake located at 5100 m. and the highest point of the route. It will be the perfect place to contemplate the ever-changing mountain scenery.
After enjoying these unique views, we will return by the same route to the Carrel Refuge.
👆 TO KEEP IN MIND
At this point, the Chimborazo volcano tour from Riobamba offers you three options:
Descend from Refugio Carrel to San Juan by bike (Easy self-guided route).
Descend from Refugio Carrel to San Juan by bike (Guided Difficult Route)
Descend from Refugio Carrel to San Juan by car.
👉 Choose the option that best suits you and select it in the booking form.
OPTION 1 - DOWNHILL BIKING ROUTE 1 (EASY)
🚶♂️ Self-guided
🚲 Distance: 37 km
🕗 Duration: 2 hours
✅ Suitable for beginners
On this route you will descend on the same roads you came up by car. A total of 8 km of dirt road + 29 km of paved road. The level will be easy to moderate, and the route is suitable for beginners.
This option will be led by an English and Spanish speaking driver-guide who will follow you in the support vehicle and assist you when necessary. This route will be self-guided.
👆 If you select OPTION 1 you will do both the hike and bike descent in a self-guided way.
OPTION 2 - DOWNHILL BIKING ROUTE 2 (DIFFICULT)
✅ Guided
🚲 Distance: 37 km
🕗 Duration: 2 hours
🚨 Requires experience
The total distance you will bike with option 3 is the same, but includes about 20 km of off-road biking. This makes the level moderate to difficult. It has several technical trails and steeper descents with a mix of sand and gravel. This option is for experienced mountain bikers.
The guide will accompany you on both the hike and the bike descent, and there will also be a driver following you in the support vehicle.
OPTION 3 - DESCENT BY CAR
✅ Comfort
🚐 Distance: 32 km
🕗 Duration: 1-2 hours
If downhill biking isn't for you, don't worry. This tour also has the plan C you need 😎.
You can choose option 3 and descend to San Juan in a private vehicle at your leisure. You will make several stops to appreciate the scenery and take pictures.
San Juan - Lunch
Whichever option you choose, all of them will take you through an amazing change of scenery: snow-capped mountain slopes, volcanic lunar landscapes, green farmlands or even indigenous villages towards the end of the road. And they will end in the town of San Juan, just 20 km. from Riobamba.
Where in the company of your guide, you will stop at a local restaurant to enjoy a delicious lunch included in the tour.
Return to Riobamba
After lunch, you will board your private vehicle and head to Riobamba, a 30-minute drive. You will be back to your accommodation around 3:00 PM.
What to bring to Chimborazo Day Tour from Riobamba
- Small backpack close to the body
- Water bottle
- Comfortable clothing suitable for cold climates
- Hard-soled hiking boots
- Waterproof jacket
- Gloves
- Protective neck brace
- Sunscreen with a high degree of protection (factor 50 or higher)
- Lip balm
- Sunglasses
Where does the tour Chimborazo Day Tour from Riobamba start
🚐 This tour includes pick-up and drop-off service at the accommodations located in the urban area of the city of Riobamba.
📍 The city of Riobamba is connected by several bus lines with the main airports of Ecuador. The closest airports are Cuenca (140 km away), Guayaquil (147.4 km) or Quito (174.9 km), so the best option is to arrive by bus from any of these cities.
