CLIMBING The Andes Mountains stretch from one end of South America to the other and have some of the most beautiful peaks and alpine scenery in the world. In Ecuador, we climb four mountains in 16 days, including the two highest peaks in the country: Cotopaxi (19,348 feet) and Chimborazo (20,703 feet). The volcanic mountain summits of Ecuador provide easy access to high-altitude climbing with their peaks reaching over 20.697 ft. (6.310m). Ecuador's glacier-covered mountains straddle the equatorial zone of the planet providing relatively warm mountaineering environments and a variety of technical climbing challenges. The Andes is the world's second highest mountain range, spanning from Colombia to the tip of Patagonia in southern Chile. Day 1: Quito - Pasachoa - Quito    We'll leave Quito in the morning by car, heading south for the Avenida de los Volcanoes. During this 2 hour drive you can enjoy beautiful views on the typical landscape and villages of the highlands. The ascent of this extinct volcano will take us about 4 hours. On the top we'll have lunch and above all a great sight on Cotopaxi and the other nearby volcanoes. After descending we'll return to Quito. Day 2: Quito - Rucu Pichincha - Quito We'll leave Quito in the morning and drive by car to the Cruz Loma, situated 10 kilometers west from the capital. From there it will take us approximately 3 and half hours to reach the summit. Later in the afternoon we'll be back in Quito.   Day 3: Quito - La Virgen - Camp Our private vehicle will take us to La Virgen at 3.900 m.. Here we will set up camp and go for a short walk exploring the surroundings in the afternoon. Day 4: La Virgen - Summit Illiniza Nord Peak (5116 m) - Hotel Cuello de Luna We'll get up at the break of dawn and after a climb of 4 hours we'll reach the summit. On the way back we'll relax a bit in the refuge and then our car will take us to hotel Cuello de Luna, which is situated close to Cotopaxi National Park. Day 5: Hotel Cuello de Luna - Cotopaxi José Ribas Hut (4800 m) Our car will bring us to the parking space at a height of 4600 m. From there it will take us another hour to reach the Jose Ribas hut (4800 m). There we'll do some exercises in the glacier, have supper and prepare the Cotopaxi ascent. Day 6: Hut - Summit Cotopaxi (5897 m) - Quito At midnight we'll get up for climbing Cotopaxi and start the climb, which will take us 7 hours. From the summit you'll have a marvelous view on the crater, with its diameter of 800 m. Around Midday we'll be back in the refuge and we'll come back to Quito. Climbing Cotopaxi (5897m) Day 1: Quito - Refuge Cotopaxi We'll leave Quito in the morning by car and after one and a half hours we'll get to the Cotopaxi National Park. We'll hike one more hour until we'll reach the Jose Rivas refuge (4800 m). After doing some exercises in the glacier we'll have dinner and prepare the ascent. Day 2: Refuge - Summit - Quito We'll get up at midnight and after 7 hours we'll reach the summit. After the descent we'll rest a bit in the refuge and then we'll return to Quito. • Route: Fuya Fuya • Duration of the Trail: 4 hours • Technical Level: low • Maximum Height: 4,290 meters • Minimum Height: 3,730 meters The Fuya Fuya is the highest elevation of Mojanda junction on the edge of the provinces of Pichincha and Imbabura. To ascend to the summit must overcome a short but steep pajonal and then make entertaining segment traverses rock, from where you get a beautiful view of the knot and its gaps. • Route: Rucu Pichincha • Duration of the Trail: 5 hours • Technical Level: low • Maximum Height: 4,710 meters • Minimum Height: 4,000 meters Rucu, which means Old Quichua gives the name of the mountain massif of the Pichincha closest to Quito. The ascent starts from Red Loma to 4,000 mnsm accompanied by a great view of the capital, travelling stretches of straw, sand and rock to finally reach the summit. • Route: Cerro Puntas Route: Hill Tips • Duration of the Trail: 7 hours • Technical Level: medium • Maximum Height: 4,460 meters • Minimum Height: 3,140 meters One area shortly accessed in the eastern cordillera of the Andes, this hill has several summits and incomparable beauty, whose highest peak reaches to 4460 meters. Cross the wetlands to reach the base of the rock, where escalaremos to the highest point and then descend into rappel.   top     home | about us | ecuador | tours | galapagos yacht cruises | gallery | contact us   camping | comunity | galapagos | amazon | Darwin's Bicentenary | news | Links   Galamountain Address: Juan León Mera N24-220 y Lizardo García - Quito - Ecuador Phone: (593-2) 2502-318 Fax: (593-2) 2238-312 Skype: galamountain1 E-mail: galamountain@gmail.com | Copyrights reserved to Galamountain tour Cia Ltda.     Perfil de Galamountain Ecuador Crea tu insignia

Formed by volcanic eruptions over millions of years, they are located a very remote 600 miles off the coast of Ecuador. These islands remain shockingly unspoilt and are where Charles Darwin invented the theory of evolution after studying the islands' many different species of Finches. Thus, the islands remain of high scientific importance. e fact they are located so far from the coast and weren't inhabited by humans until 150 years ago, has helped the hundreds of species of animals develop over 1000's of years without the slightest fear of human beings.This fearless wildlife is unmistakably one of the biggest reasons to visit as truly no where else on the planet will one encounter animals in their original, natural, wild habitat that are absolutely not bothered in the least by the presence of humans. In fact, in the case of land iguana, you have to be careful not to step on them because many just refuse to move!The species found on Galapagos are often endemic, meaning they cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Some of these include land tortoises, the Galapagos Penguin (the 2nd smallest in the world), land and marine iguanas, Darwin Finches, the famous Blue-footed Booby and it's cousin the Red-footed Booby.harks (Galapagos shark, white tipped shark and the extremely rare and fascinating Hammerhead, among others). For birds, a small sample include Frigates and its similar cousin the Cormorant, Flamingos, Pelicans, the enormous Albatross. The water is of course crystal clear and the snorkeling and diving there is among the best in the world (ask any expert!).