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A 16-day guided ski-mountaineering circuit across Ecuador’s highest volcanoes, built for experienced backcountry skiers who want glacier skills and summit descents on Cayambe, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. Expect technical glacier travel, nightly refugios and careful acclimatization.
A 16-day guided ski-mountaineering circuit across Ecuador’s highest volcanoes, built for experienced backcountry skiers who want glacier skills and summit descents on Cayambe, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. Expect technical glacier travel, nightly refugios and careful acclimatization.
You step out before dawn into a thin, cold air that feels different from any winter back home — the equatorial sky is ink-black and the stars hang close while guides check ropes and skins.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Peru Expeditions Tours · Quito, Pichincha
You step out before dawn into a thin, cold air that feels different from any winter back home — the equatorial sky is ink-black and the stars hang close while guides check ropes and skins.
This 16-day ring-of-fire ski expedition threads Quito’s highland corridors and remote refugios, linking three of Ecuador’s great volcanoes: Cayambe (5,790 m), Cotopaxi (5,897 m) and Chimborazo (6,263 m). The route moves from city teleférico acclimatization to glacier travel, technical ridge work, and big-slope ski descents.
Geology here is raw: these are stratovolcanoes of the Andean arc, sculpted by uplift and glaciation; Chimborazo’s summit marks Ecuador’s farthest point from Earth’s center because of equatorial bulge. Culture comes down the road — Otavalo’s textile market, haciendas that once supported colonial agriculture, and Quechua-speaking communities that keep mountain lore alive.
Expect long days, significant elevation gain and crevassed glaciers; guides teach fixed-line travel, crevasse rescue and high-altitude ski techniques as part of the itinerary. The program builds acclimatization into the schedule — short summits and skill days before pushing to 5,000–6,200 m.
Practical guidance: train with long aerobic days and some uphill ski touring, practice roped glacier travel and basic crevasse rescue if possible, and bring high-calorie snacks and a hydration system that works in cold conditions. Weather changes fast; plan for wind, whiteout and strong UV. Travel with a certified guide, respect park permits, and allow extra days for weather. This trip is best for experienced ski mountaineers ready for an expert-level, high-altitude expedition.
Yes — participants should be competent on steep backcountry terrain and comfortable making touring ascents and controlled telemarks or alpine-style turns on variable snow.
The dry season (roughly June–September) offers more stable weather and clearer skies, but the itinerary runs outside those months with higher chance of storms and variable snow.
The schedule includes staged acclimatization climbs, rest days and trained guides who monitor symptoms; carrying Diamox is up to the participant after consulting a physician.
Full refund is available if cancelled at least 24 hours before departure; the operator also plans for weather delays with buffer days in the itinerary.
Peru Expeditions Tours operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
You step out before dawn into a thin, cold air that feels different from any winter back home — the equatorial sky is ink-black and the stars hang close while guides check ropes and skins.
You step out before dawn into a thin, cold air that feels different from any winter back home — the equatorial sky is ink-black and the stars hang close while guides check ropes and skins.
This 16-day ring-of-fire ski expedition threads Quito’s highland corridors and remote refugios, linking three of Ecuador’s great volcanoes: Cayambe (5,790 m), Cotopaxi (5,897 m) and Chimborazo (6,263 m). The route moves from city teleférico acclimatization to glacier travel, technical ridge work, and big-slope ski descents.
Geology here is raw: these are stratovolcanoes of the Andean arc, sculpted by uplift and glaciation; Chimborazo’s summit marks Ecuador’s farthest point from Earth’s center because of equatorial bulge. Culture comes down the road — Otavalo’s textile market, haciendas that once supported colonial agriculture, and Quechua-speaking communities that keep mountain lore alive.
Expect long days, significant elevation gain and crevassed glaciers; guides teach fixed-line travel, crevasse rescue and high-altitude ski techniques as part of the itinerary. The program builds acclimatization into the schedule — short summits and skill days before pushing to 5,000–6,200 m.
Practical guidance: train with long aerobic days and some uphill ski touring, practice roped glacier travel and basic crevasse rescue if possible, and bring high-calorie snacks and a hydration system that works in cold conditions. Weather changes fast; plan for wind, whiteout and strong UV. Travel with a certified guide, respect park permits, and allow extra days for weather. This trip is best for experienced ski mountaineers ready for an expert-level, high-altitude expedition.