Combine Baños & Chimborazo Adventures

Rates include: 1 night Mercure or Swissotel and 4 nights at local hacienda

4 star accommodations: $1331 per person (min 2 guests)
5 star accommodations: $1393 per person (min 2 guests)


Departure Days: Monday only

Program Description:

Day 1 : Baños & Surroundings
We depart from Quito early in the morning and arrive to Baños by lunch time, passing by the beautiful Avenue of Volcanoes. The extreme vertical nature of this region makes for stunning views, but the real eye-catcher is the 16,000-ft (5016-m) erupting Tungurahua volcano. Today we will explore waterfalls, crystal clear rivers, hike or horseback ride with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and valleys in an environment ideal for bird watching and orchid-searching in cloud forest as well as transitional forest between the highlands and the jungle. (breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Overnight at Manteles (4 stars) or Luna Runtun (5 stars).

Day 2 : Baños & Riobamba
After a relaxed breakfast ,we will go to t he small town of Baños, cradled in a deep sub-tropical valley, on the slopes of Tungurahua volcano, this village developed due to its rich agricultural soil, thermal springs and mild temperature throughout the year. The last stop for travelers and settlers of the Ecuadorian Amazon basin, the town became also a commercial center for jungle products and a religious destination for pilgrims. Today we will visit the zoo, the Virgin’s shrine, handcraft stores for beautiful balsa or vegetable ivory figures and hike up to the cross to take a bird's eye look of the town. After a late lunch we will continue to Riobamba, arrive late in the afternoon. (breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Overnight at Hosteria Abraspungo or similar


Day 3 : Devil's Nose Train Ride
Very early start to get on the roof of the 100 year old train and travel across the highlands at low speed, with full view of Chimborazo, Altar and Carihuairazo snow covered volcanoes, agricultural fields and tiny indigenous inhabitants still surprised to see crazy foreigners traveling on top of a train. Our aim is to reach the "Devil's Nose" going back and forth until we get to the bottom of the gorge and then up the same way. After a late lunch we return to Riobamba by car. (breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Overnight at Hosteria Abraspungo or similar

Day 4 : Guamote Market & Ozogoche Lakes
After a relaxed breakfast we will aim to discover charming tiny Indian communities and the indigenous market of Guamote which takes over a whole town with different plazas offering live animals and forage, potatoes, vegetables, cereals, poultry, guinea pigs, prepared food, traditional attires, all this hidden under the red ponchos of sellers and buyers. We continue to Ozogoche or Atillo lakes ( 4,000 m / 13,000 ft above sea level) with its mysterious and impressive surroundings. Return to Riobamba early in the afternoon for our second treat of the mysterious Altar volcano with its enticing peaks like “Bishop”, “Nun” , “Canon” and “Friar”, a perfect canvas for the small colonial city. (breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Overnight at Hosteria Abraspungo or similar

Day 5: Chimborazo Volcano and Reserve
After breakfast we will depart to the snow covered slopes of Chimborazo, an extinct volcano and the highest peak in Ecuador (6,310m / 20,703 ft), view the flora and fauna of the Andean paramo passing by some of the most outstanding and least traveled routes of the highlands passing by agricultural fields, tiny indigenous communities with straw-braided huts, llama and sheep herds. Our aim is to reach Carrel Refuge at 4,800 m / 15,749 ft by car and from there a 30 min. walk to Whymper Refuge at 5,000 m / 16,405 ft, if you do it you may brag with your friends about climbing Chimborazo, one of the highest peaks on the planet ( 6,310 m / 20,703 ft). If you are affected by high altitude we would go down immediately and you may still brag!! We will have lunch en route to Quito traveling through the Avenue of Volcanoes, arrive late in the afternoon. (breakfast, lunch and dinner included)
Overnight at Swissotel or LeParc