Climbing Chimborazo: Top Outdoor Adventures Awaiting You

Chimborazo sits in the center of Ecuador, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) south-southwest of Quito. The peak is hugely significant in Ecuador, featuring on the country’s coat of arms and was the subject of Simon Bolívar’s (the liberator of much of South America from the Spanish) poem, Mi delirio sobre el Chimborazo (My delirium on the Chimborazo).

Climbing the peak is the perfect challenge for intermediate-level mountaineers and there are two main routes to the summit: the Normal route (which is the easiest) and the Whymper route.

The ascent begins with a hiking approach through the altiplano. Then climbers will begin to ascend the glacier via the western ridge. This requires some previous mountaineering experience and has quite a few tricky and technical parts. Climbers proceed to follow the glacier up to the summit.

Overall, the climb takes two days and will require climbers to stay in either the Carrel Hut (4,850 m) or Whymper Hut (5,000 m). A pre-dawn start is required on summit day to get to the top.

Stunning scenery

Sitting at the main end of the Ecuadorian Volcanic Arc, Chimborazo boasts some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the whole country. As you climb, you will pass through the altiplano, with incredible views out over the rest of the mountains, climb over one of the only glaciers that sits on the equator and enjoy panoramic views from the top.

Climb Ecuador’s highest peak

Rising to 6,263 meters (20,549 feet) in elevation, Chimborazo is the highest peak in Ecuador. Due to its proximity to the equator it is also the closest point on earth to the sun, in spite of being far shorter than Everest. Most expeditions to the summit will begin at about 4,800 meters (15,748 feet), meaning only 1,500 meters separate you from the top of this iconic South American summit.

Combine adventures

Since it’s not everyday that one finds themselves in the stunning Ecuadorian Volcanic Arc, many adventurers opt to spend a week or two heading up to the summit of some of the country’s other iconic peaks. It is quite common to combine adventures and head up to the summit of Cotopaxi (5,897 meters/19,347 feet) or Cayambe (5,790 meters/19,000 feet) as a warm up prior to attempting Chimborazo.

During the climbing season, temperatures at the bottom of Chimborazo tend to hover around 20 ºC and decrease to well below freezing at the top. The best times to climb are the two dry periods in which substantially less rain falls (but it still does rain).

Any expedition to the summit of Chimborazo will begin with a flight into Quito’s Mariscal Sucre International Airport (UIO). From here, you can find a private airport transfer into the city center. Most guides will opt to meet you in Quito and provide transport to the start of the trip.

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