Day hike to Pasochoa Volcano

Hike through cloud forests to the beautiful extinct Pasochoa Volcano alongside Fernando, an ASEGUIM certified mountain guide, and his team.

1 Day

Jan, Jun, Jul, Dec

Description

Pasochoa Volcano is a beautiful extinct volcano less than an hour outside of Quito. On this trip, we will hike to the mountain's peak and observe scenic views and a great variety of flora and fauna. Want to explore Ecuador's nature outside of Quito but don't have time for a multi-day trip? This trip is for you.

Pasochoa Volcano has been extinct for a long time- since the last ice age. Over the years, a unique ecosystem has formed without human intervention. For example, this area is one of the last places where we can find the Polilepsis trees typical of the Ecuadorian highlands. If we're lucky, we might even see a few majestic condors flying above.

The highlight of the Pasochoa Volcano hike is the humid cloud forest inside the extinct volcanic crater. Here we can observe more than 50 species of native trees and more than 100 kinds of native birds. We will reach the top of the volcano after a relatively short and gentle hike. On the way up and down, we will pass through amazing paramo grasslands and forests. Some wildlife we might see on this trip includes bulls, horses, hummingbirds, the viridian metal tail, mountain tanagers, and the red crested cotinga.

We will depart at 8:30 am and drive 30 km south of Quito to the Pasochoa Volcano at 4200 m. After parking, we will follow the trail east up the mountain heading towards the rocky peak. This is an easy ascent and it will take us about 2-3 hours to reach the summit. We will rest at the summit and have lunch. Then we will hike for an hour or two down to where the car is parked. We will be back in Quito by the afternoon.

The day hike to Pasochoa Volcano is a lovely experience for a variety of skill levels. It is not a very common hike for tourists, so we won't have to worry about crowds. We can just spend a relaxing day together enjoying the views and nature.

If the Pasochoa Volcano day hike sounds like an experience you'd be interested in, I urge you to contact me today. Just send me a message, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can! I also lead a day trip to the summit of the 4790 m volcano Corazon.

Price includes

Guiding fee
Breakfast
Dinner
Transport during the trip
Permit and entrance fees

Details

More info

Recommended Equipment: Warm clothing, Gloves and wool hat, Scarf, Sunglasses, Waterproof jacket, Suncream, Camera, Small backpack, Energy drinks and snacks, Hiking boots, Extra water, and Rain pants. The weather is very unpredictable, so you must be prepared with warm clothing. It is possible to experience all four seasons in one day.

Meeting point

Quito

FAQs

What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?

We understand that finding the perfect place to stay is an essential part of your adventure experience. To help you with this, we’ve curated a list of three highly recommended hotels that offer comfort, convenience, and a touch of local charm. These accommodations are well-suited for adventurers looking to relax and rejuvenate after an exciting day of exploration

Hostal Villa Nancy Baños Ecuador

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Sangay Spa Hotel Baños Ecuador

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Hotel Spa Miramelindo Baños Ecuador

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About the guide

Fernando

4.5

(24)

Mountain Leader

ASEGUIM Guide from Ecuador.

I was born and raised in Cotopaxi Province – Ecuador and know the country’s peaks intimately. I have great mountaineering experience of more than 12 years of climbing in all Ecuador, and I also climbed in South America, Switzerland, and France.

I worked for the Nuevos Horizontes refuge on Ilinizas Volcano from a young age and have professional Guide Training, and I am officially Licensed as a Nature guide organized by the Ministry of tourism.

Some of the guiding courses I attended are:

* Mountain Guides Course by ASEGUIM (Ecuadorian Association of Mountain Guides),
* Mountain Guides Evaluation by ENSA (Ecole Nationale de Ski et d'Alpinisme) in October 2006. An event organized by the Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador and ENSA of France
* Pre-Course UIAGM an event organized by ASEGUIM and ENSA (Ecole Nationale de Ski et d'Alpinisme)
* First Aids course, Ecuadorian Red Cross

I live and manage a hostel and lodge in El Chaupi, a beautiful mountain village an hour south of Quito, just in between Illinizas Ecological Reserve and Cotopaxi National Park. It looks like a typical Swiss town in the Alps, and has everything to become a great mountaineering center, the ‘Chamonix or Zermatt of South America’!

I speak fluent Spanish, English, and little German, French, Hebrew, and Quichua.

The guiding team I lead is committed and experienced. Contact me to help you organize an unforgettable adventure.

Languages

German | French | English

Certificates

ASEGUIM

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What people are saying about Explore-Share

Man

Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!

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