For climbers and hikers Ecuador offers an incredible diversity of mountains, hills, beaches cloudforests and rainforests to explore. Tourists can ramble out on their own or hook up with a local guide service. There are a number of breathtaking treks through the Andean sub-alpine zone, which feature spectacular views of Ecuador's monumental volcanic peaks.

Mountain Climbing in Ecuador

The Andean peaks of Ecuador are located primarily along a fertile central valley, which is a buttress between cordilleras. This massive chain is divided into two main mountain ranges, the Eastern and Western ("Cordillera Oriental and Cordillera Occidental").

Some of the peaks are actually volcanoes like Cotopaxi which are easy climbs offering the novice a chance to about 15,000 feet. Smaller mountains such as Iliniza Norte, Imbabura or Pichincha are easily accessible and non glaciated making them less dangerous and challenging.

More demanding climbs can be found on the Chimborazo and Tungurahua peaks. These are glaciated and crevasses and other dangers are numerous. The danger of avalanches always has to be in mind and a detailed analysis has to be done before each attempt and for each month of the year. The Politécnica and the Nicolás Martinez summits offer nice and technical climbs. Full equipment is necessary to climb these mountains, and it is strongly recommended to be accompanied by an experienced high mountain guide that will provide you a safety ascent.

Hiking & Trekking

Ecuador offers an incredible variety of landscapes, culture and adventure. National parks, nature reserves, breathtaking sceneries and much more. For hikers and trekkers, there are a number of excellent trips throught the highlands which features spectacular views of Ecuador's volcanic peaks.

Banos, a small subtropical valley at the base of the Tungurahua volcano, is a beautiful place to go trekking. This area is gifted with orchids, beautiful waterfalls and medicinal hot springs, and is also the gateway to the Amazon Basin. For the intrepid trekker there are several hikes from the grassy plains of the high altitude paramo, through cloudforest, and finally to lowland rainforest. You will see dramatic changes in the flora and fauna while enjoying the beautiful scenery.

These adventures allow you to explore and to discover Ecuador's wonders in a way that not only allows you to walk amongst the flora and fauna , but also understand the endangered ecosystems that exist here.