ECUADOR
VOLCANOES

MARCH 20-28, 2027 // $3,950

ECUADOR
VOLCANOES

MARCH 20-28, 2027 // $3,950

THE EXPERIENCE

INTO THIN AIR

Ecuador's towering volcanoes offer one of the most exhilarating mountaineering adventures in South America. Over nine unforgettable days, we'll push our limits on three remarkable peaks—Pasochoa, Rucu Pichincha, and the snow-covered summit of Cotopaxi at 19,347 feet. From rugged volcanic trails to a midnight ascent across glaciers, this is an adventure that demands preparation, perseverance, and a willingness to embrace the extraordinary.

DATES

MAR 20-28, 2027

TRIP COST

$3,950

DURATION

9 DAYS

DIFFICULTY

EXTREME

AIRPORT

QUITO (UIO)

THE EXPERIENCE

INTO THIN AIR

Ecuador's towering volcanoes offer one of the most exhilarating mountaineering adventures in South America. Over nine unforgettable days, we'll push our limits on three remarkable peaks—Pasochoa, Rucu Pichincha, and the snow-covered summit of Cotopaxi at 19,347 feet. From rugged volcanic trails to a midnight ascent across glaciers, this is an adventure that demands preparation, perseverance, and a willingness to embrace the extraordinary.

DATES

MAR 20-28, 2027

TRIP COST

$3,950

DURATION

9 DAYS

DIFFICULTY

EXTREME

AIRPORT

QUITO (UIO)

PAYMENT DETAILS

$500 DEPOSIT

AT REGISTRATION

$987.50 25%

NOV 15, 2026

$1,975 50%

DEC 15, 2026

$2,962.50 75%

JAN 15, 2027

$3,950 100%

FEB 15, 2027

*We are offering a $2,000 discount for USAFA Cadets for this adventure ($1,950)

*We will work with all team members to arrange a payment schedule that works for them.

THE ITINERARY

DAY BY DAY

Here is a look at what we will experience on the adventure. The details may shift slightly, but this gives you a sense of the adventure that awaits.

DAY 0 & 1 // MAR 19 & 20

DEPART USA

Travel from the States to Quito and settle in to our team hotel. Team members need to arrive in Quito no later than March 20th. Depending upon flight schedules, some team members will depart the States on the 19th and others will travel all the way on the 20th. It is important to remember that Quito is located at 9,350ft elevation. It is not uncommon for people to struggle with headaches and have difficulty sleeping the first day or two at this elevation. If you have time in your schedule to arrive on the 18th or 19th, we can help you arrange a hotel to get a head start on your acclimatization.

DAY 2 // MAR 21

BUFFER/REST DAY

This is a built in rest day. We will enjoy a relaxing day of sight seeing in Quito and recovery from our international travel.

DAY 3 // MAR 22

PASACHOA

We will do a day trip to the Pasachoa where will attempt to summit our first mountain. Pasachoa is a non-technical hike that will take us between 3-5 hours. The summit of Pasachoa is 13,780ft and will help us begin our acclimatization process. We will return to our hotel in Quito for dinner.

DAY 4 // MAR 23

RUCU PICHINCHA

We will depart our hotel in the morning and travel to the Teleferico (a gondola on the west side of the city). The Teleferico will drop us at 12,943ft where we will begin our 6 mile round trip climb to the summit of Rucu Pichincha. The beginning sections of the trail are not particularly difficult, but it will become much more rugged and challenging near the summit. We will top out at 15,696ft and we will definitely be feeling the elevation. After a bit of time on the summit, we will retrace our steps, ride the gondola down and head back to our hotel.

DAY 5 // MAR 24

ACCLIMATIZATION AT JOSE RIVAS REFUGE

We will travel around an hour south of Quito to Cotopaxi national park where we will spend the next 3 days of our adventure. We will begin by driving up to the parking area for the Cotopaxi climb and doing a short (~1hr) hike up to the Jose Rivas refuge, the staging area for the Cotopaxi climb. We will be back here for the night before summiting Cotopaxi, but this day’s trip up to the refuge is just about more acclimatizing. We will spend an hour or two up the refuge and then retrace our steps back to the parking area before making a 15 minute drive to Tambopaxi Lodge, our home for the night. This is a pretty light day and we will be spend most of the next 36 hours resting at Tambopaxi Lodge.

DAY 6 // MAR 25

REST/STAGING FOR COTOPAXI

We will spend a relaxing morning at Tambopaxi lodge before climbing back up to the Jose Rivas refuge in the early afternoon to stage for the climb of Cotopaxi. We will be in bed early and hopefully get some good rest in preparation for our Cotopaxi summit attempt, which will begin around midnight.

DAY 7 // MAR 26

COTOPAXI

We will wake up around 11:00PM and hit the trail soon after. Climbing Cotopaxi is a very challenging endeavor. It is not merely a trek; but a genuine mountaineering adventure. Nearly all of the ascent will take place on snow and ice, so our team will be roped together and wearing crampons for the entirety of the climb. If all goes well, we should earn the 19,347ft summit around sunrise. Cotopaxi is an iconic peak and with good weather, the views from the top are magnificent. After enjoying the summit, we will retrace our steps back to the hut and down to the parking lot. From there we will travel back to Quito and then on to Papallacta for a day of well-earned relaxation.

DAY 8 // MAR 27

RECOVERY IN PAPALLACTA

This is our built in recovery day at the hot springs in Papallaca. We will relax in hot springs and eat plenty of great food. We will begin travel home either this night or early the next morning. We will arrange travel from Papallacta to the airport for each team member’s flights.

DAY 9 // MAR 28

ARRIVE IN USA

Travel back to the USA.

INCLUDED

  • Ground transportation within Ecuador

  • 7 nights of hotel/lodge stay (4 nights in Quito hotel, 1 night in Tamboxi Lodge, 1 night in Jose Rivas Refuge, and 1 night in Papallacta hotel)

  • 2:1 client to guide ratio for Cotopaxi

  • Gondola ticket for Rucu Pichincha

  • Climbing permits for all 3 peaks

  • All meals during the Ecuador Volcanoes adventure

  • Technical mountaineering gear (helmet, ice axe, crampons, ropes, etc.)

NOT INCLUDED

  • You are required to purchase your own round trip airfare into and out of Quito airport (UIO)

  • You are responsible for your own climbing insurance (~$225). We will help you purchase this.

  • Trip does not include tips for guides. You can expect to tip ~$50 for your Cotopaxi guide.

ECUADOR VOLCANOES

ADVENTURE GUIDE

TRAVEL DETAILS // PACKING LIST // ESSENTIAL INFO

ECUADOR VOLCANOES // MAR 20-28, 2027

Your adventure starts here.

ECUADOR VOLCANOES // MAR 20-28, 2027

Your adventure starts here.

THE TRAILHEAD

A JOURNAL OF FAITH MISSION AND ADVENTURE.

Once each month, we'll meet you at the Trailhead with a thoughtful email exploring the intersection of life, faith, resilience, and adventure. Think of the Trailhead as an invitation to step out of the ordinary—and into a more intentional, purposeful life. Expect stories from the trail, lessons learned along the way, and ideas that challenge you to live differently.

THE TRAILHEAD

A JOURNAL OF FAITH MISSION AND ADVENTURE.

Once each month, we'll meet you at the Trailhead with a thoughtful email exploring the intersection of life, faith, resilience, and adventure. Think of the Trailhead as an invitation to step out of the ordinary—and into a more intentional, purposeful life. Expect stories from the trail, lessons learned along the way, and ideas that challenge you to live differently.

DISCIPLETREK

BUILD RESILIENCE · LIVE THE ADVENTURE

Looking for Jimmy Shaw | Speaking? → jimmyshaw.us

© 2026 Discipletrek. All rights reserved.

DISCIPLETREK

BUILD RESILIENCE · LIVE THE ADVENTURE

Looking for Jimmy Shaw | Speaking? → jimmyshaw.us

© 2026 Discipletrek. All rights reserved.