Chimborazo Adventure

Overview

Tour plan

Description

The reserve has an area of 58,560 hectares and an altitude range between 3,800 and 6310 m.a.s.l. Chimborazo Reserve was created on October 26, 1987 in order to protect the wilderness, flora and fauna of the area.

The reserve is home to a large population of vicuñas reintroduced from Peru and Chile in 1988. There are also llamas and alpacas, native domestic animals which were used by the ancient inhabitants of the Andes before the Spanish introduced horses, sheep, cows and donkey. The reserve was created to protect these animals and its historical legacy as well as the strange wasteland of which they are part.

Chimborazo Reserve has moorland, trees and bushes of rosemary, mortiño, chuquiraguas (climber flower), appendage, sacha chocho, valerian; there are also quishuares (shrubs that grow and develop at altitudes over 2800 meters), pumamaquis, peppers, small shrubs and Stipa, Calamagrostis and fescue, as well as other endemic species from the Andes.

Day 1 : Riobamba

Private transportation in Riobamba and sourroundings
Excursion Chimborazo Land of Llamas

No picture of the Andes is complete without the graceful figures of the native llamas, alpacas, guanacos and vicuñas. Their natural habitats are the “paramos” or high grasslands. From Riobamba we will join the local community of Palacio Real in their effort to preserve their “paramos” and honor their llamas by highlight their importance at the Llama Museum and the handicraft shop of the community and the llama trail.

Lunch included.
2 Nights at the Chimborazo Lodge

Included: transportation, English speaking guide, excursion, entrance fees, lunch, accommodation and dinner

Day 2 : Riobamba

Private transportation in Riobamba and sourroundings
Excursion Chimborazo Hike Day

After breakfast we will hike a particularly scenic section of the Camino Real (Royal Road) that travels along the southern flank of Mt. Chimborazo, where our lodge is based. We will have the majestic sight of the mountain’s heavily glaciated summit (Ecuador’s highest) over your right shoulder throughout the walk.

The trail we are on originally led from the coast to the highlands, and some of the exotic goods brought to the highlands in past centuries were: coca, cotton, chili pepper and sea shells.

The next stage is to cross the “Gran Arenal” of this extinct volcano. The ‘Arenal’, a harsh semi desert comparable to the Bolivian altiplano, is composed of volcanic debris and situated on Chimborazo’s flank.

We now descend from the highest point (4,300m) trail, passing through different villages along the way and finally arrive at our vehicles (3,000m) for the drive back to the refuge.

The hike takes approximately 5 to 6 hours, and requires a good level of fitness.

Included: breakfast, transportation, English speaking guide, excursion, entrance fees, box lunch, accommodation and dinner

Day 3 : Riobamba – Ingapirca – Cuenca
Private transportation from Riobamba to Cuenca

Excursion Ingapirca ruins

We now drive South to Ingapirca, an Inca observatory and fortress. This is the most important Inca site in Ecuador, where the Emperor and his entourage would rest during trips to this northern segment of the Empire.

Ingapirca Ruins, is the largest and best preserved archaeological complex in Ecuador. It was built with stones perfectly carved and joined with natural mortar, this Temple served for ceremonies and rituals of the Cañari-Inca culture, also had strategic-military purposes.

Lunch included and drive to Cuenca.
Included: transportation, English speaking guide, excursion, entrance fees, lunch,