Physical Difficulty
Cultural rating
Wildlife expectation
If your idea of an exciting vacation is exploring the most remote mountains and crater lakes of the Ecuadorian Andes and trekking along hidden trails used by many Indigenous Communities, Then this is the off the beaten track adventure you are looking for! This expedition will take us to the most sacred volcano in Ecuador, The “Altar”. This Andean region has magical star-filled evenings as we sit around a campfire, learning about the ancient fables of the Andes. This adventure of a lifetime, exploring this remote and unexplored volcano hidden amid the Andes mountains, is adventure and exploration in its most unadulterated natural form!
Special features of our 7 day Altar Volcano Expedition Adventure:
Type of Tourism: Nature, Trekking, Adventure, Off the beaten track
Places to Visit: Quito, Cotopaxi, Altar Volcano
Duration: 7 Days and 6 Nights.
Type of Service: group tours.
Accommodation: 3 star hotel where available and luxury camping on the expedition. The equipment is top end and everything is carefully prepared to guarantee that you will feel comfortable and your every need catered for!
Today is arrival day to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. This well preserved colonial city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978. The city is located on the equator in a valley at the foothills of the Pichincha volcano. You can spend your day exploring the old town of Quito and the surrounding area if you arrive early. In the evening, the guide will meet you at the hotel’s lobby for a welcome briefing at 6 pm. We will discuss the details and questions you may have about the tour. This first day is a good acclimatizati...
We will start the day with a scenic drive through the Volcano Avenue, appreciating stunning views of the Cotopaxi, Rumiñahui, Ilinizas, and Tungurahua volcanos. In between these magnificent volcanos are rolling green fields of traditional Andean crops and the Andean mountains. The corn, quinoa and potato cultivations add a splash of colour to this magnificent landscape. After lunch, we will begin our trek, hiking for approximately 5 hours to reach our first campsite.
Today is our longest trekking day of the expedition, so a hearty breakfast is a must! We will hike along uniquely magnificent trails through the Paramo ecosystem, at high elevation with unique flora and fauna typical of the Andes. The spectacular Mandur lagoon is found at a whopping 4420 metres elevation. We will have lunch and a short rest before continuing back to the campsite where a delicious dinner, cooked by our chef, is the reward for this full day of trekking.
Today, we will trek to the impressive Altar Volcano, visiting its impressive, yellow crater lake, who’s colour is characterized by the high concentration of sulfur. In the afternoon, after lunch, we will head back to the campsite for the evening.
Today we will drop in elevation, somewhat different to the higher elevation terrain. We will then drive to the Cotopaxi Province to spend a welcome afternoon relaxing in a Colonial Hacienda.
After a delicious breakfast at the hacienda, we will head out by car to The Ilinizas Ecological Reserve. We will stop along the way at the Toachi canyon to enjoy the spectacular views over the canyon and the surrounding countryside. We will then continue to the Quilotoa Volcano, where we will head out on a hike into its crater. This lake is considered as one of the most beautiful crater lakes on earth, and there is even the option to go kayaking in its crater! We will then either hike or ride a mule back up to the top and our car wil...
Today is the final day of this spectacular Altar Volcano Expedition. We will collect you from the hotel in Quito to head to the airport for your flight back home or to your next exciting destination!
You can check our safety protocols in the following link: https://adventurejourneys.com/news-about-covid-19
We do not include travel or health insurance and we strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance for any unexpected circumstances. This is not obligatory, however. An full travel insurance policy that covers cancellations and delays as well as medical insurance.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure that you are up-to-date with the recommended vaccinations when traveling to the destination. In any case, a negative Coronavirus Molecular Test (PCR) is needed to enter the country.
We suggest that you speak with your doctor to ensure what medications you will need to bring to the destination. Pharmacies and drugstores are common in all cities, however, it is not certain that you will be able to find a specific drug that you can find in your country of origin.
As in any city in the world, there can be pickpockets in crowded places. We suggest being vigilant at all times, but if you are in a group you will always be safer.
We do not include the cost of any domestic or international flight in any of our programs. These services must be booked independently by each guest.
Yes, hotels will charge the cost of a double room as standard, so a single supplement will be charged if you are traveling alone.
VA Expeditions is supported by Valencia Travel, a company with more than 12 years of foundation with a solid financial position. We have insurance from the insurance company La Positiva, that supports us and protects our guests from any eventuality at the destination, covering our guests for more than 5 million US dollars.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, in addition to multi-day programs, we offer half-day experiences and excursions without overnight, which you can purchase as additional services. In case you wish to purchase one of these services, you can ask your guide, the transfer representative or your sales representative to provide you with the support you need.
Yes, you can add additional or optional services to your regular tour. We appreciate contacting your sales representative for any changes you wish to make.
Yes, you can travel with children and we have many activities to do as a family, however, depending on your itinerary, some experiences can be a bit demanding for young children. As a recommendation, we suggest that you ask your sales consultant if the tour you wish to book is suitable for children.
We work with a maximum group size of 12 passengers for sustainability reasons and a more personaized experience.
We suggest making your reservations at least one month before your trip in order to reserve the best hotels, transportation and services for your travel dates, however, in last minute cases, we can reserve up to 15 days in advance.
We suggest consulting with your embassy to review any documents, tests or special visa you need for your trip.
The official currency in Ecuador is the United States dollar (USD). In large cities there is a good chance that you will find ATMs or ATMs, however, we suggest that you do not rely entirely on this solution, as it may not be enabled to work with your bank.
Yes, we cater for all special dietary requirements. Please let us know at the time of booking if you have any allergies or special dietary needs.
As a sustainable travel company, we are in constant search of how we can improve the sustainability of our operations, that is why we carry out the following activities to generate a fair and sustainable development in our areas of operation: "Women & Weaving - Sacha Warmi" project to support women from an indigenous community in the Ecuadorian Andes and Pan Animalia
a project to improve the quality of life of stray dogs in Galapagos Islands.
Tips are not included in the cost of the tour. You should plan to tip 10% in restaurants and for your guided services, however, tipping is never required.
Cultural norms vary within each Latin American country, even within each city within the country, however, we recommend the following measures to have a pleasant visit in each destination: Latin American culture in general tends to be closer and more informal than in others cultures, so there is usually always a friendly approach in all conversations, and going directly to the point could be considered offensive to some people. Personal space can be much shorter as well, but without being interpreted as sexual in nature.
The schedules are also usually more relaxed and informal, however, this is not the case of VA EXPEDITIONS, since we will always respect the hours indicated in your itinerary. This may be different for other appointments that you can book on your own at other locations.
This depends on each itinerary, and will be indicated in the detail of the day. However, our itineraries always usually include free times to offer more flexibility to our guests.
For any emergency, we appreciate contacting the following number: +593 2 255 8805
At VA Expeditions we believe that every action we take should generate a positive impact on the communities and the environment of our entire production chain, which is why we carry out various activities focused on this objective. For an example of our sustainable projects, visit: https://adventurejourneys.com/pan-animalia/
All our guests have 24/7 support for any type of emergency or eventuality. For emergencies you can contact the following number: +593 2 255 8805. For general inquiries, you can write to us at the following email: info@valenciatravelcusco.com
This depends on each itinerary, but generally is a ratio of one guide for every nine guests.
This depends on the type of the type of Travel insurance that the passenger has. We recommend that you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy for better care and hospital facilities.
The tours are carried out by an expert team that has determined the optimal times of visits to make the most of our guests' time, without rushing. All our programs are customizable, so if at any time at the destination you want to adjust the pace of the trip, you can ask your guide to reach a consensus with the whole group in case you need to make adjustments to the pace of the trip.
Each trip is customizable, but there may be additional restrictions and expenses in each case. We suggest contacting your sales representative for more information.
Yes, you can safely store any luggage at your hotel.
For city tours, there are public bathrooms available, in remote destinations bathroom facilities are more sparse.
In the mountains and remote places there is no Internet connection. Hotels and public places usually have WIFI available.
In cities and tourist centers you will have good telephone reception. In remote areas, there may be no cell phone reception.
It depends on each itinerary. We suggest contacting your account representative to give you specific information regarding your program.
The tap water in Ecuador is not always friendly on the stomach for those who haven't been in Latin America for a while. There is purified water in each of the accommodations which you can use to fill up each morning, so be sure to pack a reusable water bottle or two. There will also be water in the transportation.
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