In Ecuador, altitude sets the pace quickly. After Colombia and Bolivia, Guillaume and Laura hiked in the Sierra, shared daily life at a mountain refuge and spoke with mountain guides. Their account helps prepare for trekking in the land of volcanoes while distinguishing what they experienced from information that may evolve.
You’ll find their references here on acclimatisation, transport and local support. Mountain conditions, regulations and services change: before a glacial ascent, it’s better to consult recent information and choose a qualified professional. For another perspective on high-altitude hiking, continue with our account of trekking in Peru.
Four regions and a volcanic Sierra
The official website of Ecuador’s tourism ministry presents the country in four main regions: the Andes, the Amazon, the Pacific coast and the Galápagos. Our journey unfolded mainly in the Andean Sierra, with four days at the edge of the Amazon.
Altitudes change rapidly in this part of the country. Chimborazo exceeds 6 200 m and Cayambe reaches 5 790 m according to the Geophysical Institute of the National Polytechnic School. For us, this geography had a very concrete consequence: we gradually increased our effort and agreed to adapt our plans to our acclimatisation.
Geography of Ecuador © Guillaume Lorimier
Languages and cultures: what we learned
Our encounters do not allow us to sum up the diversity of indigenous peoples and nationalities in the country. However, they led us to listen better to the words used and to verify some references. The Ecuadorian Constitution recognises Castilian as the official language; Kichwa and Shuar are official languages of intercultural relations. Other ancestral languages have official use in the territories of their peoples.
We also heard about Inti Raymi. The expression means ‘Festival of the Sun’, according to the National Institute of Cultural Heritage. This Andean celebration linked to the agricultural cycle takes different forms depending on the communities. We mention it as a reference encountered during the journey, without claiming to speak on behalf of those who keep it alive.
Traditional Andean mask photographed in Ecuador © Guillaume Lorimier
Getting around: our experience with buses
During our stay, buses often allowed us to connect Sierra towns and hiking starting points. At the bus stations we used, each company had its own counter and departures were frequent. On board, a conductor generally came around to collect fares.
This operation describes our journey at a given time. It guarantees neither current schedules nor stops. To plan an itinerary, we would now check each link the day before and allow extra time before a mountain stage.
Tasting cuisine encountered along the way
In markets and small local restaurants, we often found maize and potatoes. We particularly enjoyed locro de papas, a potato soup often served with cheese and avocado, as well as empanadas. The fruits varied depending on the regions we travelled through.
We removed the prices recorded during the trip: they are no longer a reliable reference. What we keep is the interest in asking for the daily specials and taking time to discuss their preparation.
Cuisine encountered during the trip © Guillaume Lorimier
A month at Punanti refuge
We spent a month volunteering at a refuge located around 3 600 m, near Cayambe. We participated in the life of the place, helped build a water channel and identified routes with the person who was managing the refuge at that time. This duration mainly taught us to deal with altitude and weather rather than immediately seek a summit.
Stay at Punanti refuge in Ecuador with Antoine © Guillaume Lorimier
At the time of our visit, Antoine was developing stays with accommodation, guided hikes and acclimatization. We accompanied him on outings and helped prepare descriptions, information sheets on local fauna and GPS routes. We recount this organization in the past, as we have not verified the current offerings of the refuge.
Identifying a route near Cayambe © Guillaume Lorimier
We also participated in a minga, a time of collective work dedicated here to a project useful to the village. This experience allowed us to contribute to a specific task and discover a community practice without drawing generalizations about Ecuadorian society as a whole.
Choosing a mountain guide in Ecuador
During the trip, we spoke with five high mountain guides about their training and profession. Since that meeting, the programs have evolved. The Ecuadorian Association of Mountain Guides today presents its school’s program, entry requirements and directory. It also indicates that some of its trainers were trained at the ENSA de Chamonix and according to UIAGM standards.
Rather than keep training durations or equivalences that may become outdated, we advise you to verify the guide’s qualifications for the planned activity, especially on glacier. Altitude, crevasses and rapidly changing conditions require specific skills.
In particular, we met Juliana García and listened to her perspective on the role of women in this profession. ASEGUIM now lists her among the members of its training team. Her testimony remains that of a professional; it is not enough to summarize all the experiences of Ecuadorian guides.
Juliana García, mountain guide in Ecuador © Guillaume Lorimier
Also find the interview with Carlos:
Adrien Ozanon · Carlos Ecuador Baños
What we took from this trek in Ecuador
After approximately two and a half months in the country, we had made progress in managing humidity and exertion between 3 000 and 4 500 m. Our stay at the refuge had given us time to acclimatize and observe the local organization of outings.
The trip ended at Cayambe, whose main peak reaches 5 790 m. A glacier ascent cannot be transposed from a story to a personal project: the conditions, the group’s experience and guidance must be evaluated at the time of departure.
Hiking near Cayambe in Ecuador © Guillaume Lorimier
Climbing Cayambe in Ecuador © Guillaume Lorimier
