Climb Mount Chimborazo in Ecuador

Mount Chimborazo is the tallest mountain in Ecuador and is one of South America's most popular non-technical climbs.  What makes climbing this mountain special is that its 6,268.2 m (20,565 ft) summit is also the closest point to the sun on earth due to the equatorial bulge of the planet.  And how's this for bragging rights: technically Mount Chimborazo is the highest mountain on the planet, superseding Mount Everest, when measured from the center of the earth instead of sea level.

Chimborazo Acclimatization and Climbing Preparation

Mountain Climbers are encouraged to spend time at high-altitude before attempting a Chimborazo summit attempt to get to know how your body will react while on the side of the mountain—surprisingly, drinking beer at sea level in Montanita is not the best preparation for strenuous climbs like Chimborazo, we offer a basic 4 day Acclimatisation program that can help to achieve the summit.

Ecuador Eco Adventure also runs guided tours for Trekking in the Ecuadorian Andes if you wish to maximise the probability of a successful  summit attempt of Mount Chimborazo. Difficult treks in Ecuador’s central Andes such as the lagoons of El Altar or the Ecuadorian Inca Trail in Sangay National Park are fantastic ways to train your body to adapt to high-altitude.

Route to Chimborazo Summit

The Chimborazo climb is done between midnight and dawn – with many climbers who mount successful summit attempts reaching either the secondary summit of Veintimilla 6,230 m (20,440 ft) or the major peak Cumbre Maxima at approximately sunrise.  The descent back to the Chimborazo’s Whymper Refuge at 5,000 m (16,400 ft.) normally takes between 2 and 3 hours.  The non-technical nature of this climb means you can get a very high altitude without encountering sheer vertical walls that require more advanced technical skills like ice climbing. At the summit, climbers blessed with good weather will be rewarded with an incredible view of other stunning peaks in the Ecuadorian Andes such as the Volcano Cotopaxi, the extinct stratovolcano El Altar, and the active volcanoes of Tungarahua and Sangay.

Illustrated image of route for climbing Chimborazo

Chimborazo Climb Pricing:

1 person with 1 guide: CHIMBORAZO CLIMB FROM REFUGE (4,800m) $600 if solo

*If you are climbing alone it will be only yourself and the ASEGUIM certified mountain guide.

2 people with 1 guide: CHIMBORAZO CLIMB FROM REFUGE (4,800m) $395 USD per person

For safety reasons there is a maximum of two people per ASEGUIM certified mountain guide.

1 person with 1 guide: CHIMBORAZO CLIMB FROM HIGH CAMP (5,200m) $750 USD if solo

*If you are climbing alone it will be only yourself and the ASEGUIM certified mountain guide.

2 people with 1 guide: CHIMBORAZO CLIMB FROM HIGH CAMP (5,200m) $485 USD per person

For safety reasons there is a maximum of two people per ASEGUIM certified mountain guide.

Safety, Guides, Climbing Equipment, and Mountain Weather:

Our guides have all of the necessary safety accreditations as well as hundreds of hours of experience climbing Ecuador’s two most popular peaks Chimborazo and Cotopaxi.

Our mountain climbing equipment is modern and almost brand new – we have multiple sizes for mountain climbing boots and warm jackets designed for high-altitude.

The weather on Mount Chimborazo is unpredictable but we will try to give you as accurate information as possible on weather forecasts as well as information on how many successful ascents there have been in the previous weeks.

Chimborazo Refuge ✓ Included

The Chimborazo Refuge has reopened and is located at 4,800m. High camp is located at 5,200 but has an additional cost.

Dinner ✓ Included

Dinner in the Basecamp and snacks and drinks during the climb *Please tell us if you are a vegetarian

Tour Insurance ✓ Included

If something goes wrong on the mountain the insurance pays for a rescue team, first aid, and an ambulance to the hospital.

Travel Insurance ✗ Not Included

Insurance is included on the tour which covers you for rescue and first aid on the mountain as well as the ambulance to a hospital in Riobamba which is where your travel insurance will take over

Climbing Gear ✓ Included

All mountain climbing equipment and warm clothing specially designed for high-altitude climbs.

Transportation ✓ Included

Transport to and from Mount Chimborazo is provided from the city of Riobamba, the mountain climbing capital of Ecuador

Park Permits ✓ Included

Entrance into the Chimborazo National Park is included. This helps the park rangers take care of the park

Extra Snacks & Alcoholic Drinks ✗ Not included

Extra snacks and drinks can be purchased at High Camp for a reasonable price

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Climbing Gear Checklist

✓ Mountaineering Boots and Crampons

✓ Gaiters & Waterproof or Soft Shell Pants

✓ Waterproof jacket

✓ Inner warm gloves & Outer waterproof gloves

✓ Inner thermal pants + Inner thermal fleece x 2

✓ Warm hat & Sports Sun glasses

✓ Helmet, Harness & Ice Axe

✓ Sleeping bag & 45 - 50 Lt Back Pack

✓ Duffle bag to carry all gear

Frequently Asked Questions

No you can't. Under law you need a certified guide to climb Mount Chimborazo
Yes. Our bodega is full of top notch mountain climbing gear.
Generally, the Chimborazo climb begins at midnight while climbers reach the summit at dawn.
Yes. Altitude sickness varies for everyone and there are varying levels of altitude sickness--from mild to life threatening. Our ASEGUIM Certified guides are highly-trained to recognise the symptoms of altitude sickness and are entrusted to make the call whether to push on when clients experience mild symptoms or begin the descent if the symptoms do not alleviate. The best way to counter altitude sickness is to spend time at altitude before the climb, such as trekking El Altar are through Sangay or hanging out at the Chimborazo Basecamp to level up at altitude.
The Aussie co-founder Jake is a web designer and wanted to road test different themes so you have this website, the oldest first launched in 2006, along with Ecuador Eco Adventures (adventures spelt plural) as well as Ecuador Open Tours and Ecuador Eco Volunteer.
There's a long story and a short story. The short story goes something like this: after years of government neglect, a somewhat predatory agency took control of the Chimborazo refuge promising it would renovate the rundown facilities like the bathrooms and toilets etc. The renovations were never even attempted and the agency then squeezed the climbers for every cent and cashed out leaving the refuge in ruin.

Acclimatise with Ecuador Eco Adventure

Trekking at altitude will increase your chance of reaching the summit

Acclimatization Trek

Testimonials

El pasaje es inmejorable! El domo en condiciones perfectas y a los pies del taita Chimborazo! Para hospedarse aqui tiene que gustarte mucho el frío. La atención de los anfitriones es estupenda y 100% recomendable!
Rubén
Quito, Ecuador
The Chimborazo Basecamp is a unique place in the foothills of Chimborazo All was very good. The space is wide, the bed is comfortable, it has a good view and the location is very good! Lugar único en las faldas de Chimborazo Todo estuvo muy bien. El espacio es amplio, la cama es cómoda, tiene una buena vista y la ubicación es muy buena!
Paulina
Ecuador
Chimborazo Basecamp
+593 998311282
$87
FEB - OCT

Chimborazo Basecamp

An eco dome in the foothills below Mount Chimborazo

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High Altitude Mountain Biking
Downhill Biking from the Chimborazo refuge
$65
CHIMBORAZO NATIONAL PARK

High Altitude Mountain Biking

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Gallery

CAMPERS CODE

“LEAVE THE PLACE CLEANER THAN YOU FOUND IT” — which may mean carrying other people's trash off the mountain but feeling good about it because we are keeping the beautiful peaks and paramos clean for the pachamama.

SMALL FOOTPRINT

Keeping a small footprint often means not disturbing the local wildlife by admiring native animals from a distance.  Our guides are all budding naturalists at heart and passionate about Ecuador's unique biodiversity.

ASEGUIM CERTIFIED GUIDES

Our highly experienced Andes mountain guides are certified by the Ministries of Tourism and Environment as well as the Asociación Ecuatoriana de Guías de Montaña (Ecuadorian Association of Mountain Guides - ASEGUIM)

Contact Us

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Endurance

Training for Chimborazo is all about endurance if you live at sea level, and this is your personal challenge, running long distances will give you the resistance your body needs for the actual climb.

Acclimatization

At least one or two days at high elevation will allow your body to get used to the altitude, you can also trek a smaller mountain, such as Carihuairazo or Cotopaxi, this will take you about 5 days in total.

Alternative Climb

More and more climbers are starting at 5300 m. The climb still takes two days but starting at this elevation cuts the attack time by half. Here is a short video of a rare Summit done by our clients at Sunset 6 pm.