A 16-day guided ski-mountaineering circuit across Ecuador’s highest volcanoes, built for experienced backcountry skiers who want glacier skills and summit descents on Cayambe, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo. Expect technical glacier travel, nightly refugios and careful acclimatization.
More ways to explore the area's outdoor wonders
You step out before dawn into a thin, cold air that feels different from any winter back home — the equatorial sky is ink-black and the stars hang close while guides check ropes and skins.
Difficulty
expert
Duration
16 days
Fitness Level
Must have excellent aerobic endurance, experience with multi-day ski tours and comfort above 5,000 m; prior glacier travel or guided high-altitude climbs strongly recommended.
Wildlife
History
These volcanoes are part of the Andean uplift and have long figured in local Quechua cosmology and Spanish colonial travel routes, with nearby Otavalo maintaining indigenous textile traditions.
Conservation
Glaciers in Ecuador are retreating rapidly; guided groups are encouraged to follow park rules, pack out waste, and minimize camp impacts to protect fragile high‑Andean ecosystems.
Reserve your spot on the 16 Day Ski Tour in Cayambe, Cotopaxi , and Chimborazo today and enjoy a trusted, highly rated experience designed to help you make the most of your adventure.
Prioritize acclimatization
Follow the itinerary’s progressive climbs and rest days; slow ascent reduces acute mountain sickness risk and improves performance on summit days.
Layer for extremes
Bring breathable base layers, an insulated mid and a waterproof outer — temperatures swing from sub-zero on summits to mild in valleys.
Glacier safety basics
Carry and know how to use a harness, ice axe and crampons; practice crevasse rescue drills with your guide during skills days.
Hydrate and eat often
Cold suppresses thirst; sip frequently and eat calorie-dense snacks to sustain energy at altitude.
Alpine touring skis with skins & tech bindings
Enables ascent and controlled descents on glacier slopes and varied snow conditions.
winter
Crampons & ice axe
Required for steep glacier sections, boot traction and self-arrest capability.
winter
3-season down/synthetic insulated jacket
High-altitude warmth for summit pushes and cold nights in refugios or tents.
winter
Avalanche transceiver, probe & shovel
Necessary for safety when skiing steep, crevassed snowfields; guides will brief on use.
winter