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climbers and hikers Ecuador offers an incredible diversity of
mountains, hills, beaches cloudforests and rainforests to explore.
Tourists can ramble out on their own or hook up with a local guide
service. There are a number of breathtaking treks through the
Andean sub-alpine zone, which feature spectacular views of Ecuador's
monumental volcanic peaks.
Please note
that additional info (prices, activities, etc) are found to the
right of this pages. 
Mountain Climbing in Ecuador
 The
Andean peaks of Ecuador are located primarily along a fertile
central valley, which is a buttress between cordilleras. This
massive chain is divided into two main mountain ranges, the Eastern
and Western ("Cordillera Oriental and Cordillera Occidental").
Some of the peaks are actually volcanoes like
Cotopaxi which are easy climbs offering the novice a chance to
about 15,000 feet. Smaller mountains such as Iliniza Norte, Imbabura
or Pichincha are easily accessible and non glaciated making them
less dangerous and challenging.
More demanding climbs can be found on the Chimborazo
and Tungurahua peaks. These are glaciated and crevasses and other
dangers are numerous. The danger of avalanches always has to be
in mind and a detailed analysis has to be done before each attempt
and for each month of the year. The Politécnica and the
Nicolás Martinez summits offer nice and technical climbs.
Full equipment is necessary to climb these mountains, and it is
strongly recommended to be accompanied by an experienced high
mountain guide that will provide you a safety ascent.
Hiking & Trekking
Ecuador offers an incredible variety of landscapes,
culture and adventure. National parks, nature reserves, breathtaking
sceneries and much more. For hikers and trekkers, there are a
number of excellent trips throught the highlands which features
spectacular views of Ecuador's volcanic peaks.
Banos, a small subtropical valley at the base
of the Tungurahua volcano, is a beautiful place to go trekking.
This area is gifted with orchids, beautiful waterfalls and medicinal
hot springs, and is also the gateway to the Amazon Basin. For
the intrepid trekker there are several hikes from the grassy plains
of the high altitude paramo, through cloudforest, and finally
to lowland rainforest. You will see dramatic changes in the flora
and fauna while enjoying the beautiful scenery.
These adventures allow you to explore and to
discover Ecuador's wonders in a way that not only allows you to
walk amongst the flora and fauna , but also understand the endangered
ecosystems that exist here.
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