Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CLIMBING COTOPAXI
Climbing Cotopaxi can be done with little technical mountaineering experience. However,
it's not a challenge to be taken lightly. You must be in good physical shape, acclimatized and
travel with a qualified guide, preferably certified by ASEGUIM (Asociación Ecuatoriana de Guías
de Montaña) and arranged through a tour operator (see p.592).
The importance of acclimatization cannot be stressed enough. If you're pushed for time and
feeling bold, it's tempting to get up in the morning and think: “let's climb a volcano today”.
Unscrupulous guides won't hesitate in taking your money and going to the high-altitude refuge.
But above 3000 metres you need to ascend slowly over a few days. A couple of days in Quito
(2800m) is not enough to immediately tackle Cotopaxi (5897m). Lake Quilotoa (3800m) is good
preparation and a three-day, rather than two-day, climbing tour of Cotopaxi is recommended.
The best preparation is to climb lower peaks first. The most popular option is Rumiñahui
(4712m), mainly a steep hike. You can also try Corazon (4788m) or the more challenging Illiniza
Norte (5126m).
When climbing Cotopaxi itself, beginning from the José Rivas refuge at 4800m, it's six to
eight strenuous hours to the top, negotiating snow, ice and several crevices. The views of
Ecuador's other major peaks are breathtaking, as is the view down into the steaming crater.
The descent takes three to four hours. December to April is usually the best time to climb
Cotopaxi, when the snow is hardest, but it can be climbed year-round.
6
LATACUNGA
Some 30km south of Cotopaxi National
Park, LATACUNGA doesn't look inviting
from the highway, but venture towards the
centre of town with quaint cobbled streets
and friendly people. There's not a huge
amount to do, but the town serves as the
best base to explore Quilotoa and Cotopaxi ,
with good local tour operators (see p.592)
and decent accommodation.
simple d orm s or private rooms with fireplaces. Dorms $18 ,
doubles $50
Hostería La Ciénega T 03 271 9052, W hosteria
lacienega.com. A 400-year-old hacienda, 2km from Lasso,
with peri od fu rnishings and a good restaurant. Breakfast
included. $88
Secret Garden Cotopaxi T 099 357 2714, W secret
gardencotopaxi.com. An ecolodge set in the foothills of
Pasochoa, near the village of Pedregal, overlooking the
national park. The price includes three meals, snacks,
drinks and use of mountain bikes. Many rooms have thei r
own fire plac e to keep warm. Meals included. Dorms $38 ,
doubles $65
WHAT TO SEE AND DO
The town has been rebuilt in colonial
style after being destroyed several times
by Cotopaxi's eruptions. The main square
- Parque Vicente León - forms the town's
focal point, flanked by the cathedral and
town hall. A few blocks to the west, next
to the river Cutuchi, is Museo de la Casa
de la Cultura (Vela, at Salcedo; Tues-Fri
8am-noon & 2-6pm; $0.50), which
has a small ethnography and art museum.
In late September and again in early
November (usually the Saturday before
November 11) Latacunga parties hard for
La Fiesta de la Mama Negra , which
features a parade of colourful costumed
characters and culminates in the arrival
of the Mama Negra, a man dressed up
as a black woman in honour of the
liberation of African slaves in the
nineteenth century. The November
celebration is secular and more raucous.
SAQUISILÍ
SAQUISILÍ is gaining popularity for its
Thursday market, a lesser-known and
more authentic indigenous market than
Otavalo. On market day, eight plazas in
the centre flood with tradespeople selling
foodstuffs, herbal remedies, household
goods and live animals. It's also a social
gathering for the locals, many of whom
arrive in their best traditional dress and
felt hats. For tourists, the main attraction
is the shopping. There are also plenty of
tasty tortillas de maíz to snack on.
Saquisilí is a few kilometres off the
Panamericana, two hours south of Quito.
Ask the bus driver to drop you at the
junction and take another bus - or catch
a regular bus from Latacunga (30min).
 
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