Central Highlands - Adventure Guide to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands - page 166

find the Andeanwolf, the endangered spectacled bear, and themajes-
tic Andean condor all in one day?
On Foot & With Gear
El Corazón
A great warm-up hike and introduction to the Central
Highlands is on Volcán El Corazón. Just south of
Machachi, take the road west to the village of Aloasí and
continue toward the extinct volcano (15,657 feet
elevation). A great base for exploring the mountain and surrounding
countryside is La Estación Machachi (see Where to Stay , page 177),
which has great views of Corazón fromthe dining roomwindow. From
there, it takes up to five hours to reach the summit. Or just make a
day of exploring the surrounding countryside and chatting with the
locals.
Ilinizas
The first major reserve south of Quito worth playing in is located
along the Western Cordillera around the Ilinizas Volcanoes. This re-
gion is filled with endless dirt roads and trails, although pointing to a
mountain and heading in that direction is quite a bit easier than find-
ing your way back if you are not familiar with the countryside. Your
best bet is traveling with a local or a professional guide. At the least,
know how to speak Spanish well enough to ask for directions.
The volcanoes are set within the newly created Ilinizas Ecological Re-
serve (see Eco-Travel section, page 175), a massive protectorate, in-
cluding such highlights as open páramo countryside, the namesake
peaks, Lake Quilotoa and intact western cloud forest habitat. Al-
though the two main peaks of Illiniza are the sixth- and eighth-
highest points in Ecuador, they are a bit overshadowed by the mas-
sive royalty of Volcán Cotopaxi across the valley. Nevertheless, they
are well worth the effort it takes to ascend them.
If you do not hire a guide from Quito, drive or take a bus from
Machachi to El Chaupi, three miles farther south along the Pan-
American and then four miles to the west. From El Chaupi, the walk
to the refugio , located in the saddle between the two peaks, takes
about eight hours. Alternatively, you can catch a camioneta from El
Chaupi, or, more likely, fromMachachi (under $14) to the La Vírgen
parking lot near the refugio . See Hostal Casa Nieves, page 177, for a
nice home base to explore Ilinizas.