Central Andes Tour

Chimborazo, with an altitude 6,310 meters, is the highest mountain in Ecuador. Thanks to the equatorial bulge, its peak enjoys the distinction of being the furthest point from the center of the earth. Chimborazo is actually an extinct volcano that is believed to have last erupted some 10.000 years ago. The volcano’s massive glacier persists but it has dwindled in recent years due to global climate change and ongoing eruptions of nearby Tungurahua, which spews black ash onto the Chimborazo’s eastern slopes causing it to conduct more of the sun’s heat and thus melt at a greater than normal rate. Despite the decline of its snowcap Chimborazo’s white crown is still among the most beautiful sights in Ecuador.

Itinerary

To the south of Quito, the Central Highlands are reached by the Avenue of the Volcanoes, characterized bye striking volcanic peaks and rugged Andean scenery.

Some of Ecuador’s most visited sites le in this area, including the Cotopaxi National Park, the lively little holiday town of Banos, the hot  springs at Papallacta, the Laguna de Quilotoa, the huge crater lake on the route of the popular Quilotoa Loop and of course, Ecuador’s highest peak, Chimborazo.