Cotopaxi - Dance on the volcano

The town of Latacunga is really not very nice and doesn't have much to offer. But it is the starting point for many trips in the area. In my hostel Tiana, I booked a guided tour to the Cotopaxi volcano. The tour was supposed to cost $40, including transportation, guide, hike, and lunch. Luckily, there were six of us, so the tour only cost $30. That's a bargain 😊.

Finally, I could unpack my thermal hiking pants, gloves, and buff from my backpack. At 8:30 am, our guide Diego picked us up from the hostel and took us to the Cotopaxi National Park in a jeep. Cotopaxi is not the highest mountain, but the highest active volcano in Ecuador, with a height of 5897 meters. The last major eruption was in 1877 and completely destroyed Latacunga. Our guide assured us that the volcano will not erupt today, very reassuring. Before the ascent, we treated ourselves to a coca tea with fresh coca leaves. The tea is supposed to help with altitude acclimatization. Who knows what else it can do? We then took the jeep on a bumpy road to the parking lot at 4500 meters. Up here, the wind was strong and it was very cold. Wrapped up in a sweater, jacket, buff, hat, hood, and gloves, we started our hike. We all looked a bit like ninja fighters, only our eyes were visible. Slowly, with several breaks, we zigzagged up through gravel and rocks towards the snow-covered volcano summit. The view was often obstructed by thick clouds, and the wind blew snow, sleet, and hail into our faces. Soaking wet, we reached the mountain hut at 4800 meters. The first part of the hike was already done and not too exhausting. We all coped very well with the altitude. Maybe the coca tea had an effect on us. In the hut, we treated ourselves to a hot chocolate and got a Cotopaxi stamp in our passport. We waited for the weather to improve and then headed to the glacier. The path was a bit more challenging as we kept slipping on the gravel. But this time, we were lucky with the weather and had a clear view of the summit. When we arrived at the glacier, it became a bit tricky. The melting water had softened the path, and small masses of gravel kept sliding down the slope. We posed for a group photo on a small safe spot on the ice, just had to be careful not to move too much. The view from up here in the middle of the ice at 5000 meters was spectacular. The ascent was definitely worth it.

On the way back, we had a delicious and well-deserved lunch with hot tea to warm up.