Ecuador's Triple Crown Traveller Reviews

A superb mountaineering holiday, consisting of a short 4 day trek in the Ecuadorean highlands, followed by the ascent of 5 peaks which includes the well Known Cayambe and Chimboroazo, which because of the equatorial bulge the summit of which is the furthest point from the earths centre. In addition we learned and witnessed a great deal of Ecuadorean life, culture and cuisine

A very well organised trip, which by its nature being a mountaineering holiday involved a lot of logistics, which were all executed perfectly with no hitches.

As a mountaineer and a world traveler, I was not entirely sure what to expect from the Ecuador Volcanoes. Though I was drawn to them, they - and the country itself - seem rather obscure and not nearly as flashy as Kilimanjaro or Aconcagua. And yet, from the moment the KE rep picked me up at the airport (around midnight), I could feel the warmth and friendliness of the Ecuadorian people. KE has found gold with Camilo and Mariojlen Andrade and their ground operations, and with their exhuberant local trekking and climbing guides. Camilo is the ultimate Renaissance man - a classic mountaineer who has climbed the greats many times, but a gifted artist with a literary background and a love for the Kichwa culture. I felt so blessed to be welcomed not only into his hacienda Pantavi near Tumbabiro, but also to his office and his home, all three of them filled with museum-quality art. He knew so much about every plant and animal, about farming practices, about which mountains were used in pre-Columbian times for rituals. Every turn was a fascinating bit of information - and he also used this explanation time to give us rest breaks on the high altitude treks! During the first 3 days of the trek I was quite ill (altitude sickness or some water-borne issue - my advice to travelers - bring your water filter or tablets, even for washing your toothbrush or cleaning out Nalgene bottles). Camilo quickly consulted with our local guide Avram, and found an alternative route so I could continue the trek. It can't be fun for the guides to wait as the client vomits or takes a nap during the trek, but I appreciated the extra care when sick and hiking in a foreign country. Imbabura, Cayambe and Iliniza Norte were spectacular. They will go down as some of the best climbs of my life. I love scrambling, so the 2 scrambles were great fun and Cayambe was the hardest thing I've ever done, but highly rewarding as well. I am not sure what happened on Chimborazo, but the mix of sketchy conditions (black ice, loose scree & ice, 45* snow gullies) and a freak whiteout meant nobody summited. I chose to stay back in the hut. I think we were all tired by that point and there wasn't a whole lot of gusto for the summit and sometimes the mountain just says no. The stay in the village of San Clemente was one of the most special experiences I've had in a foreign country. Manuel and Laura were lovely hosts and the setup of the compound was so unique. It felt like home and I'm glad we were able to spend time there. The food was delicious - very balanced meals for high-output hiking and climbing. Always a delicious protein, a carb, some veggies and dessert. My stomach issues and altitude prevented me from truly appreciating the delicious meats and traditional dishes like arepas, humitas, plantain and quinoa soups and yucca fries. It was obvious the meats were fresh and organic, the eggs were that morning's pick, the fruits and veggies came from nearby farms. I wish I'd had much more of an appetite than I did! Also, the tea selections were really interesting! It is almost impossible to predict how the group dynamics will go, and part of this may be owed to Camilo and his leadership, but our team was amazing!!! It could not have come together better. We each found climbing partners who matched our pace and temperament, and this allowed most of us to summit most of the mountains. It was also a good thing we got along because we spent quite a lot of time together climbing, driving, eating, touring, etc... I am glad i booked a single room because, at the end of the day, I needed some time alone. But our group was amazing and I think I've made lifelong friends among my teammates. And I think we all fell in love with Ecuador.

All in all, this was an extraordinary trip. KE has a great organization, fabulous ground crew/local outfitter, and its choice of lodging was so unique, I feel like we saw a side of the country that most travelers don't get to see. Again, trip of a lifetime and I will definitely book with KE again.

High altitude acclimatization trekking in Ecuador's national parks in preparation for climbs of Cayambe and Chimborazo volcanoes.

Diego and his local team were entirely professional throughout the expedition. The diver, cooks and mountain guides were all excellent.