Ecuador · Equator line

Cayambe

The third-highest peak in Ecuador and the only volcano in the world on the equator line.

5790 mDifficulty 7/102 days / 1 night · refuge

Altitude5790 m

Refuge (4600 m)Ruales-Oleas-Berge

Refuge to the summitabout 1200 m

Refuge-to-summit timeabout 6 h

Difficulty7/10

Departs fromMachachi

Description

Cayambe (5790 m) is the third-highest peak in Ecuador and the only volcano in the world on the equator line: its summit is in the northern hemisphere and its base in the southern. It is located inside the Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve.

You sleep at the Ruales-Oleas-Berge refuge (4600 m) and set out around midnight: it is a long climb that demands good fitness.

Want to get to know the mountain before you climb? Its name, its history, the refuge and the gear, in one guide.

Read the Cayambe guide

What's included

High-mountain guide (minimum 1 per 2 participants; we adjust it to your group)

Transport

Mountain equipment (see list)

Accommodation at the Ruales-Oleas-Berge refuge

Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve entry permit

Dinner, breakfast and hot drinks

Technical equipment provided by Greenstep

Semi-rigid high-mountain boots

Waterproof jacket and pants

Gaiters

Crampons

Harness

Carabiner

Gloves

Helmet

Headlamp (batteries not included)

Ice axe

Sleeping bag for temperatures below 0 °C

50 L backpack

Essentials

What you need to bring.

Base layer (thermal lycra)

Mid layer (fleece or down)

Base-layer gloves

Double socks: one compression and one merino wool

Summit pack (30 L maximum)

Hydration

Energy bars or dried fruit and nuts

Sunscreen

UV protection glasses

Buff, balaclava or cap (not cotton)

○Trekking shoes: you can use the high-mountain boots we already includeOptional

You bring it; it is not included. Without these items the summit climb cannot take place.

Itinerary

Approximate times. Elevation gains are approximate.

Day 1

Departure from Machachi

We leave Machachi for the Cayambe Coca Ecological Reserve checkpoint and continue to the Ruales-Oleas-Berge refuge (4600 m).

Day 1

Refuge: dinner and rest

We settle into the refuge, have dinner (included) and rest.

Day 1 · midnight

Summit climb

Around midnight we begin the summit climb: about 1200 m of elevation gain from the refuge, in approximately 6 hours.

Day 2

Return to the refuge and to Machachi

Back at the refuge we have the included breakfast; then we descend and return to Machachi, our starting point.

Important notes

We depart from Machachi. We can also arrange transport from other cities at an additional cost: ask a Greenstep team member.

We do not include accommodation outside the mountains (for example in Machachi): only the refuge.

Good physical preparation and good hydration.

Have travel or mountain insurance.

Gallery

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