Ecuador: Cotopaxi Summit

Still current: February 2026

What are the chances of making the Summit?

This itinerary includes a planned summit attempt on Day 8, designed to give you the best possible chance of reaching the summit of Cotopaxi safely, rather than rushing the climb. A lot goes into maximising those chances:

• A carefully paced itinerary with built-in acclimatisation time 
• Good quality food, hydration and rest throughout the trip
• Small group sizes and strong guide-to-climber ratios
• Experienced local mountain guides who know Cotopaxi and its conditions extremely well.

That said, reaching the summit can never be guaranteed. High-altitude mountaineering is affected by factors that are outside anyone’s control, including:

• Weather and snow conditions
• Volcanic or environmental activity
• How individuals acclimatise and feel on the day.

Your guides will make decisions based on real-time conditions and the health of the group as a whole, and turning back is always an acceptable and respected outcome if that is the safest option. The priority is that everyone returns safely, having had a well-supported and rewarding experience on the mountain.

***Update March 2024***

Cotopaxi summit has now re-opened and upcoming groups are expected to attempt the summit trek. 

What was the problem?

Cotopaxi stratovolcano summit was temporarily closed for climbing due to an unsafe level of gas emissions coming from the crater. This was the case since an eruption took place in October 2022, with the much-anticipated re-opening date being repeatedly pushed back, until it was finally reopened in March 2024.  

What is the alternative itinerary should it close again?

In the scenario that Cotopaxi is closed for the date that you are booked to travel, departures are fine to go ahead as planned, but you would be climbing Cayambe (5790m) instead. Cayambe is the only permanently snow-capped mountain on the equator and the third-tallest mountain in Ecuador, after Chimborazo and Cotopaxi, so definitely a worthy alternative. Recent groups throughout 2023 and early 2024 who have summited Cayambe due to the Cotopaxi closure have given great feedback which can be viewed on the trip page. Days 8 and 9 of the itinerary are the only days impacted by this change.

Any further updates will be posted to this page. Our customer service team are always here to help: you can contact them at hello@muchbetteradventures.com

Last update: 04 March 2024