Enjoy a half day activity, with a local Spanish speaking guide (Bilingual naturalist guide available on request). The Pita river, whose source is the glacial meltwater of the giant of the Park, Cotopaxi is an emblematic hike at Chilcabamba.

The hike will take around 4-5 hours and departs from the lodge and back to the lodge, the descent is gradual from the grasslands of Cotopaxi down to the area known as the Pedregal and the humid Andean forests. Explore waterfalls, bird watch, learn about plants...its suitable for kids as well as keen trekkers preparing to explore the surrounding higher mountains.

A moderate full day hike for mountain guardians and lovers departs at 730am from the lodge. Today we can walk from the lodge and back to the Pasochoa peak. With a summit At 4,200 meters this is a popular challenge that can be booked at the lodge with guidance of our local experts (Spanish speaking), and usually accompanied by Toa and Pachi our resident beautiful dogs.

Access is not difficult and our hike to the peak will take about 3,5 hours over grassland trails (round trip 7-8hours). From here you will get a spectacular view of the mountains surrounding Quito, the inspiring scenery of the Pasochoa crater, as well as the impressive surrounding mountain crests: Antisana, Sincholagua, Quilindaña, Cotopaxi, Rumiñahui, Corazón and the twin Iliniza peaks and return same trail.

Enjoy our specially prepared boxed lunch and picnic on the base of the Summit.

One key element for us at Chilcabamba is to integrate our ecotourism project into the local community lifestyle and one way is to facilitate authentic and real encounters with our neighbors. Milking takes place at 1:30pm and 3pm in the afternoon. For a symbolic fee we can organize this activities that will help finance feeding the locals cattle. Learn how to milk a cow by hand and share with your host about his lifestyle.

Chilcabamba offers a unique opportunity to visit a local family (every Saturday at 730am) to join them on a very special and intimate ritual, cheese making! Our local hosts will open their homes for us to help out on this real deal plan, making cheese while learning from the locals life style. This is no commercial activity for the family, its a get together opportunity, a moment to share some time with the relatives, gossip, plan and most important share. We will be privileged to be part of this special moment as well as taste this delicious fresh cheese.

At Chilcabamba we believe that ecotourism can be a tool for sustainable development and empowering the locals at sharing their life style is an opportunity you can have here. At the lodge, take a basic lesson on horse riding form the local expert as well as some important safety procedures indications.

This is a perfect beginners activity join one of our local chagra (cowboy of the Andes) guide on a short 3 hour ride around the lodge, community and Pita River Canyon. Learn about the locals costumes, farming, seasonal agricultural produce, great the neighbors and spectacular views of the surrounding mountains.

We are particularly proud of our Joint Venture with the local community’s effort to work with the environmental authority and developed a unique horse ride trail option for our guests exploring Chilcabamba surrounding area.

Meet the ´chagras´ inside the Cotopaxi National Park (after a quick drive form the lodge organized with a local supplier partner of Chilcabamba) and their colorful clothes and their well groomed horses are a reminder of the days when the horse was the main form of transport in the area.

Our circuits at the national park, get inspired by the Cotopaxi amazing views, meet wild horses along the way, gallop if you feel life in coordination with our local Spanish speaking expert, goes through the eastern foothills, passing by the ‘Machay’(an Inca refuge), arriving at the stone plains, fresh water springs and mazing views of the Pita River Canyon.

Length options 1,5 hours, 2,5 hours and 4 hours