Rucu Pichincha Volcano Hike in Quito, Ecuador

I dipped my finger into the dark, muddy path beneath my feet and drew a line across each of my cheeks.

The mud had already gotten the best of me—my shoes, leggings, rain jacket, hair—so a little more wouldn’t hurt. I felt like a warrior. And warriors deserve warrior makeup.

I was five hours into the most difficult trek of my life, the Rucu Pichincha Volcano hike in Quito, Ecuador, but I was on my way down to civilization. I did it. WE did it. Guil and I hiked, climbed and scrambled our way up to the summit of the 4,700-meter monster towering over Quito, Ecuador.

The more we descended, the easier it became to breathe, and the clearer my mind became.

“Holy shit. We just hiked up a freaking volcano!”

Best of Ecuador Hiking: The Pichincha Volcano

Since Quito was the only city I planned to visit in Ecuador during my four-month stint in South America, I had to do the destination justice. I had a few things in mind when we arrived, such as riding the TeleferiQo (Quito’s sky-high cable car) and visiting the middle of the world, said to be Earth’s midpoint at 0 degrees latitude, 0 minutes, 0 seconds. But I soon found out about a nearby hike known as the Rucu Pichincha Volcano.

“Now that would be epic,” Guil and I mused.

After much debate, we decided to conquer the difficult trek that would take us 4,700 meters (over 15,000 feet) into the sky. I thoroughly read about the hike online, coming across several frightening stories about thieves attacking hikers on the once-dangerous path—but apparently safety is no longer an issue. (I did, however, leave my DSLR camera behind just in case.)

Now, Guil and I aren’t expert hikers. Hell, I’m not even sure if I’d consider us experienced. So we had our worries.

In Quito alone, you’re already standing at 2,850 meters (9,350 feet) above sea level, meaning a light stroll down the street tests your lungs. This hike begins at 4,100 meters (13,450 feet) and ends at 4,700 meters (15,420 feet). That’s really, really high.

As a precaution, we checked out the beginning of the trail the day before by taking the cable car up to Cruz Loma, where the hike begins. That first portion, at least, looked innocent enough.

| READ MORE: The Full Guide to Backpacking in South America

How To Get To Pichincha

The Rucu Pichincha trail is popular with tourists due to its easy accessibility from the city.

You can easily reach the trailhead via the TeleferiQo. You’ll pay $8.50 for a round-trip ticket. Follow the path leading toward the mountains from the cable car station, and you’ll soon begin your ascent.

The first portion of the trail is so easily accessible that on a Sunday afternoon, you’ll see plenty of people casually walking the path and enjoying the expansive views over the city.

That’s how we checked the trail out the day before our hike.

Weather Conditions at the Pichincha Volcano

We began our hike at 10 a.m. in what appeared to be a scene from “The Fog.”

Thick, misty clouds swallowed us whole, and there was not one soul in sight. It was just us and the giant volcano ahead. For a minute we debated calling it day, taking the cable car back down and crawling back into bed. Fortunately we ignored the weather and marched forward. Onward and upward we went.

*Tip: Weather conditions can change suddenly at the top of the Pichincha Volcano. Everything from rain, snow, hail, strong wind and thunderstorms is possible.

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Tackling the Rucu Pichincha Hike

The overall volcano hike could be separated into four parts, some easier than others.

Part One

The first portion of the Rucu Pichincha Volcano hike is quite simple: The path is clearly marked, and the uphill climbs really aren’t that steep. For about 1 1/2 to 2 hours you’ll be walking up rolling green hills, slowly gaining about 420 meters (1,378 feet) in elevation.

I’d classify this portion as moderate. If it weren’t for the high altitude, I would even call it easy. However, the lack of oxygen is killer.

We took our sweet time, stopping for photos and water every 20 minutes or so. The path steadily becomes steeper.

Part Two

The next portion curves around the volcano’s side, giving you sweeping views of the surrounding mountainous landscape.

The day began opening up for us at this point, so visibility improved greatly. I’m not sure how I’d feel about tackling this portion of the hike under fog or rain. The ground here was wet and muddy, which slowed us down quite a bit. I slipped a few times even while being overly careful.

There were two or three portions of the path covered by fallen rocks, making it impossible to continue without climbing over them. The stone was quite wet so we were a bit hesitant to cross these. But as any determined hiker would, we cautiously made our way over and continued on.

Part Three

Then came the toughest part of the trail—the very reason I’d consider this the most difficult one I’ve ever hiked.

Known as the “sand slopes,” this final portion consists of an impossibly steep uphill climb on volcanic sand. We saw a few people dragging themselves up the “sand slopes” from far away, and it legitimately looked like they were walking up a vertical wall.

When it was our turn, we veered to the right of the sand toward a greener part of the volcano. Here we found tougher ground, including step-like formations carved into the mountainside. While this was a longer route, it seemed easier than the slippery sand-covered landscape next to us.

At this point, I was exhausted.

Looking up at the climb ahead of me I truly thought I wouldn’t make it. I debated turning around. I passed a man from California on his way down from the summit who reassured us, “Keep going. It’s worth it up there.”

After about 30 to 45 minutes we finally reached a trail marker at the top of the sand that read, “30 minutes to summit.”

THANK GOD.

Part Four

But when I saw what those last 30 minutes would consist of, I nearly gave up once again. I am not an experienced rock climber, and this last bit of the hike requires some legitimate scrambling.

There is no marked path at this point, but there’s really only one way to go: up.

We found what looked like a feasible way up and began lifting our bodies through the rocks. We passed a group of hikers on their way down; they said the rock climbing was “really not that bad at all,” so if you’ve done this sort of thing before it I guess it wouldn’t be as daunting.

For me, it was absolutely terrifying.

All I could think of was losing my grip, which would result in my body tumbling off the side of the Pichincha Volcano to my ultimate demise. Although if you fall on this portion of the trail, you won’t be falling off a cliff per se. Instead, you’ll roll down several jagged rocks until your body lands on a very hard surface.

The only thing left to do at this point was let the adrenaline take over and silence the anxiety in my mind. Keep. Going.

Thankfully we arrived at the volcano summit unscathed, still breathing.

Is The Rucu Pichincha Volcano Hike Worth It?

Yes. 100 percent. Absolutely. I mean, who wouldn’t want to brag about climbing a volcano that high?

Bragging rights aside, the real reason is the journey itself. The hike lets you experience the beautiful Ecuadorian landscape from a viewpoint that not many get to experience. The natural landscape is breathtaking the whole way through.

And when you reach the top, well, you’ll just have to experience that for yourself.

Tips Before Tackling the Rucu Pichincha Hike

If you’re planning on tackling the hike yourself, here are some helpful tips that helped us reach the summit safely.

• Start early.
• Bring/drink a lot of water.
• Dress in layers, and bring a rain jacket.
• Wear sunscreen, even if the day starts off cloudy.
• Pack a light lunch/snacks as a reward at the summit.
• Let someone know you’re doing the hike and when you expect to finish.
• Boil some coca leaves in the morning, and fill up a big water bottle with the stuff. This helps keep altitude sickness at bay.
• Have a few paracetamol pills on you for headaches caused by the altitude.

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Have you done any hiking in Ecuador? I’d love to hear about your own adventurous hiking experiences!