Climbing all the way from Banos, google decided to take us on the scenic route. Usually I second check the routing, but not this time.. oh well, it’s a nice part of the country to explore. We arrived at the park gates after they had closed, but they allowed us to come in and camp for the night. Driving through the sweeping highlands the vegetation gradually reduced to nothing the higher we climbed. National Parks in Ecuador are all free to enter. Our night was quiet, and very cold. At 4,362metres, it was the highest elevation we’ve ever slept at. The wind blew hard and freezing rain lashed at the truck. The thin air kept my mind spinning, sleep didn’t come easy, if at all.



Outside, a five-month-old puppy that had been abandoned had made the carpark & the gatehouse home. No owner, no bed or food bowls, this little survivor found his meals by tipping over garbage bins. He was a cute & friendly little guy, and Jaxon of course made fast friends, and fed him dinner of dog food which he ate kibble by kibble. Normally dogs would hoover down food, but this little guy had no competition, so he took his time.
We were tempted to take him with us, but he seemed very happy where he was, surrounded by the ever-changing parade of park rangers, hikers, and passing Overlanders.


the closest point on Earth to the sun
How’s that for a little known fact. That might sound surprising, since Everest is taller above sea level. But Chimborazo sits much closer to the equator, and because the Earth bulges slightly at the equator due to its rotation, the peak of Chimborazo is actually the farthest point from the center of the Earth—and therefore, the closest point to the sun on the planet’s surface.
Chimborazo itself is a beast. Ecuador’s highest peak at 6,263 metres.
our highest hike yet 5,125m – 16,814ft!!!
The next morning, we drove up to the carpark again before setting out on the hike up to the Refugio Carrel at 5,000 metres, winding past windswept slopes and a sobering cluster of climbers’ graves, simple stone markers etched with names of those who never made it back down. The altitude slowed our steps, and the air was sharp and cool, but the sun warmed our backs as we climbed. Sadly, the volcano never fully revealed itself—clouds swirled and shifted but never fully cleared.
We looped past a small lagoon, then scrambled a little higher, just up onto the edge of the glacier—enough to crunch snow under our boots and boil water for hot chocolate with a view. A quiet moment, for our highest hike ever done. Then it was back down the trail and down the mountain.













Finca Castillo de Altura
Back to the truck, down the mountain to say goodbye to the puppy, we made our way to a camp spot Tim found on iO that turned out to be the best camp we’ve had so far in Ecuador. Sorry Andy, Coda Vista is a very close 2nd place. Down lower at 3,200m we could breath much easier and sleep very well.
Finca Castillo is owned by Juan Senior and his wife, whose name I have forgotten. Juan junior, an avid mountain biker is the one responsible for bringing a couple of cycle tourists to the farm 10 years ago. Since then, they have welcomed so many overland travellers to their home farm. Walls of the common room are covered in photos of travellers and their vehicles. Their genuinely warm welcome made us feel at home, so much that Jaxon & I had a lesson from Dolores on how to milk a cow! Jaxon collected a litre of milk that they then gave us. Warm & rich I heated then cooled it. It went into pancakes for breakfast the next morning.







Time for a little history, next stop the Ingapirca Ruins…
Loving your posts!