45. Ecuador-Quito - Rucu Pichincha Hike

Because of the political unrest in Quito, we considered fleeing to the coast, but were told that the roads were already blocked (see post 46). So we decided to stick with our itinerary and head up to do the Rucu Pichincha hike.

Rucu Pichincha is a volcano rising to the height of 15,695 feet, and as such, is a big attraction for those wishing to experience the altitude. The gondola (TeleferiQo) took us to the base where we had amazing views of Quito.

The hike was fun. I was out of breath and slightly nauseous several times - probably a reflection of both the altitude as well as a poor workout schedule during this trip. We made it to 14, 735 feet before dark clouds and the time of day convinced us to return.Read more