Day 1 · Quito to Machachi (65 km, warm-up that isn’t)
Leave Quito early before traffic kills you. First 30 km downhill on Panamericana (fast but trucks), then turn off to Machachi. Already at 3,000 m, lungs notice it. Slept at a hostel famous for cyclists, ate locro de papa until coma.
Day 2 · Machachi to Cotopaxi Secret Lake (70 km gravel, 1,800 m up)
Enter the park through the back door (north entrance, less tourists). Gravel turns chunky, wind from the west tries to push you backwards. Side trip to Limpiopungo lagoon, then hidden trail to this secret lake at 4,100 m with perfect cone reflection of Cotopaxi. Camped wild, altitude headache started at 9 pm, took Diamox like candy.
Day 3 · Cotopaxi loop & down to Latacunga (55 km, ash and sand)
Rode up to Cotopaxi refugio carpark (4,580 m), bike felt like it was full of bricks. Then insane black volcanic sand descent, almost crashed 20 times laughing. Dropped 1,500 m to Latacunga in 35 minutes, knees shaking. Best empanadas de viento in Ecuador at the market.
Day 4 · Latacunga to Quilotoa lagoon (78 km, the green monster)
Everyone says “it’s rolling”. Lies. 2,200 m gain, half on ripio, half on broken concrete. Last 10 km to Quilotoa crater rim at 3,900 m destroyed me. Lagoon is emerald green, looks fake. Slept in a hostel on the edge, woke up to horses staring in the window.
Day 5 · Quilotoa to Baños (105 km, longest day)
Big descent to Sigchos (1,800 m drop, screaming fast), then climb again to 3,200 m before dropping into Baños. Legs dead by km 80 but the last 30 km downhill to Baños with waterfalls every 200 m made it worth it. Ate melcocha (pulling sugar like crazy) and passed out.
Day 6 · Baños to Riobamba (85 km, jungle to paramo)
Morning flat along Pastaza river, then the climbing starts again. Road goes through cloud forest, then suddenly you’re above the trees in open paramo. Wind picked up at 3,500 m, felt like a wall. Riobamba has decent pizza, needed comfort food.
Day 7 · Riobamba to Guaranda & high paramo (92 km, oxygen? what oxygen?)
Steady climb all day to 4,000 m. Vicuñas running next to the road, wild llamas everywhere. Last 20 km on the old Panamericana at 4,000-4,100 m, headwind 40 km/h, top speed 6 km/h. Camped wild near Chuquipoquio lagoon, almost cried when the sun set behind Chimborazo.
Day 8 · High paramo to Chimborazo refugio & finish (70 km, the grand finale)
Morning push to Chimborazo Whymper refugio at 5,000 m (highest I’ve ever ridden). Bike officially done, lungs screaming. Then 2,000 m descent to Riobamba in 42 minutes, hit 78 km/h on gravel, zero brakes. Finished with a beer watching Chimborazo turn pink, legs destroyed, soul full.
Real tips from someone who barely survived
Altitude: sleep low the first nights, Diamox 125 mg twice a day from day 2
Water: every village has a tienda, but carry 4 L in the high paramo stretches
Tires: 50 mm minimum, volcanic rock is sharp as knives
Wind: starts at 11 am and never stops, start at 5 am
Food: carry oats and tuna, restaurants disappear above 3,500 m
Gravel: sometimes perfect, sometimes baby-head rocks, sometimes deep sand, all in one hour
Bonus: locals will offer you canelazo (hot sugarcane alcohol), accept it, warms you from inside
Eight days above 3,000 m almost the whole time, lungs on fire, legs screaming, wind trying to murder you, and every evening the volcanoes glowing orange like they’re saying “yeah, you earned this view”.
Best. Ride. Ever.
Nos vemos en la avenida de los volcanes!
