In quick succession, we drive from the Cotopaxi volcano to the next high volcano, Chimborazo. The highest mountain in the whole of Ecuador and the northernmost six-thousand meters high volcano in the Andes.
In contrast to Cotopaxi, the Chimborazo volcano is no longer active and the danger situation is therefore quite relaxed. Our visit is also relaxed, as we can comfortably drive up to the first refuge at 4,800 meters above sea level in our campervan Ben. Accordingly, the altitude doesn’t bother us too much on arrival.
At 6,263 m above sea level and close to the equator, the summit of Chimborazo would be the furthest away point on the earth’s surface from the center of the earth.

Hike to Laguna Condor Cocha

Of course, we wonder what effect altitude has on physical performance. So, Paddy sets off for Laguna Condor Cocha, which lies at the foot of Chimborazo at just over 5,100 m above sea level. Just after the somewhat magical 5,000 m mark, the altitude becomes even more noticeable and the steps become slower due to the difficulty of breathing. The ascent at high altitude is ultimately best done at a leisurely but steady pace. But the ascent doesn’t have to be just because of the lagoon. During our visit, the lagoon is a brown puddle just a few centimeters deep. Unfortunately, our premonition was confirmed. Nevertheless, the hike is worth it, as we haven’t been physically active at such high altitudes for a long time. And the backdrop of the Chimborazo and the sweeping views over hills, which must all be close to the 4,000m mark, is always beautiful.

To round off our Chimborazo experience, we test out our house on wheels at 4,800m. After all, we will be spending the night at high altitudes in the Andes many more times in the coming months. The conclusion is that our campervan Ben continues to prove its worth up until the slightly sub-zero temperatures we experience that night. But the sleep is not very restful, at least on the first, not perfectly acclimatized night. The slight latent shortness of breath due to the low air density makes it difficult for either of us to sleep peacefully.
At the start the next day, our campervan Ben starts up without a murmur, despite the altitude and cold – we are thrilled! Only a noticeable plume of smoke from the exhaust after the first 8 km down the mountain made us a little uneasy. But we can anticipate that: After the brief but heavy smoke development, we found no further signs of any irregularity. Perhaps the bad Ecuadorian diesel was just a little too cold for the morning start and the combustion in the engine was therefore a little out of balance. So far so good, we are curious to see how our journey through the Andes will continue.