Visitor Center Chimborazo | Informal Campsite

Ecuador

Details

Verified:
3 months ago
Altitude:
4354.7 masl
Website:
None
Contributor:
ines.braun

Amenities

Electricity:
Yes - Not at Sites
Wifi:
No
Kitchen:
No
Restaurant:
No
Showers:
No
Water:
Potable
Toilets:
Running Water
Big Rig Friendly:
Yes
Tent Friendly:
Yes
Pet Friendly:
No

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Description

Parking lot (not very flat, but there are rocks to level your vehicle out) next to the visitor center at Chimborazo National Park. The entrance to the park gets closed at 2 pm. No motorbikes and pets allowed. Free entrance and free parking. Altitude: 4400 meters. If you follow the road within the park boundaries up for another 8 kilometers, there is another parking next to the first refugio at 4800 meters (you have to ask for permission to camp up there at the entrance!).
You can camp in the entrances of the shops. Good wind protection. Water tap (details see comments below).

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Cyclist. Arrived at sunset (~5:30 pm). Nobody was here. The man's toilett was open. There is a watertap in the little storage room in the man's toilett and another one outside the shop building, 4 meters to the left next to the path, very well hidden in the grass. You can sleep in the entrances of the shop. No tent needed. The entrannce of the cafeteria hat light and electric plugs. There is a big wooden board, you can use it to close the entrance. Less wind and animals cannot enter. There are no wolves here, the so called "wolf" is a kind of bigger fox. One came in the evening, was not very shy, i squeezed water from my drinkingbottle towards him and he left. If you sleep further away from the garbage bins, you won't wake up, when he searches them. The wind stopped about two hours after sunset. The night was very quiet.

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We arrived after 2:00pm and we have to sleep out. Not very flat but was not problem for us.

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The park closed now at 2pm and the rangers are very strict. We didnt stay the night because of the heavy wind. Its only a parking lot of both sides from the entry and you have no wind protection and its not flat.

IG: naturwunderer_ & photografnix

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chimborazo national park 09.12.2023.
refugio carrel-refugio whymper-laguna condor cocha.

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Passamos a noite no estacionamento fora do parque, não chegamos a entrar porque temos cachorro e não é permitido, mas aqui fora nos deixaram estacionar tranquilo. Foi uma noite muito bonita mas antes de amanhecer passamos mal por conta da altitude. assim que o tempo abriu descemos 1000 metros até um camping para descansar melhor e recuperar as energias. Recomendo subir apenas para passar o dia, além da altura o vento a noite é bem forte.

We spent the night in the parking lot outside the park, we didn't go in because we have a dog and it's not allowed, but outside they let us park in peace. It was a very beautiful night but before dawn we felt sick because of the altitude. as soon as the weather cleared we went down 1000 meters to a campsite to rest better. I recommend going up just to spend the day, besides the height the wind at night is very strong.

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admission before 4pm, they are strict. It is not flat you must help yourself with rocks or levelers. We had a windy season from July to August, it is impossible to sleep because of the sound of the wind and the movement it generates in the car. Based on our experience, we recommend it if you are going to climb up to the lagoon early in the day. otherwise it is not worth being somewhat suffocated by the lack of oxygen and the movement that the wind makes.

ingreso antes de las 4pm, son estrictos. no es plano debes de ayudarte con rocas o niveladores. nos tocó epoca de vientos Julio hasta agosto, se hace imposible dormir por el sonido del viento y el movimiento que genera en el carro. según nuestra experiencia lo recomendamos si vas a hacer la subida hasta la laguna a primera hora del día. de lo contrario no vale la pena estar algo sofocado por la falta de oxígeno y el movimiento que hace el viento.

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We parked at the parking, at the top there is a small “hill” where you can get one wheel on it so your almost leveled. The views from sunrise are amazing. One ranger at the gate told us there are sometimes robberies around this area, an other ranger told us it’s save.

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Slept here 1 night before entering the park. Not very flat and a lot of wind at night. But great views of the volcano. Enter the park early to be alone.

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The same: the gate closes at 2pm, so you should come before that time, and go out before 4pm. If you go overnight inside the park, you should arrive before the gates close. Otherwise, you can sleep right in front of the park at about 4400m altitude with great view of the volcano - the only bad is that the place is not that flat: /
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Segue o mesmo: o portão de entrada fecha às 14h, então você deve entrar antes desse horário, e sair antes das 16h, que é o horário que o parque fecha. Caso vá pernoitar dentro do parque, deve chegar antes dos portões fecharem. Senão, pode dormir logo em frente ao parque a cerca de 4400m de altitude com ótima vista para o vulcão - o ruim é que o terreno aqui não é muito plano :/

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Very friendly rangers did let me pitch my tent in the entrance area of the arts and craft store for free. Electrical outlets and water but toilets closed down at night. Only thing they asked for was to pitch after everybody is gone [around 5PM] and be packed up again by 7:30AM when first people start to arrive. Great place to spend the night with a bit of shelter before or after going up. Camping at refugio 1 could get very nasty depending on weather especially with the wind.

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Gate closes at 4pm; cafeteria closes at 4pm (most staff leaves by then) and it has very limited selection and it’s very overpriced (a small cup of tea is $2 each). We enjoyed the tea tho, it was windy and cold outside :)

Camping; if you are pitching your tent, the parking lot would be veryyy windy, uneven and cold as there is no protection/cover. If you are sleeping in your van, all good.

What we did: we camped in the hallway of the “tienda de artesanías” it’s the building next to the cafeteria. The hallway was big enough for a tent and two bikes. It’s covered, there were outlets that worked and there was a spigot (with veryyyy cold water!) right next door in the grassy area. It’s not fully protected from the wind by this your best option.

We asked the staff and they said that camping is allowed in the parking lot but people also camp in these hallways (tienda de artesanías (larger one!) or the one in the cafeteria) when it’s very windy.

The bathrooms were locked when we were there, otherwise when they open them you pay $0.25 to enter.

OJO: when we were camping there, we heard a bunch of very loud noises and then heard the trash bins by the bathrooms being knocked over/searched. This lasted almost 1hr, we imagined it was some type of animal. The next morning we asked the staff (all the trash was on the floor!) and they say it was probably wolfs 😯. So If you are on a tent by the hallways, pack your food/trash well. We stayed inside the tent the whole time.

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we arrived after the gate officially closed, yet they let us camp there overnight. the water is cold, but drinkable and vicuñas and colibries were around our camper.

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Very windy but very beautiful spot with amazing view of the volcano. It might be a good idea to cover the air inlet of your engine (while you sleep) as there is a LOT of sand blowing around. We entered after 4pm through exit gate.

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We stayed there with our tent and bicycles for free. There's a cafeteria where you can buy snacks like empanadas ( 1,50 $ ) , donuts ( 1 $ ) , coffee, chocolate ..... The cafeteria closes at 4:00 PM and open at 8:00AM
Water is available .

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We arrived by chance at night and the gate was obviously closed. The gate for exiting the park was open so I think you could just drive through and camp at the entrance inside the park. We stayed outside. The opening hours are 8am till 3pm, so maybe it changed.

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+ great view directly next to volcano

+ free parking on parking lot

- there was no running water when we were there, therefore no toilets!

- super, super windy and quite cold (-4C in August)

Can hike up to the second Refugio (5000m) after a 8km dirt road to the first Refugio (4800m) (we took a 4x4 taxi to get there for 20$ because we were scared our diesel wouldn’t make the 4800m)

Would recommend to first go up the volcano and then spend the night here to reduce altitude sickness... (we drank a lot of coca tea)

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Camped in the entrance to one of the buildings (the easternmost one). Ask at the gate. No door but good protection from prevailing wind and room for 2-person tent and two bicycles. Woke up to snow so was pretty grateful for the shelter!

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very great place for stay one night before visiting chimborazo Volcano.

go in the last refuge and parkeo at 6.00 am for good view condition !

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Rolling on two wheels? I won't confirm or deny I rode my motorbike to the top. However if you want to & are camping overnight. Maybe wait until the place closes and confirm with the guard it's just the two of you there. Then ask politely if you can ride to the top if your back in about 30mins before it gets dark. Keeping in mind the top is covered in snow, the road up is easy though.
Oh and you can pitch a tent in the entrance to the museum / shop that sells toques. Just maybe wait till they are packed up for the day.

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Great place to spend the night. Big, open, sloping parking lot. Magical barren landscape and a stunning view of the mountain. Toilets are clean.

Fun fact - Chimborazo is technically the highest point of land on earth, since it is the furthest point from earth core! This is because of the way the earth bulges at the equator. Very cool!

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Lovely place to spend the night! Nice guards. Nice toilets. Hard to level, but not too bad. Amazing view. 8 km drive to first refugio (4800 m high), from there you can do a nice little hike (about 45 min to the second refugio and then another 10 min to a little "lagoon", at about 5100 m).

Oh and there is neither an entrance fee for the park nor did we have to pay for camping! :)

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Road to visitor centre is paved and on good condition. Wanted to camp at the refuge but told we weren't allowed. So we stayed at the visitor centre and drove up in the morning. Road to refuge dirt but in good condition. Free.

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If your car can dive at 4800m of altitude, it's better to go to the Refugio which has a flat area and a restaurant, and from where you can take a walk on the volcano.

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We arrived late and the gate was up. We drove up the driveway to the right of the 3 buildings and parked on a relatively flat road within 200 feet of the visitors center. Fantastic view of the volcano and very quiet.

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Free camping in the visitor center parking lot. Ground is a bit slopey so bring your levellers. High altitude here so be careful an don't over-do it! Beautiful view of volcano.

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Parking lot (not very flat, but there are rocks to level your vehicule out) next to the visitor center at Chimborazo National Park. You must enter before 5 o'clock. Free entrance and free parking. Altitude: 4400 meters above sealevel. If you follow the road within the park boundaries up for another 8 kilometers, there is another parking next to the first refugio at 4800 meters. The toilets are open all night.

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Both the entry as well as camping in the park are free. Clean toilets. We camped behind the entrance to the parking lot. At night the temperature dropped to 0? C.

Coming from the north, you can easily break altitude records here. Highest camping spot: 4,400 m / Highest drive with the car (very easy, even for large RV's): 4.800 m / Highest hike (gentle trail to the next Refugio): 5,000 m.

After the visitor center turn right on the main street. Once it meets again with the E50, go straight onto the gravel road to the cheese village of Salinas. Stunningly beautiful track!

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