Je souhaiterais randonner 10 j en altitude ( 3000m à 5000m) pour préparer mon acclimatation. Ceci avant de me lancer sur les pentes du Chimborazo et du Cotopaxi.
Les parcs du Chimborazo et du Cotopaxi étant très réglementés ( il me semble), dans quels parcs est-il toléré de camper?
Existe-t-il des zones de bivouac?
Pour le Cotopaxi, les autres reponses sont fausses. Il est interdit de visiter le parc sans guide.
Le Chimborazo est moins reglmente, le mieux est non pas de camper mais d'aller dormir a un des 2 refuges.
Tu peux aller camper dans d'autres regions de l'Equateur mais ce n'est pas evident de trouver du bon camping a 5000 metres. Souvent (Pichincha, Imbabura) il n'y a pas d'eau.
bonjour.
en effet d'après mon ami guide de Latacunga ils ont durci la réglementation dans les parcs;
on ne peut s'aventurer sans etre accompagné par un guide pour une ascension.
maintenant je pense que pour camper c'est un autre probleme
C'est vrai que les réglementations peuvent évoluer vite et ce qui était vrai hier ne l'est plus forcement aujourd'hui.
Est-ce que vous connaitriez les liens web officiels des gardes des parcs du Cotopaxi et du Chimboraso?
Il doit être expliqué ce qui est interdit de faire dans le parc.
Avec google, je me perds dans les méandres des liens sans trouver le lien officiel.🤪
L'entrée des parcs régionaux équatoriens est "normalement" payante (mais : celui qui rentre ou sort du Parc aux horaires or bureau, ne voit pas les gardes...😉).
Le bivouac se fait partout (tu es dans les Andes et c'est bougrement vaste). Encore heureux !! Et il n'est pas encore venu le temps où ça changera... Alors, bons bivouacs équatoriens à toi !😉
Je ne suis pas allé dans le PN du Chimborazo depuis des lustres.
Pour le PN du Cotopaxi, tu ne peux en pratique camper n'importe où
mais si tu es dans un tout petit groupe (2 à 4), tu devrais passer
inaperçu en te faisant discret.
En théorie, il existe, paraît-il, des endroits aménagés mais je ne les
ai jamais pratiqués pour dire vrai.
La reglementation durcie c'est pour le parc de Cotopaxi seulement. On ne peut pas entrer dans le parc sans guide. Ce n'est pas vrai pour les autres parcs. Les parcs sont GRATUITS.
Ce n'est pas ce que me dit un guide Assegim et ce que j'ai lu par ailleurs.
Un groupe de plus de 5 doit être accompagné d'un guide dans le parc du Cotopaxi.
Je randonne une fois par semaine, le samedi ou le dimanche.
Quand j'ai des vacances ou WE prolongés, je fais une rando avec bivouac.
Tu imagines bien combien la question du bivouac est cruciale pour moi!
Je crois que la législation n'a pas changé mais que sa communication est très
imprécisément diffusée, d'où le flottement sur ce qui est réellement interdit
ou autorisé.
A ce que j'ai lu, à ce qui m'a été dit par un pro, guide de haute montagne (Asegim)
mais qui guide aussi des treks, le Pn du Coto est interdit aux groupes de plus de 5
sans guide spécifique du PN.
C'est empoisonnant pour les agences qui font des groupes de plus de 5 en général.
Mais pour un petit groupe, ce ne serait pas gênant.
Pour le bivouac, je ne suis pas sûr qu'on te laisse le faire n'importe où.
Ma politique, c'est se planquer, pour le cas où.
Bref, si je campe au pied de l'Antisana où on voit une tente à des kms à la ronde,
je me ferai discret, m'installant derrière un petit rocher, et plantant assez tard!
Si je plante vers Tambopaxi, ce sera en haut, au pied du Rumiñahui ou derrière
les mamelons plus à l'est.
Je tâche de retrouver le lien précisant certaines modalités de l'entrée dans ce PN.
L'hiver et le printemps dernier plusieurs personnes (pas en groupe) ont rapporte dans le forums de voyage qu'elles avaient ete empechees d'entrer dans le pn Cotopaxi et avaient ete obligees de louer un guide local ('communautaire'). J'etais en Equateur cet ete mais du coup je ne suis pas alle au Cotopaxi (et j'y etais deja alle avant).
Nuevas disposiciones para ingresar al CotopaxiEl Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador (MAE) en Cotopaxi estableció nuevos requerimientos para los excursionistas que practican alta montaña. Los turistas que solo desean hacer recorridos por las áreas protegidas deberán contar con un guía.
A partir de octubre del año 2012, el Ministerio de Ambiente del Ecuador (MAE) resolvió que ninguna persona o grupo que vaya a practicar alta montaña o ascenso a un nevado del país, podrá hacerlo sin la compañía de un guía especializado y que no tenga licencia. Esta decisión se tomó tras la muerte de tres personas, de un grupo de nueve montañistas, que escalaban el Illiniza Sur.
Sin embargo, la falta de guías especializados en alta montaña sería un limitante para que se cumpla la disposición. Por ejemplo, la Asociación Ecuatoriana de Guías de Montaña (Aseguim) cuenta con 73 integrantes. De ellos, las provincias de Tungurahua y Chimborazo cuentan con uno cada una; Cotopaxi cuenta con dos y el resto se concentra en la capital de la República.
Ivo Veloz, guía aseguim de Chimborazo, afirmó que el número no es suficiente, pero que, en cambio, hay guías que aunque no están acreditados tienen amplia experiencia.
“Hay guías que no son aseguim, pero son muy buenos y no sé porqué no se los legaliza por parte del Ministerio. Si se los legalizara, se contaría con los guías suficientes para la montaña”, dijo Veloz.
La falta de guías incluso permitió que hubiera cierta flexibilidad en la Reserva de Producción de Fauna del Chimborazo, donde los montañistas podrían ascender al volcán con la presentación previa de un documento de descargo de responsabilidad ante el Ministerio de Ambiente.
Pero las cosas son diferentes para acceder a las áreas protegidas de Cotopaxi, donde esta semana se emitió una nueva disposición. Los medios de comunicación no tendrán libre acceso, salvo con permiso previo del MAE
Ana Belén Marín, directora provincial del Ministerio del Ambiente del Ecuador (MAE), informó que las medidas fueron adoptadas para que no ocurran más incidentes como el que se produjo hace una semana dentro del Parque Nacional Cotopaxi, cuando una mujer de origen canadiense falleció a causa de la caída de un bloque de hielo de más de dos metros de largo sobre su cabeza.
Entre los requisitos específicos consta que los montañistas nacionales o extranjeros deben estar supervisados por una operadora turística y portar los equipos necesarios para hacer alta montaña. Las operadoras deberán tener la capacidad suficiente para poder asesorar al momento de hacer un ascenso, y la empresa deberá contar con una patente que se renueva anualmente. Estos requerimientos servirán de guía, apoyo y respaldo.
David Hidalgo, montañista y miembro del Club de Andinismo dela Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo (Espoch) sostuvo que esta nueva medida lo que provocará es alejar más a las personas que quieren practicar este deporte.
100 dólares por día es el precio que cobran los guías acreditados para hacer alta montaña“Las normativas están limitando estos espacios. Los accidentes se presentan incluso con con guías de renombre. Esas cosas ocurren. Creo que se debe hacer un control del equipo, pero no creo que las nuevas reglas limiten los accidentes”, sostuvo Hidalgo, quien indicó, además, que los costos no podrán ser cubiertos. Un guía aseguim, por ejemplo, cobra 100 dólares el día.
Otras de las nuevas reglas es que grupos de más de cinco personas deberán ingresar con un guía naturalista. Veloz señaló que si bien la disposición es buena, esta no se ajusta a la realidad del país, puesto que si las personas van a ir solo a los refugios o caminar por senderos perfectamente, estas rutas son relativamente sencillas. Y añadió el problema del costo que representa contratar a un experto.
“La realidad del Ecuador no da para que se pague a un guía naturalista, porque cobra 30 dólares. La disposición es buena, pero hay que analizarla un poco más”, dijo.
Como parte de las nuevas reglas sobre el Cotopaxi, los medios de comunicación no tendrán libre acceso, salvo la obtención de permisos de la Dirección de Ambiente.
Para Hidalgo, esta serie de nuevas reglas lo que hará es que cada vez menos personas accedan al Parque Nacional Cotopaxi. “Con estas nuevas normas, la gente no va a ir. Incluso yo hace un año ya no voy a esta montaña”, afirmó.
Pour éviter toutes confusions, il faut différencier 2 points :
- l'entrée dans les parcs pour ascencions des sommets enneigés (conseillé avec guide)
- l'entrée dans les parcs pour marche jusqu'au refuge (en individuel sans soucis donc bivouacs).
Il faut toujours dissocier "ce qui se dit" (ou "se lit" dans certains guides/forums faisant la promotion du "tourisme guidé") et.... "ce qui se fait"😉 sur le terrain !
Encore un cas pas tout à fait clair! Et je n'arrive pas à remettre la main
sur une info actualisée du ministère. On ne peut pas dire que la com soit son fort!
Perso, je compte camper à Noël près du flanc oriental du Rumiñuahui et faire
l'ascension du pic central, voire du pic sud s'il fait beau et qu'il n'y a pas trop de neige.
Je verrai bien ce qu'il en est et s'ils font une chasse sévère avec un quadrillage
serré de la zone.
Bonjour
Ami
Vous pouvez camper aujourd'hui pas loins de la Laguna de limpiopungo, dans les site de camping prevu, mais si vous voulez faire une mellieur acclimatation, vous pouvez aller vers autres montagne, connaitre autres paysages et profiter le temps chez nous. Par example pour la meme altitude vous pouvez aller au bord du volcan Quilotoa a 3800m et faire le trek autour de la caldera du volcan, par example.
Hi there,
We’re planning an 8-day backpacking trip on the island of São Nicolau. We’re torn between taking the boat from São Vicente or an inter-island flight. I’ve heard the boats don’t always run?
We’d like to make three homestay stops to travel in a star pattern from each of the three points.
First stop around Juncalinho, second stop near Cachaco, and finally a third leg near Tarrafal. We’re looking for simple but authentic guesthouses (no hotels). Any suggestions?
Thanks
Hi there! We’re a couple setting off to walk the Porto to Fisterra trail on September 15th… We’re torn between the coastal route and the inland path—apparently, the latter has a lot of roadside sections. We’d love to hear about your experiences if you’ve done either! Thanks…
Hello,
In mid-November, we’ll be in Mindelo and Santo Antão.
We’ve booked transportation with Kapverden Tours.
One trip is from Porto Novo to Ponta do Sol, including the hike from Corda to Coculi.
What’s the trail like?
Then we’ll be staying in Ponta do Sol,
Here’s what we’re planning:
A hike to Fontainhas—what’s the best direction, considering we’re not great with climbs? No problem with flat terrain or descents.
Take an aluguer to Ribeira Grande and continue along the coastal road.
With the agency:
An excursion to Cruzinha with a short walk.
Return to Porto Novo via the path from Cova to… I’m not sure where yet, to pick up the car for Porto Novo, since we’ll be taking the ferry that evening.
We’ll have a guide for this hike.
We’d love to spend a day in Tarrafal, but getting back requires a boat or taxi, and it’s really expensive!
We’re a couple, 78 and 76 years old.
What do you think of this itinerary?
I’m planning to do the Mercantour crossing following the Randoxygène route in mid-July.
I’m used to hiking in the mountains, but I sometimes get vertigo, for example on ridges with drops on both sides. I wanted to check if there are any T4 or T3-T4 sections and find out if there are any very exposed passages—and if so, where—so I can plan an alternative route.
Can anyone give me some info on this?
Thanks!
hi how can I get internet when I arrive at Haneda? I mean in areas without free wifi. Is it more interesting to buy a SIM card? If so, at the airport? thanks for your help
We're planning to go at the end of November/beginning of December to visit (with a rental car) and hike on La Palma and El Hierro for 15 full days, including 1 day for inter-island ferry transfers. What’s the best split between the two islands—8 days on La Palma and 6 on El Hierro, or even more time for La Palma? Should we have one or two home bases on La Palma? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
Hi there,
I’m planning to cross the Gourgs Blancs Pass at the end of the month, from La Soula Refuge to Portillon Refuge. On this section near the pass, I don’t have any trail marked on my IGN map. Is the path well signposted, or should I use a compass?
Also, beyond the physical effort, are there any technical, exposed, or vertigo-inducing sections on this part?
Since I’m finding very little info, I’m being thorough with my questions.
I'm developing a free and open-source web app for planning walking and cycling trips (and even car trips). You can create a route by clicking directly on the map to add waypoints, and it can consist of multiple stages. The app provides tools to edit the stages and the overall route, and to display useful information (distances, altitudes, and elevation changes). A relief profile can be shown as a graph for a specific stage or the entire route.
Once the route is ready, it can be exported as a GPX file, which can then be used with a GPS or a mobile navigation app.
The app is built in JavaScript and runs entirely in the web browser. It uses the Leaflet library and several OpenStreetMap-based services. Initially developed for my personal needs (I enjoy hiking and cycle touring), I’d be happy to share it with anyone who might find it useful. It’s free to use, doesn’t require an account, and the source code is available.
Not very well known: Hokkaido Island has national parks that rival those in North America. Hiking there is free (even many mountain huts) and requires no formalities. These treks are described in the LP *Hiking in Japan* guide—you can just buy the Hokkaido PDF. It’s way better than Mount Fuji. Of course, everything depends on the weather, which is very unstable in the Japanese mountains (frequent strong winds). The trails are often obstacle courses.
The Daisetsu Zan traverse is a stunning hike through volcanic terrain with a remote section in the middle that requires at least one night of camping (there are basic huts for the rest, which is popular with Japanese hikers): 4 to 6 days.
The Shiretoko traverse takes 2 days with views including an island in Russia, but the ridge is brown bear territory—there are even more here than in Denali National Park in Alaska (brown bears and grizzlies are the same). I ran into 7 in just 6 hours of hiking!
Hi everyone,
I’m leaving on Monday, August 3rd for my very first long-distance trek: the GR223 from Coutances to Mont Saint-Michel, over 6-7 days (~11-14 miles/day), solo.
I’m looking for tips from people who know this section well (Coutances → Regnéville-sur-Mer → Hauteville-sur-Mer → Bréhal → Granville → Genêts → bay crossing):
Budget-friendly accommodations: I’m struggling to find affordable stopover lodgings (a lot of what I find online are expensive vacation rentals, not really suited for a solo hiker). If you have any great spots (hostels, hiker-friendly B&Bs, nice campgrounds), I’d love to hear them!
Bay crossing: Any feedback on guides/providers leaving from Genêts for the final crossing?
General tips for a first long-distance trek: What you wish you’d known before your first time, pitfalls to avoid, etc.
Hi,
We’re planning to do the 4-day trek from Mestia to Ushguli without an agency. The descriptions mention that there are accommodations at each stop, but we can’t find any details about them. Has anyone got info or feedback on this route?
New to this forum, I’m planning a pretty big project for 2028.
I’m heading to Nepal to do a trek from Kathmandu all the way to Everest Base Camp (a cool 5,300 m 😄).
This trek is a bit special because even though I’ll be part of a group, I’m going solo (so far, no problem—I’m used to it). But it’s my first real trek, and it’s also a humanitarian one: once I reach base camp, I’ll stay an extra week to help clean up the waste left by tens of thousands of climbers! Since I’m originally from South America, from two countries that share the Andes, I have a deep respect for mountains—they fascinate me. So Everest… it’s kind of the trip of a lifetime!
So, a little question for those who’ve done treks to Everest before… any tips for good mental preparation (I’m already working on the physical side)?
We're planning to trek in Peru and Bolivia and would love to find some local agencies.
If you know any, could you share details on prices and, of course, the names of the agencies?
Which trek would you recommend?
Elocine
I'm heading out on a fully self-sufficient trek in Morocco (10 days) from Imilchil to Aghbalou.
Can I find screw-on gas canisters (Coleman, Primus) in Marrakech (any addresses?) or in villages between Imilchil and Aghbalou?
If not, are Butagaz canisters for camping gas (small 230g size) available?
Thanks in advance for your tips!
Hello, I’d like to embark on a little trip in my home country, Switzerland. I’ll start walking from La Cure, heading toward Le Noirmont first, then I’ll improvise my route—but it’ll probably follow the French border... at least as far as Lac de Joux.
I’ll decide day by day how much farther to go after that. My goal is to stay in nature as much as possible, wander around for as long as I can, and restock food in villages or towns along the way.
I’m thinking of mostly camping, but we’ll see if I end up in a hotel or another campsite depending on my route.
I’d love to reach La Chaux-de-Fonds on foot... maybe even Delémont.
The whole thing should take about a week, give or take.
I’ll be bringing my dog, and I’m preparing for this as soon as I’m ready.
Any tips to make sure everything goes smoothly for us? Things I should know—or avoid? What about shepherds with their flocks of sheep? And isn’t hunting season open right now?
I’m not sure if what I’m planning is even doable, which is why I’m asking around.
This’ll be my first time doing something like this—wandering in nature *and* with a dog. I’m really excited for this adventure... and I need it. Thanks!
We’re really keen on ecosystems and want to hike in "natural" ancient forests—not planted woods or areas heavily degraded by human activity. Travel guides (like Lonely Planet) don’t provide much info on this. Could you point us to the most interesting spots?
Thanks in advance for your tips.
We wish you happy holidays and a fantastic 2026, full of discoveries!
Claire and Albert
Hi, this might not be the right section, but I’d like to know if it’s possible to start mountaineering with another person without necessarily hiring a guide. We’ve done quite a bit of hiking but not mountaineering—we’ll just do a half-day glacier course. After that, we were thinking of starting with La Grande Motte and the Pointe de la Traversière, which were recommended to us. Honestly, for things like roping up and knots, I’ll learn at home with lots of videos and a book.
I’d love to know if anyone has done treks in the Rwenzori Mountains and how much it costs on average, what the infrastructure is like, the landscapes, and safety in the area. Thanks so much! I’m really looking forward to your replies.
We’re leaving in 9 days for a two-week trip to Madeira, mainly to hike.
From my research, I’ve found that since last year, access to most trails—and systematically for the most popular ones—is now paid. You have to pay an access fee of 4.50 € per person per classified hike in 2026, and even 10.50 € for the most iconic hike: Pico Arieiro to Pico Ruivo. When paying, you also have to choose a day and a 30-minute time slot for your start time. Of course, this reservation is neither changeable nor refundable, even if the weather that day is terrible.
Personally, given the massive influx of tourists to the island in recent years, I don’t mind paying a fee to help maintain the trails. Similarly, setting a limit on the number of people who can hike them per day is certainly preferable to preserve this priceless heritage.
However, what’s much less fair is that in reality, most of the available spots are reserved: 1/ for Madeira residents (which is normal); 2/ for "economic operators" (meaning local tour operators). For example, if you’re a non-resident (independent tourist), no booking is possible for the Pico Arieiro hike for an early morning start before September! So, unfortunately, we’ll have to skip this hike.
It’s the same issue for Ponta de São Lourenço, the 25 Fontes, Pico Ruivo... in short, all the most popular hikes. Oh well, we’ll skip those too!
So my question is: which hikes do you recommend where we won’t face the huge crowds that the others get? And where we can book the day before for the next day, taking the weather into account?
Finally, a quick accommodation question: we’ve booked the first week in Funchal, but I haven’t decided yet for the second week. Do you have any advice on where to stay in the south or north, preferably avoiding overly concrete-heavy and touristy spots?
I’m reposting about the logistics for Samaria Gorge.
I’d love to get recent info, especially about whether it’s possible to park my car in Omalos, do the hike, and then catch a bus back to my vehicle.
In theory, it’s doable, but when you check the KTEL website, there aren’t any feasible schedules listed. If anyone has recently organized this with reliable, verified details, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks in advance!
Hi there,
We’re flying from Montreal to Lyon this August to go hiking in the French Alps. We’ve rented a car and will be staying at campgrounds. We’re planning to do day hikes and want to stay a few days in one spot, do a few hikes, then move on to our next camping spot. Could you share your favorite spots or any recommendations for places to spend a few days with great hikes?
A few details:
We arrive in early August and leave in early September.
We’re looking for day hikes (or shorter), moderate difficulty, with a cumulative elevation gain of no more than 1000m, and of course, beautiful scenery!
We’d prefer not to drive too much—maybe it’s best not to head too far south and deal with unnecessary heat?
Along the same lines, if you know of any great campgrounds where we can start our hike directly without needing the car, we’d love to hear your suggestions!
Hi there,
I’m planning to go hiking on this island and would like to know the best time to do it. I visited for a few days in November 2018—not for hiking but just to explore—and the weather wasn’t great, especially in the mountains. So, is a star-shaped itinerary doable if I rent a car and maybe use two different accommodations?
I’m not planning to join an organized group—just traveling with one other person and organizing things ourselves—unless you’d recommend a local agency or guide. Finally, even though I’ll be getting maps, a topo guide, and a GPS, I’d really appreciate your top hiking recommendations.
Thanks so much for your tips!
I’m planning a trip around Cap Corse and the AGRIATES in 2026, from May 8th to 15th (there are still 2 spots left, by the way! Just DM me if you're interested).
I’d love to know which hikes are worth prioritizing in the AGRIATES. We’ll be staying in SALECCIA for two days as our base—what should we focus on from there?
A round trip to IGNHU beach? Any other suggestions?
For Ostricano, I think it’s too far for a round trip...
Thanks for your tips!
Have a great day,
Anie, Toulouse
I’d like to get some info about the GR10 Pyrenees traverse. I need help planning the daily stages and accommodations—my wife isn’t an experienced hiker but walks a lot, so I’d like to schedule shorter walking days and thus a longer overall trip in terms of number of days.
Could anyone give me some help and advice?
Best regards,
Hi there, I’m planning the Annapurna Circuit for March 2027 and I’m looking for a local agency with a local guide—preferably French-speaking—to arrange this trek for us. Any suggestions? Thanks
Hello!
We’re spending a few days in Toraja country at the end of May. We’d love to do a day trek—taking our time—on a route that’s stunning in terms of scenery, but not a level 5 in difficulty!
Any suggestions you can share, please?
Thanks in advance
I’d like to do the Mare a Mare Sud in May over 4 days. I’ve found quite a few places to stay along the route, but I’m stuck on the start and finish.
I’ll be arriving by plane on Sunday evening and would like to start pretty early on Monday morning. Ideally, accommodation right at the trailhead (Alzu di Gallina) would be amazing, but I can’t find anything. Any tips?
Also, for the transfer from Figari Airport to Porto Vecchio or Alzu di Gallina?
At the end, I’d like to pick up a rental car—any advice on that too?
