THE ULTIMATE
ECUADOR PACKING LIST
ECUADOR PACKING LIST
Use our Ultimate Ecuador Packing List as a guide for what to bring along while you’re hiking on our 3 summit challenge! We’ve packed this Ecuador Packing List with our trail tested favorites and recommendations, plus lots of useful info on the best gear for adventuring in all of Ecuador’s conditions.
Our biggest piece of advice is to pack light and smart, and bring durable, multi use items that you can layer as temperatures and weather changes (because they will)! Test and break in all your gear beforehand and use common sense and your own best judgement and discretion when choosing exactly what you pack. After all, no one knows you better than you! If you tend to run cold, pack an extra layer or two. If you have a finicky stomach, bring extras of your go-to snacks.
We’re firm believers that there’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate gear! Stocking up on quality gear from brands who are doing it right will make all the difference for enjoying all your adventures in the great outdoors!
THE ULTIMATE
ECUADOR PACKING LIST
ECUADOR PACKING LIST
UP TOP
2 HATS
Bring something light with a brim for sunny days, and a warm beanie that will cover your ears for colder nights. Both are great for covering dirty hair too! Pro tip: Make sure your brimmed hat isn’t white to prevent the reflection from the snow hurting your eyes.
2-3 PAIRS OF GLOVES
Bring a mid weight lightly insulated pair, and one more serious thermal, waterproof and insulated outer pair with removable liners for summit night. If your hands tend to get extra cold, you might want to pack a pair of mittens too, which will keep your hands warmer.
3-4 MOISTURE WICKING TOPS
Bring a few lightweight tops, so you can layer and re-wear them. Pack a mixture of tanks, short, and long sleeve options. Pro tip: look for wool and/or synthetic garments that, unlike cotton, wick away moisture.
3-4 MEDIUM LAYERS
These will provide insulation, and include, but are not limited to, fleeces, down jackets, and vests that you can easily stuff in your daypack and layer on and off as the temperature and conditions change.
WARM DOWN PARKA
The higher the quality of down the better! We recommend 700+ fill power. It should be roomy enough to fit over layers, as it will be worn during the summit attempts.
WATERPROOF + WINDPROOF JACKET
One with a hood and pit zippers, and it should be roomy enough to fit over layers on summit night. Make sure that you test your gear in advance, it needs to be extremely waterproof, GORE-TEX highly recommended. Check out Outdoor Research and Arc’teryx jackets.
BALACLAVA
Not to be confused with the delicious dessert Baklava, this piece of headwear is a quadruple threat! A balaclava is great for keeping your entire head, ears, neck and face warm when it’s really cold and windy (especially during summit attempts).
DOWN LOW
1 pair MOUNTAINEERING BOOTS
Mountaineering boots should be insulated leather with a stiff sole and crampon compatible. We love La Sportiva! Crampons will be provided for you to use in Ecuador. Note: If you are planning to add on a Chimborazo summit, double boots are required!
1 PAIR of Sneakers
Go for comfort and versatility. These Hoka Trail Runners are great for walking around town and our Hacienda.
4-5 PAIRS HIKING Bottoms
You’ll want a few pairs of pants to last you the entire trek. 2 of these should be leggings and the other 2 or 3 should be trekking pants. We love Patagonia leggings (and our Move Mountains ones too)!
FLEECE PANTS
You’ll need a pair of fleece pants for an extra layer of warmth. They’re great for layering over your thermals and under your wind and waterproof pant when the conditions get especially cold, wet and windy. Check out these fleece tights from The North Face.
WINDPROOF + WATERPROOF PANT
A non-insulated, outer layer pant is a must-have to layer on over your base layers when it’s rainy or windy. REI makes an affordable and high quality pair.
1 PAIR INSULATED PANTS
Think warm ski pants. These will be worn during your Cayambe summit night! Brands we love: Colombia and The North Face.
ALL ABOUT THAT BASE
1-2 THERMAL BASE LAYERs
A thin, snug fitting top and bottom set that you can wear underneath everything at higher altitudes. These will regulate your body temperature by wicking sweat away from your skin. We recommend merino wool base layers designed for winter conditions. We love KORA!
4-5 PAIRS WARM HIKING SOCKS
Bring durable wool socks in a few different weights - lighter for the hotter days, and serious heavy ones on the nights and colder days. We love Darn Tough’s Hiker Boot Sock in Full Cushion. Pro tip: Get a couple of pairs of liner socks in addition to your hiking socks. They’re great for helping to prevent blisters!
2-3 SPORTS BRAS
Bring bras that provide support, feel comfortable against your skin, dry quickly and don't bind, smoosh or chafe.
UNDERWEAR
Bring as many pairs as you know you’ll want! Check out REI’s Merino Hipster Undies which are comfy and great for adventuring!
SWIMSUIT
You never know when there might be an opportunity for a dip!
GET YOUR ARSE IN GEAR
DAYPACK
You’ll need a hiking backpack to wear every day + to carry your water, extra layers, snacks, etc. Something between 40+ L is perfect. We recommend getting one that is compatible with a water bladder and hose, and has a built-in rain cover. Please note- along with carrying your everyday trekking items, you will use it for the 2 hour trek to the refugio before summit night with all your summit gear and sleeping bag. Brands we love: Gregory and Osprey. Pro Tip: Bring a fanny pack to keep snacks, your phone, and sunscreen in for easy access.
WATER BLADDER
Staying hydrated is so important while hiking at high altitudes! We highly recommend getting a 3 L water bladder with an insulated tube and cap. It’s the easiest way to carry and drink water while trekking.
2 WATER BOTTLEs
Bring a 2 L wide mouth, BPA free plastic Nalgene water bottle. You'll want this on the summits when your water bladder might freeze.
TREKKING POLES
These are MANDATORY, and a life (and knee) saver on tricky terrain. Make sure they are collapsible, for easy stashing, and simple to adjust for up and downhill. Check out our favs at Leki.
BONUS: You get 15% off Leki poles for being a part of the WHOA family! Just use this special link to see our fav poles and save!
1 PAIR GAITERS
You’ll wear these over the top part of your shoe and lower pant leg to help protect your feet from any water, dirt and pebbles that might try to sneak in. These are especially great for the downhill portions of the trek. We recommend these ones from Black Diamond.
SKI GOGGLES
Ski Goggles will help protect your eyes from the mountain weather. Something with side-shields or glacier glasses would work well.
FOUR SEASON SLEEPING BAG
We recommend a zero degree Fahrenheit bag like the Mountain Hardwear Bishop Pass. Thermarest sleeping mats are provided free of charge to everyone on our treks!
SLEEPING BAG LINER
This will add an extra layer of warmth at night. We recommend this one from SeaToSummit!
BUFF OR BANDANA
An all around great item to always have with you. You can use it as a neck gaiter, head band, sweat rag, etc. Plus, there are so many different fun designs to choose from!
HEADLAMP + EXTRA BATTERIES
This is important for after the sun sets, and on summit night when we're hiking through the night. Be sure to start the trek with fresh batteries, and bring a spare set just in case. We love Black Diamond for headlamps.
POLARIZED SUNGLASSES
You have to protect your eyes from the fierce equatorial sun! Make sure they are UV-blocking and polarized. Goodr makes ones that are great (and cute) for hiking.
CAMERA + EXTRA BATTERIES
There are so many amazing photo ops! We highly recommend bringing a camera that is compact and durable. These days most smartphones have great cameras, and we’ve found DSLRs can be cumbersome while trekking, so think twice before bringing anything too fancy. Remember to always pack your electronics in waterproof bags or cases.
portable battery charger
Whatever electronics you choose to bring, make sure you have a way to recharge your batteries. We always have a portable battery charger on hand so our camera is charged and ready to catch any spontaneous dance parties that may break out!
ALL THE SMALL THINGS
MEDS
Consult with your physician on any prescription medication you might need for this adventure, especially Diamox, a common medication taken for preventing altitude sickness. Other common medications you might want to bring along include, pain relievers, anti-histamines, antidiarrheals, etc.
PASSPORT
Make sure it’s valid for 6 months after your adventure dates. Bring a waterproof bag to keep it dry when it’s on the mountain with you, and it’s always a good idea to travel with an extra photocopy of it.
Travel Insurance
Travel doesn't always go as planned! That's part of the adventure, and it's also the reason we require all of our adventurers to have a travel insurance plan that includes medical coverage and emergency medical evacuation. We HIGHLY recommend purchasing a travel insurance plan ASAP to cover you financially with any costs that can come up like trip interruption or cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances. The IMG LX plan is one option that offers excellent medical and evacuation coverage, has no altitude restrictions, and offers cancel for any reason but do your research before purchasing a plan to make sure it works for you and your situation!
reusable shopping bag
While you’re traveling, you’ll have quite a few chances to go shopping for souvenirs and snacks, so bring a small reusable shopping bag to eliminate the need to use a single use plastic bag. They’re also handy to have in case you need another bag to take on the plane. Just another way to make Mother Earth proud!
FIRST AID
We’ll have all this stuff on hand, but make sure you have a compact kit with Neosporin, bug spray, band-aids, moleskin, duct tape, anti-septic, etc. We like this one because it’s lightweight, waterproof, and has everything you might need.
Toilet Kit
Sometimes nature calls when we’re not near a bathroom, so having a toilet kit is necessary! This includes a Kula cloth, a small amount of toilet paper, and compostable dog poop bags to pack out your toilet paper. You should keep this all in your daypack inside a small dry bag.
SUNSCREEN + LIPSCREEN
This is a must have for being in the strong mountain sun all day! Bring a new, full tube with an SPF rating of 30+. We love Raw Elements Natural Sunscreen because it works great, is reef friendly, and plastic free!
TOILETRIES
Don’t forget the travel essentials like travel sized deodorant, sun screen, lotion, hair ties, hair brush, face wipes, tampons, contact solution, toothbrush, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, masks, and ear plugs etc. Remember our pledge to keep single use plastics out of the places we love, so pack reusable bottles, bar soaps and biodegradable products! Pack it all in this Sherpani toiletry bag made from 100% recycled polyester to make Mother Nature extra proud!
2 LUGGAGE LOCKs
Always lock your things! Have one for your duffel on the mountain, and have one to lock your suitcase that will stay at the hotel while you’re trekking.
REUSABLE + Biodegradable BAGS
Let’s do our part to reduce plastic pollution around the world! When packing, please only utilize reusable bags like dry bags, silicone bags (we love Stasher), and dry pouches for waterproofing your phone/passport/money. We recommend bringing along lots of different shapes and sizes to help organize and separate all your gear, dirty clothing, and toiletries. Also, having a stash of brown paper lunch bags, sanitary bags, or biodegradable poop bags is a must have for collecting and carrying out trash on the trails.
SNACKS
There’s plenty of hearty food provided at meal time, but be sure to bring plenty of extra snacks! The days can be long, you need to keep your energy up, and nothing beats comfort food when you're on the trails! Some of our favorite morale boosters are Cheez-Its, gummy worms, and Pringles.
Packing extra snacks is especially important for those with dietary restrictions. While we can accommodate all dietary restrictions, due to the remote nature of our adventures, there might not be as much variety as you’d find at home, so packing the snacks you know you love is definitely advised. If you have questions about what to expect on your adventure when it comes to food, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team.
THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE YOU'RE PACKING
You will be responsible for carrying your personal necessities (camera, rain layers, sunscreen, etc.) in your daypack. You’ll be able to store your duffel safely at the Hacienda while you’re trekking, so be sure to bring luggage locks.
We always choose climbing dates that are during the dry seasons, but remember that no one can predict the weather (that’s part of the adventure)! The summit of Cayambe can be very windy (and wet!) no matter the time of year. At the summit, temperatures will be below freezing but remember you’ll be moving, and with the right layers and proper gear, it’s nothing you can’t handle!
PACKING TIPS FOR OFF THE MOUNTAIN
For the days you’ll spend off the mountain and at our Hacienda know that Ecuador is warm and casual. We recommend packing light dresses, tops, capris and comfortable sandals and/or sneakers. Bring a light sweater or scarf to cover your shoulders when it cools down in the evenings and when visiting town. All meals and tips are included on our trek so you won’t need to bring any cash on the mountain with you, but you’ll want it for town
When it comes to sustainability at WHOA, we're working hard to eliminate plastic waste and one of the best ways to do that is by using a water filter. We recommend getting a water filter from Epic Water Filters for off-mountain hydration (water filters freeze when it gets cold)! If you already have a Nalgene bottle, you can purchase the Nalgene filter attachment and use the bottle you already have. All Outdoor Epic Water Filters have been performance-tested, and can be used on both tap and outdoor water sources to remove common waterborne pathogens, like giardia. Plus, all their filters can be recycled and replaced, so your bottle gets used over and over!