Avenue of the Volcanoes

Travel south from Quito to Riobamba through stunning scenery as you follow the course of the Avenue of the Volcanoes. This long stretch of road, set in a valley surrounded by eight towering volcanoes, is incredibly scenic. The foothills of the volcanoes are covered in a patchwork of green fields, giving way to snow-capped peaks and dramatic landscapes.

Visit Cotopaxi National Park to hike in the foothills of Cotopaxi Volcano – at 5,897m the world’s highest active peak – climbs to the summit are also possible (see our Ecuador Trekking & Climbing Pages). Mount Chimborazo (6,310m) is the country’s tallest volcano, and due to its location so close to the equator, Chimborazo boasts the greatest distance from the centre of the earth! It is a technical climb to the top or easy day walks are possible too. Small towns along the route offer colourful markets selling everything from handicrafts and animals to musical instruments and fresh vegetables. The Avenue of the Volcanoes ends at Riobamba, overlooked by Mount Chimborazo.

In and around the Avenue of the Volcanoes, Ecuador
From Riobamba we recommend you take the train to Nariz del Diablo, Devil’s Nose. When creating the railway from Quito to Guayaquil the biggest obstacle for construction was the Devil’s Nose mountain, a virtually sheer mountain face. Thus, a series of switchbacks were created allowing the train to climb over 500m in under 12km, creating a dramatic mountain ascent and descent.