Cotopaxi National Park in Ecuador is a true gem! It is in the Andes mountains and is actually an active volcano. What’s amazing is that 20 percent of Ecuador is a National Park and Cotopaxi is a vast region of that park system. We hiked to 16,000 feet and during the process you could notice the lungs being challenged much more than the legs. After taking video of our group, you could tell the steps that we thought we normal were more like baby steps at that height.

As you approach the 15k to 16k area of the mountain you get into a moon like area with tiny rock fragments from the volcano. The temperature dipped to 35 degrees Fahrenheit with winds billowing at 25 mph. The rewarding thing at the 16k mark is there is a small chalet which is a staging area which serves the 19k adventurers who want to get to the next level. They serve the best hot chocolate that Ecuador is known for.