Avenue of the Volcanoes Trips & Tours

Running like a knobbly spine down the centre of Ecuador are eight volcanic peaks. The fertile valley between them is known as the ‘Avenue of the Volcanoes’, a term coined by explorer Alexander von Humboldt in 1802 when he first laid eyes on the cloud-swept peaks. The name stuck fast and over the years, explorers, adventurers and intrepid outdoorsmen have marvelled at the beauty of the landscape - and quaked in their boots at the thought of tackling one of the peaks standing above the snowline of 4,900-metres! But it’s not all about hiking poles and studs and the shamrock-green valley, with its waterfalls and mountain lakes, is ripe for an outdoorsy few days filled with kayaking, walking and thermal baths. For adrenalin levels somewhere in between the two, tackle the Devil’s Nose. A section of railway that links Quito to Guayaquil, it’s one of the most famous sights in Ecuador and the track consists of switchback hairpins zig-zagging across the sheer rock-face. We’ll leave the rest as a surprise.