Beauty at Altitude

The following post features student writing.

July 22

Hello, its Alexa and Arielle. Sorry for the late notice, but here we are! It was our second day in the Cotopaxi area and we went to the national park to complete our mission of hiking to the refugio. This hike consisted of a climb from 4,500 meters to 4,800 meters. Don´t be fooled by the distance because the wind, cold, and steepness made the hike seem like a trip to the peak of Mount Everest. After reaching the top, we were rewarded with hot chocolate for our perseverance and a positive mindset. We then swiftly made our way down the mountain by sliding through the gravel and keeping our balance. A shaky ride through the park led us to a lagoon with beautiful views. We finally made our way back to the hacienda where we rested for the rest of the day.

July 23

Jake and Jasper here. Today was our last day in Cotapaxi. We started our day with a fun filled morning of horseback riding. Although many of us hadn´t horseback ridden before, everyone seemed to enjoy the experience. We even rode up to 4,000 meters high! We then prepared for our week-long stay in the Galápagos by packing. We took a bus to Quito and were briefed on everything we needed to know about the Galápagos.