Summiting from the Chaupi side:
Distance Round Trip: 8.3 miles
Elevation Gain: 3,540 feet
A good Wikiloc map can be found here!
There are two ways to summit Corazon. The prettier, way is to go from the town of Chaupi. To get there, grab a bus to Latacunga or Ambato from Terminal Quitumbe. Ask the driver to drop you at “La Entrada de Chaupi” (if he doesn’t know that try “Puente de Jambeli”). The ride should take about an hour and a half.
Get off the bus 10 minutes past the town of Machachi when you see the sign that says “Ecological Reserve Los Illinizas” (pictured to the left). Wait there for a bus going to Chaupi. Once in Chaupi pay $5 for a taxi truck to drive you to the Corazon “refugio”. Here you begin the hike. If you’re driving yourself pay a dollar or two to the woman in the house to watch your car and register your name. This way is a bit less in distance and elevation and is more scenic than the Machachi/Aloasi route.
Summiting from the Machachi/Aloasi side:
Distance Round Trip: 8.9 miles
Elevation Gain: 5,531 feet
^^(these estimates vary depending where the taxi drops you)
Good Wikiloc trail found here!
The longer, less beautiful way, is to go from Machachi. From Quito, getting here is quicker. Follow the same procedure (described above) to catch the bus but instead of asking for Chaupi, get off in Machachi. From Machachi take a taxi truck to the Aloasi train station and, ask the driver to go as far as he can up the road towards the summit of Corazon. This road is a rough one so it will vary a lot how far a taxi driver is willing to go. The taxi from Machachi should cost around $5.
When taking the route via Machachi/Aloasi, in the first hour(s) you will be cutting through farms. Eventually you arrive on a trail. The Maps.me route is directly straight up but it’s also possible to take the less intense winding road that curves back and forth up the mountain. After the initial steep assent, the mountain plateaus off for about 40 minutes before the rock scrabble. There are tons of great/flat camping spots all over located this plateau if you are planning to bring a tent. Know that once you hit the base of the rock you still have at least an hour of scrabbling before reaching the summit.
Where to stay:
To get the earliest of starts I usually arrive in Machachi the night before and stay in “Hotel Miravalle de Machachi” (+593 22309876). It’s simple and clean and only costs $10/night. Alternatively you can go later in the day and then camp. I’ve also heard that there are very cheap and basic hostel rooms in Chaupi.
Good Luck! And remember, look good, have fun, be safe.
Hike Ecuador 
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