Michael Wardian - Autographed Hat
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List price: $50
Starting bid: $30
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This limited edition "Let's Go Mike" trucker hat is a staple of legendary runner and Chaski Coach, Mike Wardian. Support this great cause and get yourself one of these awesome caps autographed (with your own custom message) by the man himself!
Enter your bid below. Minimum bid increment $10. Winners will be the highest bid listed at 11:59pm PDT, April 14, 2021
Chaski Coaching Consult Call with Tyler Andrews​
List price: $69
Starting bid: $40
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This is your opportunity to ask Chaski Founder, Coach, and pro-athlete Tyler Andrews whatever you want about training, racing, and competing. Ty is a multi-time world record holder on the track, trails, and mountains, and world championship silver medalist at 50km. Ask anything you want on this 60 minute call!
Enter your bid below. Minimum bid increment $10. Winners will be the highest bid listed at 11:59pm PDT, April 14, 2021
Curious about coaching? Schedule your free coaching evaluation with a real human.
Camp Chaski Ecuador
Running Volcano Alley
Ecuador is a hidden gem for running and hiking. With year round good weather, the most bio-diverse landscape on Earth, and trails from the most steep and technical to the smoothest spectacular single track you can imagine, Ecuador is the destination for active adventure.
Apr 1 - 13 (Trip full)
Nov 5 - 14
(10 days)
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Moderate to high challenge
$3,900
Run under snow-capped volcanoes, llama encounters, really hot hot-springs.
Details
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Dates
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April 1 - 13, 2021 (Trip full!)
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November 5 - 14, 2021
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Trip Length: 10 days, 9 nights
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Price
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​$3,900 (early-bird discount, valid for signups through May 31)
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$4,500 (for signups from June 1 onward)
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Single supplement (want a room to yourself?): $300
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$300 deposit, full payment due 90 days before departure, payment plans available
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Difficulty: Moderate to challenging
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Group Size: 6-12
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Leaders: Two bilingual trip-leaders with years of experience in the region, available 24/7
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Who should come? Any traveler ages 13-70* that enjoys being active outdoors**
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* Contact us if you’re over 70 and interested in coming or want to bring someone under 13.
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** Is this trip only for runners? Nope! We welcome hikers, cyclists, and lovers of the outdoors. The amount and intensity of the athletic portion of this trip is entirely up to you. We’ve led trips with non-runners who have still had a fantastic experience!
Trip Overview
Picture Ecuador in your mind’s eye. Do you see tropical forests? Snow-capped mountains? Turquoise lakes? Metropolitan cities? The truth is, it has all of this and more. Ecuador is the most bio-diverse country on Earth and -- because it’s so small, about the size of Colorado -- our 10 day trip will allow us to take in a tremendous variety of sights and experiences.
Our adventure begins in Quito, Ecuador, the world’s highest capital city at 9,300 ft above sea level. We’ll take the first days to explore this amazing city, flanked by 15,000 ft mountains, with a trip up the Teleferiqo cable car for a hike/run at Cruz Loma (13,100 ft), a run in the spectacular Metropolitan Forest Park, a climb of Ilalo Volcano, and, of course, a sample of Quito’s amazing cuisine.
We’ll also hear from some of Ecuador’s greatest athletes, with possible visits from Karl Egloff (speed climbing world record holder on Denali, Kilimanjaro, and Aconcagua), Joaquin Lopez (first Latino to finish top-6 at UTMB), and Franklin Tenorio (Olympian, 2:09 marathoner and world famous track/road coach).
We’ll take a rest day, after lots of activity, with a trip to the Papallacta Hot Springs, nestled in the beautiful Andean highlands outside of Quito OR a trip down to the sleepy, tropical town of Mindo, where you can sip a coffee and marvel at the hummingbirds, toucans, and monkeys
Finally, push yourself to new heights during our Chaski Challenge, a (completely optional) supported running/hiking challenge we’ll build around you and your goals. Potential Chaski Challenges include the Pichincha Traverse, the Quilotoa Loop, the Cotopaxi Loop, the Polichasqui VK -- lots of options!
On your last day, enjoy a celebratory dinner with the group at one of Quito’s best restaurants and say goodbye to your fellow Chaski tripmates before heading home.
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Note - the weather in the highlands of Ecuador can be fickle but is also extremely localized. Thus the exact routes and mountains we’ll visit will depend on the conditions and forecast and may or may not look exactly like this.
Okay, so, what do I get?
With your payment, you get:
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24 hour support and access from your bi-lingual trip leaders on-the-ground and USA-based support crew
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Private transportation from the moment you arrive to the end of your trip
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Local, high-end and high-quality food, three meals per day
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9 nights lodging (double occupancy)
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Guided runs and hikes through the most spectacular routes in Ecuador
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All entry fees associated with group activities (National Parks, museums, etc.)
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Meet and greet with local professional athletes and/or coaches
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Help from your leaders to organize any free time activities/excursions
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Support from Chaski staff ahead of your trip including training advice, packing lists, and more
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Chaski merch item of your choice - up to $79 value
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Free access to Chaski Community Membership - $199 value
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Discounts on future Chaski Programs and partner brands
What else do I have to pay for?
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International flights to/from Quito, Ecuador (Airport code: UIO)
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Visa charges (there aren’t any for most countries), overweight baggage feesPersonal travel
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Insurance (recommended)
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Personal souvenirs
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Activities outside the groups’ itinerary
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Tips for your drivers, leaders, or anyone else outside of restaurants
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Alcoholic drinks and food/drinks outside of meals
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Single occupancy (i.e. if you’d like a room to yourself)
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Optional 10th night of lodging if your flight departs on the morning of day 11.
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Optional add-ons to the trip, like the Galapagos Islands Trip or the Cotopaxi Mountain Summit Trip
Extend Your Adventure
Optional Add-ons
Got a little more time? I mean, you’ve come this far already. You may never be back in Ecuador.
Check this out.
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Cotopaxi Summit Climb - 3-5 days - Contact us for pricing!
With 3-5 days - Challenge yourself with a summit climb to the top of Ecuador’s most iconic peak, 19,350 ft Cotopaxi Volcano. Chaski works exclusively with legendary runner, climber, and world-record holder Karl Egloff of Cumbre Tours, the most well-respected climbing guide in the region to help get you safely to the summit of your dreams. You do not need previous mountain climbing experience, but you should be in good shape and ready for a challenge.
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Galapagos Island Adventure - 5-7 days - Contact us for pricing!
With 5-7 days - Hop over to the Galapagos Islands for a week of literally unbelievable nature. Swim with the world’s only tropical penguins, have an up-close encounter with sea lions and marine iguanas, and hike some of the most other-worldly volcanic landscapes imaginable. Cruise from island to island with a certified local guide leading you along the way to help you understand the beauty of this unparalleled chain of islands.
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Sound great? Contact us for availability and pricing!
Did you know?
The Andes Mountains, which run through the center of Ecuador, were the stomping grounds of the original Chaskis, the Incan runner-messengers who held the empire together by enabling communication across thousands of miles of rugged mountainous terrain. We'll be running and hiking in their footsteps!
This is a SAMPLE itinerary. Your exact itinerary will be built around the (extremely localized) weather in the highlands
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Day 1 - Bienvenidos! Welcome!
Welcome to Quito! Today’s the day you’ll arrive in Quito (most flights in the evening); your leaders will be waiting to welcome you and escort you via private transfer to our home base in Quito. For flights arriving earlier in the day, there’ll be time for a short hike or shakeout jog in the afternoon.
Sleep: Le Parc Hotel, Quito (or similar)
Max Altitude: 9,300 ft
Run: At home before you leave!
Day 2 - Acclimatization day: Parque Metropolitano and Old Town
Good morning! We’ll start our first full day with a review of the trip’s plan, safety information, and a bit of get-to-know you. After breakfast, we’ll make a visit to Quito’s Parque Metropolitano - an enchanted forest just 5 minutes from downtown with miles of beautiful trails. Take the afternoon/evening for acclimatizing relaxing and an optional walking tour of the historic Old Town. We’ll wrap up our first day with a group welcome dinner at one of Quito’s finest classic restaurants.
Sleep: Le Parc Hotel, Quito (or similar)
Max Altitude: 9,800 ft
Run/Hike/Bike: 20-60’
Day 3 - La Chaquiñan Canyon Trail
We’ll head DOWN to 7,500 ft to the sunny valley of Cumbaya (yes, pronounced just like the campfire song) for lunch and run/hike at La Chaquiñan Canyon trail (7,000-7,500 ft). We’ll have meet & greet and even an option to run with friend of Chaski and mountain legend Karl Egloff. We’ll make the short drive back to Quito in time for dinner.
Sleep: Le Parc Hotel, Quito (or similar)
Max Altitude: 9,300 ft
Run/Hike/Bike: 20-80’
Day 4 - Cruz Loma and Rucu Pichincha
Get ready for a breath-taking day! We’ll take the Teleferiqo cable car up to Cruz Loma (13,100 ft) where, depending on your altitude acclimatization, we can have a relaxing hike, sip a coffee in the Cruz Loma Cafe, or even hike/jog to Rucu Pichincha Summit (15,413 ft).
Sleep: Le Parc Hotel, Quito
Max Altitude: 13,100-15,413 ft.
Run/Hike/Hike: Easy walking up to 4-6 hour hike/jog round trip (7 miles, 2500 ft vert).
Day 5 - Volcano Summit Day
Depending on weather, we’ll either head back to the Valley for a runnable climb to the top of Ilalo (10,500 ft) Mountain or we’ll head south towards Pasochoa Mountain (13,780 ft), with spectacular views of Cotopaxi. In the evening, we’ll transfer to the Papallacta Lodge.
Sleep: Papallacta Lodge (or similar)
Max Altitude: 10,500 or 13,780 ft.
Run/Hike/Hike: 6-10 miles (round trip), 2,000 ft vert.
Day 6 - Hot Springs: Rest and Recovery
Relax and soak in the famous Papallacta Hot Springs, perched in a high, lush valley on the edge of the Amazon Rainforest. Take the day as complete rest or go for an optional hike or run on the spectacular trails through the cloud forest. Transfer to Cotopaxi National Park in the evening.
Sleep: Tambopaxi Lodge (or similar)
Max Altitude: 12,700 ft
Run/Hike/Hike: Rest or optional hike / run
Day 7 - Cotopaxi National Park
Options for running and hiking adventures in Cotopaxi National Park are nearly infinite. Want to test your altitude limits? Hike up to the Cotopaxi Glacier at 16,400 ft. Want a flatter run or hike? The beautiful Lake Limpiopungo is for you. Evening transfer to Quilotoa Lake.
Sleep: Quilotoa Lodge (or similar)
Max Altitude: Up to 16,400 ft.
Run/Hike/Hike: Nearly infinite options!
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Day 8 - Chaski Challenge: Quilotoa Crater Lake
The spectacular Quilotoa Lake provides us with several fantastic options for you to test yourself, from the 50km Quilotoa Traverse to the incredible Rim Trail to the lung-busting ascent out from the crater basin. Your Challenge will depend on your goals and ability and is entirely optional: You can always enjoy a more casual hike or a day of relaxation in one of the most beautiful parts of the Andes.
Sleep: Le Parc Hotel, Quito (or similar)
Max Altitude: 13,000 ft
Run/Hike/Hike: Challenge yourself!
Day 9 - Extra/Back-up Weather Day
We’ll give ourselves one extra day in case of bad weather, which can be inserted anywhere in the trip.
Sleep: TBD
Max Altitude: TBD
Run/Hike/Hike: TBD
Day 10 - Celebration and then ¡Hasta luego, Ecuador!
Sleep in! Then Revisit your favorite route in Quito (or try somewhere new) for a recovery hike/jog. We’ll have an afternoon Q&A (and optional strength session) with Joaquin Lopez before enjoying a final celebratory dinner and goodbye ceremony with your trip-mates. Finally, your leaders will escort you to the airport for your flight home and and a tearful hug goodbye.
Note: Some flights may depart the following morning in which case your leaders will escort you to the Wyndham Airport Hotel.
If you’re adding a Galapagos Trip or Mountain Summit Trip onto your program, your leaders will transfer you to your new lodging.
Did you know?
Rucu Pichincha Volcano (pictured here) is the inspiration for mountain in the Chaski logo?