Spoiler alert: it’s not Mount Everest. In this video, we traveled to the highlands of Ecuador to hike up Cotopaxi, one of the world’s highest volcanoes, letting you get close to outer space without ever leaving the ground. This unique hike takes you through high altitude and loose rock to José Rivas Refugio, where you can enjoy a warm drink and get a stamp to prove just how high you climbed.
00:00You can have tea on one of the highest mountains on Earth, and it's not Mount Everest.
00:03It's actually an active volcano in the highlands of Ecuador.
00:06Photopaxi rises over 19,000 feet above sea level and sits almost directly on a bulge in the Earth's equator,
00:11making it one of the closest points on the planet to outer space, even closer than Mount Everest.
00:15Climbing to the top is only for the most experienced hikers, so for the rest of us,
00:18the best way to experience it is to hike to the Jose Rivas Refugio,
00:21a high-altitude hut perched about halfway up the volcano at nearly 16,000 feet.
00:24The hike starts from the parking lot at 14,700 feet and climbs steadily over loose volcanic rock.
00:29It's a short hike, but still takes about two hours because the loose rock, the high altitude, and the wind make it surprisingly difficult.
00:38Inside the Refugio, you can grab a warm drink, a small snack, and a stamp in your passport as proof you made it to one of the highest mountain huts in the world.
00:44If you still have energy, you can continue up to the glacier or take in the views for a bit before heading back down.
00:48Overall, this is one of the most unique hikes in the world because it's one of the closest points you'll get to outer space without having to leave the ground.
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