I just wanted to share some information on a danger not listed in the Lonely Planet guide book. Yesterday afternoon myself and 3 others were robbed at gunpoint while returning down from the hike above the Teleferiqo. I don´t recall the name of the volcano 100%, but it´s something like "Pincancha". It´s an obvious hike along a ridge line all the way to a peak at 4700m.
Even traveling in a group of 4 people was no deterant for our lone assailant, and I have to recommend avoiding this hike altogether.
Jeremy
cupido76
1
joeecuador
Sorry to hear about that I hope that you are all ok?
I will pass on your report to the South American Explorers Club so they can warn tourists.
2
klaush
When I did it in 2005, locals at the cablecar station already warned me of robberies on the trails leading away from it. I did the hike, but was tensely looking whether I could see any suspicious locals loitering further up (then I would have turned back). This is sad... it is such a nice area... stay close to the station to be safe.
3
jgcp
The volcanos are called Pichincha and the guide books warn people not to walk down the mountains through the towns. However hiking up above could be a different matter altogether. As you didn't read about this anywhere I am sorry. Buses will take you to the area where you can get the teleferico so that solves tha problem of danger going to and from the Teleferico. I have hiked up to areas froom the Old Town early in the morning and had breakfast overlooking Quito early in the morning and walked back down without any problems - but then I was with my Ecuadorian brother-in-law and the locals seemed to like the fact that I greeted them and was interested in them. I have been very lucky with my hikes around that area as many people have done them and nothing has happened to them, You have obviously been unfortunate while up there and if enough complaints are made then more guards etc will be placed up there to clean the area up of these desperate criminals. It is sad that the criminals have resorted to lurking so high up in the mountains to rob people. Maybe if they find that the pickings from these robberies are not worth it then they may give up. One wonders where they get their guns from and if they are really loaded. However nobody realy wants to confirm if they are loaded or not and thank god for travel insurance. The psychological affect from being robbed are a different matter though....
4
jgcp
I have to ask when you were up there. I think any would be robbers may not be around the time I was up there around sunset and could be the best time to be there. It might be colder then but the views are still great. Quito by night is quite magnificent. i must adnmit that the teleferico people stopped our cable car on the way down for about 15 minutes so we could enjoy the view - however as we didn't know this one of out party (Ecuadorian - I was the only Gringo so to speak) was rather scared as she hates heights etc and we were cruel enough to tease her and say we would have to stay the night etc. When we finally got down and she found out why we stopped for so long she laughed and admitted the view had been magnificent. Perhaps late afternoon is the best time to go after all.......?
5
taffski
Hi,
we arrived a month ago in Quito and the day before we´d arrived, four lads had been held up at gun point on the Walk up the Mountain after the Teleferiqo.
We heard about this first hand from the guys so I can only apologise for not posting it on here earlier... might have helped your decision. We went up the Teleferiqo, however, didn´t do the walk up to the peak specifically for this reason, however, there were others in our hostel that did with no problems.
Think this was an unlucky incident and this is because the guards at the top don´t go ay further up the route than the buildings of the teleferiqo itself.
Unlucky..... Outside Quito seems to be much better so far....
You´re not the only ones to have it done to them... so no problemo.
Taffski
6
lilylangtree
I was aware of these warnings in 2001/2002 when I lived in Quito... Sorry about your unfortunate experience.
7
tehach
Sorry about what happened to you at Teleferico. Crime against foreigners in Quito is prevalent. However I've found most of the locals won't admit it.
8
lilylangtree
Really tehach? I found the locals were more worried about me than I was. The people I knew were forever trying to accompany me places or making sure I knew exactly which bus to take, even when I'd been in Quito six months or more. My employers would dispatch a male colleague to the bus stop to make sure I didn't wait alone, and that was in a rather nice area.
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