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Riobamba, Ecuador — South America Overland Guide
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posted by Chris Vasquez
Drive from Baños: approximately 1–1.5 hrs. Take the short highland run west and south, using the easy day to reach the base country around Chimborazo. This stage is designed around the expedition rule that we never ask the driver—or our 2001 Toyota Land Cruiser 100 Series—to grind through more than six hours of actual driving in a day. The reward at Riobamba is Chimborazo Reserve, high páramo and traditional Andean communities. The route itself is part of the story: we are watching South America change through the windshield rather than flying over the difficult pieces.
Adventure & stay: Hike at altitude below Chimborazo, photograph vicuña country and make a slow acclimatization day of it. Our preferred stay is Hacienda Abraspungo. A heritage-style hacienda outside town gives the expedition a quieter, country-house feel. The idea is never luxury for luxury’s sake; it is recovery that lets us get back outside the next morning. A real bed, a hot shower, a spa or a good meal can be just as important to a long overland expedition as another night under canvas.
Land Cruiser check & daily equipment: Cold-start behavior, coolant level, belts and hoses get attention before higher passes; inspect wheel nuts after rough reserve roads. For this leg we want warm gloves, puffy jacket, high-SPF sunscreen, trekking poles, extra water and a tire repair kit. The 100 Series is being used exactly as Toyota intended—quiet and comfortable on pavement, full-time four-wheel drive ready when the road turns to gravel, and mechanically conservative enough that preventative checks remain more important than dramatic modifications. We leave Riobamba only when both the crew and the truck are ready.
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