Templo Machay hike from Refugio Carrel

During our descent to the road, we will stop at the arbol solitario, the only tree within the Chimborazo reserve, thought to be the only remaining specimen of its kind. The Puruhá yachaks (shamans) believe the tree to be strongly connected to the moon and stars, and that circling it 12 times will cure illness. We will also pass some dunes of fine, nearly white sand, which have been blown by the wind into desert-like ripples and peaks.

At lunchtime we will arrive at the cave known as the Templo de Machay which, according to the Puruhá cosmovision, is the ear of the deity Chimborazo. For hundreds of years, the Puruhás have been making offerings in the cave, a tradition still continued to this day. It is believed that those who enter with humility and gratitude may have their wishes granted by the volcano. It is a truly magical experience, sitting in the cave and listening to ancient legends as we watch hummingbirds swoop in and out to their nests.