Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The ascent can be approached by many routes, some more worn-in than others, most of
which can be done in two days. The Apurímac route is notorious for robberies. One popu-
lar route starts from Chiguata, and begins with a hard eight-hour slog uphill to reach base
camp (4500m); from there to the summit and back takes eight hours, while the sliding re-
turn from base camp to Chiguata takes three hours or less. The Aguada Blanca route is re-
stricted to a handful of official tour operators and allows climbers to arrive at 4100m be-
fore beginning to climb.
Determined climbers can reach the Chiguata route via public transportation. Buses go-
ing to Chiguata leave from Av Sepulveda in Arequipa (S7 one way, one hour) hourly be-
ginning at 5:30am and will drop you off at an unmarked trailhead, from where you can be-
gin the long trek to base camp. On the return trip, you should be able to flag down the
same bus heading the opposite way. The more common method to reach the mountain is
hiring a 4WD vehicle for around S200 that will take you up to 3300m and pick you up on
the return.
CHACHANI
One of the easiest 6000m peaks in the world is Chachani (6075m), which is as close to
Arequipa as El Misti. You will need crampons, an ice ax and good equipment. There are
various routes up the mountain, one of which involves going by 4WD to Campamento de
Azufrera at 4950m. From there you can reach the summit in about nine hours and return
in under four hours. Alternatively, for a two-day trip, there is a good spot to camp at
5200m. Other routes take three days but are easier to get to by 4WD (US$110 to US$160).
OTHER MOUNTAINS
Sabancaya
(5976m) is part of a massif on the south rim of the Cañón del Colca that also
includes extinct
Hualca Hualca
(6025m) and
Nevado Ampato
(6310m). Sabancaya has
erupted in recent years, and should only be approached with a guide who understands the
geologic activity of the area; neighboring Ampato is a fairly straightforward, if strenuous,
three-day ascent, and you get safer views of the active Sabancaya from here.
Other mountains of interest near Arequipa include
Ubinas
(5675m), which used to be
the easiest mountain to summit but is currently spewing enough toxic ash that it is not re-
commended for climbing.
Nevado Mismi
(5597m) is a fairly easy three- or four-day
climb on the north side of the Cañón del Colca. You can approach it on public transporta-
tion and, with a guide, find the lake that is reputedly the source of the Amazon. The
highest mountain in southern Peru is the difficult
Nevado Coropuna
(6613m).
