Day 1: Arequipa - Cabanaconde

We will take a tourist bus in the morning (between 3 and 4 am) to the Colca Canyon. We will make two stops, one in Chivay for breakfast and the other at the Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint. We will spend the night in the town of Cabanaconde to begin our trek the following morning. We will have the entire day to enjoy various viewpoints overlooking the canyon and volcanoes. This day is important for acclimatization.

Day 2: Trekking Departure

We will begin our trek with the Inca and pre-Inca terraces. The ascent will be steep. We will start at 3,200 meters above sea level (m.a.s.l.) and reach base camp (4,600 m.a.s.l.), which takes 5 or 6 hours. We'll have a view of the "pyramid" of the Hualca Hualca volcano, the Seprigina volcano, and the Colca Canyon. We'll sleep in a tent in a green valley with hot springs.

Day 3: Onward…

Today, we'll climb to 5,000 meters above sea level and descend the other side of the valley and the volcano. It's another 5 or 6-hour hike to reach the next campsite. We'll see spectacular scenery. If we hike at a leisurely pace, we'll sleep at the first campsite, located at 4,600 meters above sea level; otherwise, we'll go to the second campsite, farther away but closer to the summit of the volcano (5,000 meters above sea level). This depends on our physical condition.

Day 4: Ascent…

If we slept at 4,600 meters above sea level last night, we'll have to climb 1,400 meters above sea level to reach the summit; otherwise, we'll only have to climb 1,000 meters above sea level. Depending on your physical condition, the ascent takes approximately 5 hours. From 5,800 meters above sea level, we'll need crampons, ice axes, and ropes because there's almost always snow at this altitude. When we reach the top, the view is incredible. We'll rest a bit to enjoy this vista and then descend at a leisurely pace to our old base camp. The descent is quite enjoyable and beautiful.

Day 5: Final Descent

Finally, we'll wake up early to begin our last hike (downhill only), which will take us to the small village of Pinchollo (3,600 meters above sea level). We'll arrive in no more than 3 hours. At the end of the morning, we'll take a tourist bus and arrive in Arequipa around 5 or 6 pm. Along the way, we'll make about 4-5 stops: at the hot springs, in Chivay for lunch, at a viewpoint, and to see the llamas and alpacas. You'll finally be able to enjoy a very good night in your own bed, falling asleep with your head full of incredible images and experiencing the satisfaction of having climbed a 6,000-meter-high mountain.

Additional cost: At the end of the trek, you can take a private vehicle for a faster return to Arequipa.

Price per person, starting from 2 people

 

Includes:

- 2 mules (cargo and emergency) with the muleteer

- Official tour guide

- Transportation

- Camping equipment (two-person tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag)

- Mountaineering equipment (crampons and ice axe)

- Cooking equipment

Meals during the expedition (breakfast, lunch, and dinner): soups, rice, fruits, cereals, all rich in carbohydrates necessary to compensate for physical exertion, hot drinks including coca tea, which is excellent for altitude sickness

 

Does not include:

- Trekking poles

- Daypack or hiking backpack

- Meals in town

- Personal clothing and hiking gear (pants, jacket, gloves, hats, sunglasses, headlamp, trekking shoes, rain poncho, beanies, etc.)

 

Recommended items to bring:

- Trekking boots

- Trekking socks

- Socks Thermal gear

-Thin microfiber gloves

-Fleece or wool gloves

-Sun hat

-Warm hat

-Microfiber and thermal T-shirts

-Fleece jacket

-Padded anorak (down or synthetic)

-Waterproof snow jacket

-Trekking pants

-Waterproof snow pants

-Waterproof rain jacket

-High-altitude goggles