Embark on a thrilling high-altitude adventure in Peru with an expedition to climb Alpamayo, Yanapaccha, and Chopicalqui. This journey offers seasoned mountaineers a chance to explore the breathtaking beauty of the Cordillera Blanca while tackling three of its most iconic peaks. The adventure begins with acclimatization and preparation in Huaraz, surrounded by towering Andean giants. Yanapaccha, at 5,460 meters, serves as the perfect warm-up climb, featuring a variety of technical challenges like steep ice walls and crevasses. This ascent helps prepare you for the next stage: Alpamayo. Renowned for its striking pyramid shape, Alpamayo (5,947 meters) is considered one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. The climb involves steep, technical ice and snow routes, demanding strong skills and endurance. The grand finale is Chopicalqui (if the optional extension is chosen), an imposing peak reaching 6,354 meters. This climb provides an exhilarating mix of glacier travel and exposed ridges, culminating in breathtaking summit views of the surrounding peaks. Throughout the expedition, you’ll experience the diverse landscapes of the Andes, from verdant valleys to dramatic ice fields. Guided by expert professionals, this journey promises not just a physical test but also unforgettable moments of camaraderie and awe, making it a true adventure of a lifetime!
Itinerary
Day 11 – ALPAMAYO MORRAINE CAMP 16,200 ft. (4.950 m.)
This day we will prepare our personal mountain equipment to be carried by the porters. Then, we will hike uphill for about 3 hours on a rocky trail until we reach the Alpamayo moraine camp right before the beginning of the glacier. Depending on weather conditions, we might go straight to High Camp this day and keep a spare day up our sleeves for unforeseen weather changes or mountain conditions.
Day 12 – ALPAMAYO HIGH CAMP 17,700 ft. (5.400 m.)
Today we will travel the glacier towards the high camp of Alpamayo. The porters will take care of the transfer of the camping equipment. We will continue our ascent through a short, rocky morraine section before we reach the glacier. Once on the glacier, we will equip ourselves and after a traverse across the glacier, we will reach a technical ice-wall of around 50 ft. (15 meters), which we have to ice-climb in order to reach the high camp. Getting here is a total distance of around 2 km from the morraine camp and it will take us around 5-6 hours depending on the conditions. During the sunset we will be able to enjoy awesome views of the sunset and its reflection on the imposing wall of Alpamayo. After a nice, early dinner, we will rest as much as possible until our summit attempt around midnight.
Day 13 – ALPAMAYO SUMMIT 19,500 ft. (5.947 m.)
The most awaited day has arrived, it’s time to climb Alpamayo! We will start the day around midnight, after breakfast we will gear and rope up and our guides will inspect all the necessary equipment for the climb. The start of the summit bid is a traverse to the base of the wall, where we will enter the climbing couloir that begins at an angle of around 60°. Depending on the conditions of the mountain, our guides will look for the best route. It’s a 1,476 ft. (450 m) wall, which we have to ice-climb in 8 long pitches. After approximately 8 hours of continuous climbing, we will reach the summit. From this point you will be able to appreciate in its maximum splendor the Cordillera Blanca mountain range, a 360° view of the most emblematic mountains of Peru: Huandoy, Chopicalqui, Huascaran, Quitaraju, Santa Cruz, Pucajirkas, Rinrijirca, Paron, Caraz, Aguja and Piramide. We will stay at the summit for a short while to hydrate and take pictures. Finally, we will descend back down by rapel.
Day 14 – BACK TO BASE CAMP 14,100 ft. (4.300 m.)
After breakfast, we begin our descent back down to base camp. We will make a few rappels and continue with the journey until we reach the moraine from where we will continue our descent until we reach the base camp. Our chef will be waiting for us with a delicious lunch to replenish our energy and celebrate the big achievement of having climbed Alpamayo!
Day 15 – TREK OUT – HUARAZ
After breakfast we dismantle the camp and get ready for hiking all the way back to Cashapampa. The porters and the mules will be ready to transport all the logistic equipment to the village. We will head downhill through the Santa Cruz Canyon. Our private transport will be waiting for us in Cashapampa to take us back to Huaraz where we will celebrate and spend the night.
Day 16 – ARRIVAL TO LIMA / REST DAY (IF WITH EXTENSION)
We will take the bus back to Lima in the morning and say our goodbyes after an epic adventure. (Rest day in Huaraz if with extension)
Day 1 - BIENVENIDOS A PERU
Arrival day. You will be picked up at Lima Airport – Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chávez – and driven to a nice hotel in Lima, where you’ll be able to relax after the long journey so far.
Day 2 - WELCOME TO HUARAZ
After breakfast at the hotel we will take a very comfortable bus to Huaraz during the day time. After around 7,5-8,5 hours you’ll arrive to Huaraz at 10,013 ft. (3.052 m.) and an incredible view of the Cordillera Blanca in the horizon. Here we’ll check in to a nice hotel, have dinner and get some rest before our acclimatization process starts tomorrow.
Day 3 – ACCLIMATIZATION DAY WILCACOCHA LAKE
We will start our first day of acclimatization by hiking the Wilcacocha Lake, located in the Cordillera Negra. The lake is an excellent viewpoint of the Cordillera Blanca mountains. We will hike for around 3,4 km between 10,170 ft. (3.100 m.) and 12,290 ft. (3.745 m). After a beautiful day of hiking we will return to our hotel in Huaraz.
Day 4 – ACCLIMATIZATION DAY CHURUP LAKE
Today we will do another beautiful acclimatization hike. During our second day of acclimatization we will visit this beautiful lake, popular in the Cordillera Blanca and easily accessible from the city of Huaraz. During the hike you will be able to see mountains on the south side of the Cordillera Blanca: Rurec, Cashan, Huamashraju, Shaqsha and Nevado Churup itself, which gives rise to the lake of the same name. We will hike for around 2 km between 10,170 ft. (3.100 m.) and 14,600 ft. (4.450 m). After a beautiful day at the lake, we will return to Huaraz to rest before our climbing adventure truly starts tomorrow!
Day 5 – YANAPACCHA MORRAINE CAMP 16,076 ft. (4.900 m)
We will be picked up at our hotel with private transportation. After pick up we will head north through the Huaylas valley to Yungay, from where we will turn east towards the Quebrada Llanganuco. On the way we will stop for 30 minutes for breakfast. We will continue our journey and after about 10 minutes we will make another stop to register at the Huascaran National Park entrance control. After another 20 minutes we will go around the beautiful lakes of Llanganuco (Chinancocha and Orconcocha). Finally, we will arrive at Km 42, the starting point of our hike to the Yanapaccha moraine camp. Our porters will be responsible for the transfer of the logistic equipment to the campsite. The first 40 minutes passes through a plain of rock surrounded by Andean vegetation, we will hike a small uphill until we reach the moraine area. The hike is around 4 km and along the path we will enjoy impressive views of the imposing Chacraraju and Huandoy peaks.
Day 6 – ICE CLIMBING COURSE
A short 20 minute hike will take us to the glacier, where we will spend the day practicing advanced glacier techniques and skills at an altitude of around 16,404 ft. (5.000 m.) After a fun day on the ice, we will return to morraine camp to rest before our summit attempt of Yanapaccha.
Day 7 – YANAPACCHA SUMMIT 17,913 ft. (5.460 m.)
It’s summit day! The approach to the glacier is about 20 minutes, at this point we will equip ourselves, our guide will make an inspection of everything necessary for the climb and finally we will rope up to continue climbing. We will approach the base of the wall overcoming crevasses and short climbing sections around 55°. After climbing for around 7 hours along the 200 m mountain wall around 60° – 65° we will reach the summit and enjoy an impressive panoramic view of the Cordillera Blanca. From here you’ll be able to see the most emblematic mountains of Peru: Huandoys, Chacraraju, Huascaran South and North, Chopicalqui, Alpamayo, Hualcan, Pisco, Taulliraju and many more! We will stay at the summit to rest, hydrate and take pictures. Finally we will descend by rappeling of down by the same route as we climbed up. We will return to morraine camp to eat and dismantle our camp before hiking for about 2 hours back down to the road, where our private transportation will be waiting for us.
Day 8 – REST DAY
Rest day in Yuraccorral Camp 2,795 ft. (3.900 m.)
Day 9 – ALPAMAYO TREK IN
After breakfast we will walk to Km 42, where the transport will be waiting to take us to Vaqueria. Then we will go up the road until we reach the beautiful viewpoint Portachuelo Pass, where we will stop to enjoy the stunning views of Huascaran, Chopicalqui, Huandoys, Pisco, and all the turquoise lakes that compose the Llanganuco valley. Finally, we will continue to Vaquería village, this is the place where we will begin the approach to the Alpamayo. Vaqueria village is where the porters and mules are waiting to assist us with the transfer of logistical equipment to the camp. After about 5 hours of walking, we will arrive at Tucto camp, which is nestled in a beautiful and lush canyon next to a big, flowing river with glaciated peaks in the horizon. It’s an 11 km hike through the canyon to get here and we will be sleeping in tents at an altitude of around 12,139 ft. (3.700 m.)
Day 10 – ALPAMAYO BASE CAMP 14,100 ft. (4.300 m.)
On the second day of the approach hike to Alpamayo mountain, we will go up to Punta Union Pass (4750 m). From this pass we will have an awesome viewpoint of the snowy mountains: Taulliraju (known as the Cathedral of the World), Artesonraju (known as the mountain of the Paramount Picture), Rinrijirca, Paria and Quitaraju. We will go down to the Santa Cruz valley, passing by the Taullipampa camp. We will continue our hike to the Quebrada Arhuay to finally reach the Alpamayo Base Camp located at around 14,100 ft. (4.300 m.) It’s a 14 km hike through spectacular scenery and at the base camp we’ll be able to see Alpamayo right in front of us and our tents.
Inclusion
- Certified, English-speaking IFMGA guides for each ascent
- Hotel in Lima and Huaraz
- 2 days of acclimatization prior to the beginning of the climbing program
- Certified Mountain Chef
- 5 meals daily when on the trails
- Boiled water to fill your bottle every day when on the trails
- Mules for the transfer of personal and camp logistic equipment (max 12 kg per passenger) for Yanapaccha and Alpamayo
- Porters for the transfer of group logistic equipment for Alpamayo
- Technical climbing equipment (Harness, Helmet, Ice-Axes and Crampons)
- Camping and cooking equipment for basecamps
- All National Park Fees and Climbing Permits
- Bus tickets Lima-Huaraz-Lima
- Transport and access to all mentioned adventures
- Airport Transfers
- Mentioned Meals
- All mentioned activities
Exclusions
Airfare, Travel Insurance (required) & Tips
Reviews
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Expedition Information
$4,600
Q2
Alpamayo
Mountaineering,
Trekking
Fitness Level
5
Technical Level
5
Group Size
2-10
Ratio
1:2
