Mountaineering in the Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert presents us the rare opportunity to climb high mountains, with altitudes between 5600 and 6000 meters, in a single day, without need for technical mountaineering skills or experience. Accompanied by experts mountaineering guides and with good acclimatization, any person who enjoys trekking can experience the Andes summits.
Full Day Excursions
Half Day Excursions
Mountains of the Atacama
Special Itineraries
Mountaineering, Physical challenge.
During your trip climb 4 classic mountains. After your acclimatization, ascend these summits at your leisure. We can accommodate them to your itinerary, no need to climb them all at once.
- 1rst Mountain: Toco
- 2nd Mountain: Lascar
- 3rd Mountain: Sairecabur
- 4rth Mountain: Licancabur (2 days)
Trekking, Mountaineering, Physical challenge.
Previous acclimatization is necessary. Roam the altiplano’s salt flats and climb a real 6000 m. Acamarachi has 6046 meters of altitude.
- 1rst day: Tara / Aguas Calientes trek.
- 2nd day: Aguas Calientes / Pujsa trek.
- 3rd day: Climb of the Acamarachi 6048m
Trekking, Mountaineering, Physical challenge.
We start with some serious acclimatization and then head towards Llullaillaco, the 2nd highest active volcano, the highest in the region with 6739 m. One of Chile’s highest mountains. This adventure is only recommended for experienced mountain climbers.
- 1rst day: Ckari Canyon trek and Rainbow Valley visit.
- 2nd day: Ckari Machuca / Río Grande trek.
- 3rd day: Soquete climb.
- 4th day: Rest.
- 5th day: Tara / Aguas Calientes trek.
- 6th day: Aguas Calientes / Pujsa trek.
- 7th day: Acamarachi climb.
- 8th day: Rest before Llullaillaco.
- 9th day: Zorritas refuge 4700m.
- 10th day: Campo alto (high camp) 5700m.
- 11th day: Summit 6739m.
- 12th day: Return to San Pedro.
Summits of the Atacama
To improve your chances of crowning an Andean summit, and to make your experience a pleasant one, first you must go through the process of acclimatization. During this time your body will adapt to desert conditions, and will be stimulated to adapt to the lack of oxygen by producing more red blood cells. We recommend you before attempting any summit, to spend at least 3 days performing activities in high altitude, going up during the day and down at night so a natural, gradual adaptation can take place, thus avoiding high altitude sickness.
Click on the pictures to get more information
Soquete
Soquete
Altitude: 5408 m
Rise: 926 m
Distance: 6km
Ascent time: 4hrs
Difficulty: Easy
Gradual climb until it’s rocky and pointy summit, on the way down we observe amazing mud geysers
Toco
Toco
Altitude: 5616 m
Rise: 430 m
Distance: 2,2 km
Ascent time: 2 hrs
Difficulty: Easy
It’s a good climb to acclimatize and to experiment an andean summit without too much physical demand. From the summit you can enjoy an amazing view of the white lagoon in Bolivia.
Lascar volcano
Lascar volcano
Altitude: 5592 m
Rise: 760 m
Distance: 3,3 km
Ascent time: 4 hrs
Difficulty: Easy
One of the most active volcano of the north of Chile. Beautiful view of the Lejía lagoon. On the way up we pass next the the huge smoking crater
Colorado
Colorado
Altitude: 5730 m
Rise: 868 m
Distance: 2,3 km
Ascent time: 5 hrs
Difficulty: Medium
Overcome a sustained effort through steep terrain to access the summit
Sairecabur
Sairecabur
Altitude: 5960 m, GPS Garmin
Rise: 360 m
Distance: 1,7 km
Ascent time: 4 hrs
Difficulty: Medium
A short climb takes us through a steep terrain formed by boulders close to 6000 mts. of altitude
Licancabur
Licancabur
Altitude: 5960 m
Rise: 1286 m
Distance: 3,8 km
Ascent time: 5 hrs
Difficulty: Hard
We enter Bolivian territory and spend the night on a refuge, next day we start climbing from the Inca ruins and at the summit we see inside the crater a lagoon. This summit was an important peregrination point for rituals
Acamarachi or Pili
Acamarachi or Pili
Altitude: 6046 m
Rise: 1296 m
Distance: 4,8 km
Ascent time: 6 hrs
Difficulty: Hard
We reach passing next to the Pujsa lagoon, we camp and the next day we start climbing the highest mountain of the area, a true 6000
Simbad
Simbad
Altitude: 5824 m
Rise: 1296 m
Distance: 6,5 km
Ascent time: 6 hrs
Difficulty: Hard
While we get closer to the summit the terrain becomes more steep surpassing the crater of the Lascar volcano.
Miñiques
Miñiques
Altitude: 5916 m
Rise: 1830 m
Distance: 7 km
Ascent time: 6 hrs
Difficulty: Hard
We drive to the altiplano to camp at the base of the mountain. At dawn we start the climb of the summit surrounded by beautiful lagoons
Mountain Equipment:
The mountain conditions in the Atacama Desert are relatively good allowing us to climb these peaks without needing very technical equipment.
- High cane trekking boots or hiking boots
- Layer system for the legs and torso; primarily a shirt, fleece and windbreaker or warm jacket. The layer system principally consists of a waterproof layer to keep you dry, a layer that generates heat next to the body and a final layer that isolates us from external factors such as wind and keeps a layer of warm air next to the body.
- A hat to protect against the wind and sun, something to protect the face, chin and ears against the wind
- Gloves
- High Altitude Sunglasses
- Walking sticks (helpful but not essential)
