CLIMB TO AMPATO MOUNTAIN & TREK IN THE COLCA CANYON $598 USD Per Person

Following Ancient Prints Of The Collahuas And Cabanas Culture 6 Days - 5 Nights

Ampato rises more than 20700ft (6310m) above sea level. A vent developed on the northeast side of Ampato Volcano where a flank eruption occurred. This mountainous region is part of the Western Cordillera where the climate is extremely arid, with most areas receiving less than 10 inches (25 centimeters) of precipitation annually. In 1995, during an ascent of Mt. Ampato, the anthropologist Johan Reinhard found Momia Juanita ("Mummy Juanita"), better known in English "The Ice Maiden", is a 15th century Inca mummy of a 12- to 14-year-old girld who died sometime between 1440 and 1450. She is also known as the Lady of Ampato and The Frozen Lady. This was an extraordinary discovery because it allowed biological tests to be run on the lung, liver, and muscle tissue, revealing new insights on Inca health and nutrition during the reign of Sapaq Inca Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui.
PERU ADVENTURE TOURS offer from 2 up to 5 days guided trip to the summit of this spectacular sacred Inca Mountain, the climb require good physical condition and minimum experience using the climb gear as crampons and ice axe.

ITINERARY OF CLIMB TO AMPATO MOUNTAIN & TREK IN THE COLCA CANYON

DAY 1: AREQUIPA - PAMPAS CAÑAHUAS - AMPATO FIRST BASE CAMP (4800M - 5300M) - EAST FACE

We leave from Arequipa at 7am, from your hotel with our 4x4 truck, travel to the base of Ampato Mountain (5 hours), along the way we stop in different places to see the national reserve of wild animals as Vicuñas, Andean deer, Huanacos, Andean birds, Andean eagles, falcons, and little Andean museum and the highest Andean lookout of Patapampa (4850m).
Stay in the tents, the tour guide will prepare the food (lunch and dinner). The base camp can be set up our tents above 4800 or 5300, according how you feeling and how much do you like to walk this day... normally we climb just 300 or 400m. Everything depends of you (L - D).

DAY 2: AMPATO BASE CAMP - SUMMIT OF AMPATO - FIRST BASE CAMP (4800M - 5300M)

At 1, 2 or 3 am wake up and breakfast and the attack the summit, you have all day to get the top of this amazing mountain. Some time takes between 5-6 hours to climb 1000m, but everything depend how fast and how strong you will feel at that altitude... you will need good acclimatization. This day we bring just everything to keep warm our body, water, camera and some snack... the rest of our camping gear will stay in the same place. Stay in tents too, we provide all meals during the day (B - L - D).

Ampato Snowcapped

DAY 3: SUMMIT OF AMPATO - FIRST BASE CAMP (4800M - 5300M) - PATAPAMPA - CHIVAY HOT SPRING

This day will be easy and relaxing for you. After breakfast (8am) we packing all our camping gear and then we take the 4x4 truck to travel for one hour to Chivay (3600m), there we visit the hot spring and then lunch. After lunch you have two options:
HORSE TOUR US$45 EACH; we meet the horse in Yanque and we ride for 3 hours between the terraces of the Colca valley and return to the hotel or camping somewhere near of the river.
BIKE TOUR US$45 EACH; Nice downhill ride style from Patapampa (4850m) to Chivay, this tour is one of the best in the Colca canyon, because is long way down, lunch in Chivay and then continue cycling along the canyon, on the right bank and finally arrive to the hot spring. You will cycle between 3 and 4 hours on unpaved road. Stay in hotel or camping near of the hot spring (B - L - D).
NOTE: In case you don't like to do anything, you can stay resting in the hotel or in the hot spring receiving relaxing massages.

DAY 4: CHIVAY - CONDOR CROSS - SAN JUAN DE CHUCCHO (Bottom of the canyon)

At 7am we take a public bus and we travel from Chivay or Yanque to the condor cross, this transfer take 1 hour. At 8:30am you will be watching the condors in the condor cross lookout. Around 10am we hike down to the canyon, after 3 hour of descent arrive to the bottom and cross the Colca River by suspension bridge. Stay in the town of San Juan De Chuccho (2300m), you can decide to stay in family house or camping (B - L - D).

DAY 5: SAN JUAN DE CHUCCHO - COSÑIRHUA - MALATA - LLAHUAR LODGE

After breakfast you will hike around six hours along the right bank of the canyon, passing small remote villages, lot of pre Inca terraces, small cactus forest and many corners to see the second deepest canyon in the world. Around 2pm arrive to Llahuar lodge, stay in the bungalows or camping next of the hot spring (B - L - D).

Peru Typical Dishes

DAY 6: SANGALLE/OASIS OR LLAHUAR LODGE - CHIVAY - AREQUIPA

Today we have two options to return to Arequipa, see below:
OPTION A: If you book your trip with Backpacker Service (join a group) you will walk up at 2am and then have simple breakfast and start the trekking following a serpentine trail up to Cabanaconde (5 hours). You will approximately 3 hours in the dark until the first sun rising. This is the hardest part of this trek. Arrival to Cabanaconde we try another delicious breakfast and then transfer to the Condor cross to see again the flight of the birds or if you like we can have directly transfer (public bus) to Chivay and there you have plenty of time to enjoy the hot spring of la Calera. Return to Chivay to have lunch and after that we take our public bus to travel back to Arequipa, normally the bus arrive Arequipa between 4-6pm.
OPTION B: If you book Private VIP Service is the best way for this day. You can walk up at 5 or 6am we breakfast as we watch the sunrise light up the canyon. A short (two hour) relatively level trek along the left bank of the Colca River, takes us across abandoned terraces completely covered by cactus through a small valley called Soro (2050m). All too quickly we pass abandoned farms and several working farms, pick our last tuna (January to April), offered by the farmers and then we cross a suspension bridge over the Colca river to meet our 4WD. It's a breathtaking drive back up the canyon along a serpentine road smoothly executed by our experienced drivers. The views beckon us to make several photographic stops because it's hard to imagine that what's to come can quite match the current scene. The magnificent views continue for the next as we make our way to Huambo (2900m), a village surrounded by green terraces, a lovely town square, and a different group of people (do you know their ethnic identity?) wearing different local dress. At the highest point of our journey in the Andean range, at the "Mirador del "Ampato" we have a good view of the Ampato, a snow covered mountain. In 1995 the mummy of 14 year old "Juanita" was found by climbers. We continue on to see two small volcanoes in the vast Pampa de Qerqe (whose summit is only 300m). We travel to the coast.
El Pedregal (1400m) long green valley in the middle of the driest area located on the both site of the Pan Americana highway. From Pedregal direct return to Arequipa (2 hours).

Suspension Bridge In The Colca Canyon

CLIMB TO AMPATO MOUNTAIN & TREK IN THE COLCA CANYON INCLUDES

  1. Private 4x4 transport from Arequipa - Ampato - Patapampa
  2. Tour guide for climb Ampato
  3. Tour guide for the trekking in the Colca canyon
  4. Camping gear as tents and mattresses for Ampato Mountain
  5. All meal mentioned according the tour itinerary (B - L - D)
  6. Ice axe and crampons to climb Ampato Mountain
  7. Cooking set for Ampato Mountain
  8. Tourist ticket of 70 soles or $30 US Dollars per person (Obligatory). This is the unique entrance to the Colca national park even if you don't stop at "Mirador Cruz Del Condor" (take care not many tour operators don't includes this tourist ticket), the entrance is valid to visit all the canyon but not valid for hot springs along the canyon
  9. Entrance for the Hot spring on the third and fourth day only
  10. Public bus from Chivay or Yanque to the Condor Cross Lookout (day fourth)
  11. Public bus from Cabanaconde - Chivay - Arequipa (day sixth)
  12. Walking Stick for climb the Ampato Mountain and trekking in the Colca Canyon
  13. Private 4x4 transport from Soro Valley to Arequipa through Huambo and Pedral (day 6)

RECOMMENDATION
If this is your first time going to the Andes or High Mountains we recommend getting information about the ALTITUDE SICKNESS, see below some websites recommend by High Mountain doctors and scientists from over the world.
ISMM – International Society For Mountain Medicine
MEDEX – Medical Expeditions


SEE THE OUR CAMPING GEAR, Click here...

TOUR SCHEDULE & COST 2010
DATE TOUR COST
Any day between April to December
CLIMB TO AMPATO MOUNTAIN & TREK IN THE COLCA CANYON $598 USD Per Person

Following Ancient Prints Of The Collahuas And Cabanas Culture 6 Days - 5 Nights
Backpacker Service (Join group & Public bus)
1 to more participants $598 USD each one

Private VIPService (Private van/ guide)
2 participants $688 USD each one
3-4 participants $528 USD each one
5 to more participants $488 USD each one
Discount: $5 USD for South American Explorers Club Members
Discount 10%: Tour Operators or Travel Agencies Only
Students: $10 USD of discount only with valid green ISIC card
Organized Groups: We offer private service and any time/day according request
Group size: 6 participants per each guide
BOOK HERE: We highly recommended to book space prior you arrive to Peru and take private VIP service
All prices stated above are subject to change.
Exchange rate $1USD = S/. 3.02 (rate may vary daily).
Above prices include local taxes.

EXCLUDED

  1. Travel and accident insurance
  2. Hotel in Arequipa, Colca or Puno
  3. Transfer from Ampato to Colca and Puno
  4. Drinking water and snacks
  5. Personal porter to help to carry your equipment as tent, sleeping bag, mats, ice axe, crampons and water (Group Service).
  6. Sleeping bag -10ºC, this can be hired from our office
  7. Breakfast on the first day and diner on the last day
  8. Personal medicine for altitude sickness; Soroche pills or Diamox (Acetazolamida), under medical prescription.
  9. Tipping for camp staff

RAIN SEASON

December to March. Some days blue sky with good conditions for climb.

BEST TIME FOR CLIMBING

April to November, on the rain season same days are with good weather (blue sky) permiting to climb this volcano. Before to book your tour please see the weather report.

ADVICE FOR CLIMBERS

To have good acclimatization, good physical conditions and good quality winter clothes. One day before all the climbers will have meeting with the mountain guide at our office or in the hotel, who will give a BRIEFING about this climb and also you can check the quality of the climb gear will be used on the mountain.

WHAT YOU NEED TO BRING/CARRY

  1. Backpack 70Lt minimum
  2. Sleeping bag -15ºC (can be hired from our office for $5 USD per day, in Arequipa)
  3. Windproof jacket
  4. Strong comfortable and waterproof boots
  5. One complete change of clothing
  6. Sweater and thermal pants (something warm)
  7. 8Lt of water per person, minimum
  8. Flashlight and batteries
  9. Hat or cap to protect you from the sun
  10. Sun block (sun protection cream)
  11. Toilet paper
  12. Selection of small snacks, chocolate, dried fruit, biscuits etc,
  13. Camera, plenty of film and spare batteries
  14. Binoculars
  15. Your personal first aid kit
  16. Walking sticks or poles.
Porters will cost $45 USD dollars per day, to carry your personal items. You will need to carry with you a daypack with your Camera, bottle of water, snacks, a fleece or something warm and a poncho in case of rain (unlikely in Dry season but as a precaution) and anything you will need before lunch as porters do not walk alongside you. Your bag will be waiting for you in your tent at campsites.Please note there are fines if you give an excess of 12kgs so try to underpack rather than overpack. You can hire a porter in our office of Arequipa to carry your pack over the base camp.

CONTACT US
For more information about the tour or you request a new date to departure for this tour, please contact us....
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