- 3 days / 2 nights
- 5,454 m
- Challenging
Mountaineering in Huaraz: guided climbs in the Cordillera Blanca
Seven programs of 2 to 6 days, leaving Huaraz by private bus: from first-timer peaks to summits above 6,000 m.
We run 7 climbing programs in the Cordillera Blanca, the world's highest tropical mountain range (UNESCO; SERNANP), all leaving Huaraz by private bus. For a first peak, Vallunaraju (5,686 m / 18,660 ft, 4 days) or Pisco (5,752 m, 3 days); with glacier experience, Yanapaccha, Tocllaraju (6,032 m) or Chopicalqui (6,354 m / 20,850 ft, 5 days). Every climb requires prior acclimatization in Huaraz and a mountain guide, as Huascarán National Park rules require.
Read more
Each program combines the approach by bus and on foot, one or more camps on the mountain and a pre-dawn summit start, between 2:00 and 5:00 a.m. depending on the peak. Acclimatization days in Huaraz come first and are not counted in the program length.
Message us on WhatsApp with the peak you have in mind, your glacier experience, your dates and group size, and we will confirm the program, the gear and the price.
Climbing programs
Seven climbs with a day-by-day itinerary, 2 to 6 days long.
- 3 days / 2 nights
- 5,414 m
- Challenging
- 3 days / 2 nights
- 5,752 m
- Challenging
- 2 days / 1 night
- 5,497 m
- Very challenging
- 4 days / 3 nights
- 5,686 m
- Challenging
- 6 days / 5 nights
- 6,032 m
- Very challenging
- 5 days / 4 nights
- 6,354 m
- Very challenging
More information
Climbs compared
Length, summit altitude and physical difficulty of each program. The technical level is in the “Which peak should you choose?” table.
| Tour | Type | Duration | Hike | Max. altitude | Difficulty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevado Tuco | Climbing | 3 days / 2 nights | — | 5,454 m | Challenging | Ask for price |
| Nevado Huarapasca | Climbing | 3 days / 2 nights | — | 5,414 m | Challenging | Ask for price |
| Nevado Pisco | Climbing | 3 days / 2 nights | — | 5,752 m | Challenging | Ask for price |
| Nevado Yanapaccha | Climbing | 2 days / 1 night | — | 5,497 m | Very challenging | Ask for price |
| Nevado Vallunaraju | Climbing | 4 days / 3 nights | — | 5,686 m | Challenging | Ask for price |
| Ishinca and Tocllaraju | Climbing | 6 days / 5 nights | — | 6,032 m | Very challenging | Ask for price |
| Nevado Chopicalqui | Climbing | 5 days / 4 nights | — | 6,354 m | Very challenging | Ask for price |
Which peak should you choose?
From first-timer peaks to the most technical ones. The level is only a guide: it depends on the route, the season and glacier conditions, and we confirm it against your experience when you book.
| Peak | Altitude | Days | Technical level | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vallunaraju | 5,686 m (18,660 ft) | 4 days / 3 nights | Beginner: glacier, 4 to 5 h to the summit from the moraine camp | A first peak, with good fitness and acclimatization |
| Pisco | 5,752 m (18,870 ft) | 3 days / 2 nights | Beginner: “low difficulty (PD)” according to SERNANP; 9 to 10-hour summit day | A first peak. Since April 1, 2026, only with agencies that hold a contract with SERNANP |
| Tuco | 5,454 m (17,890 ft) | 3 days / 2 nights | Glacier; 4:00 a.m. summit start from 4,300 m | Good fitness; a peak in the south of the range, near Pastoruri |
| Huarapasca | 5,414 m (17,760 ft) | 3 days / 2 nights | Glacier via the southeast face; about 7 h up | Good fitness and experience on long days at altitude |
| Yanapaccha | 5,497 m (18,040 ft) | 2 days / 1 night | Technical: an ice wall of about 150 m and a rappel descent | Ice climbing experience, already acclimatized |
| Ishinca and Tocllaraju | 5,530 m and 6,032 m | 6 days / 5 nights | Ishinca to acclimatize; Tocllaraju, 7 to 8 h on a glacier from a 5,200 m high camp | Previous glacier experience |
| Chopicalqui | 6,354 m (20,850 ft) | 5 days / 4 nights | Technical: southwest ridge with 40 to 50° slopes and sometimes deep snow | Glacier experience and previous peaks above 5,500 m |
Altitudes: SERNANP (Chopicalqui), Wikipedia (Vallunaraju, Pisco, Ishinca) and our program (Tuco, Huarapasca, Yanapaccha and Tocllaraju, which have no official published figure). Schedules and times: the agency's program.
Requirements: acclimatization, experience and gear
- Acclimatization: at least 3 or 4 days in Huaraz with day hikes, such as Laguna Churup or Laguna 69, before a beginner peak, and more days or a previous peak before Yanapaccha, Tocllaraju or Chopicalqui. The CDC recommends that, above 2,750 m (9,000 ft), you raise your sleeping altitude by no more than about 500 m (1,600 ft) per day. See our Huaraz acclimatization guide.
- Experience: for Vallunaraju or Pisco, good fitness and experience on long high-altitude hikes. For Yanapaccha, Tocllaraju or Chopicalqui, previous experience on glaciers, on snow and ice slopes and with rope techniques.
- Gear: crampon-compatible mountaineering boots, crampons, ice axe, harness, helmet, warm layers and a sleeping bag rated below freezing; for Yanapaccha, also two technical ice tools. Which gear the agency provides and what you can rent in Huaraz is confirmed when you book.
- Health: if you have high blood pressure or heart rhythm problems, travel with your medication and a recent medical check-up, and do not take acetazolamide without a prescription (Peru's Ministry of Health).
Huascarán National Park rules for climbing
All seven programs enter Huascarán National Park, whose Tourism and Recreation Regulations (Jefatural Resolution 196-2006-INRENA) set these rules:
- Ice and rock climbing are done through a tourism service provider that is responsible for visitor safety (art. 7.1).
- Every expedition must use the services of a tour operator and an official, licensed guide (art. 24 b). For the park, a mountain guide is someone who holds a mountain guide title from an officially recognized higher-education institution.
- On difficult ascents, a guide may climb with only 2 people at a time (art. 25).
- Since April 1, 2026, Nevado Pisco can only be climbed with agencies that hold a contract with SERNANP (Gestión, Jan 27, 2026; El Peruano, Feb 25, 2026).
- You pay the park ticket by length of stay (SERNANP, 2026). 2 and 3-day programs (Yanapaccha, Tuco, Huarapasca and Pisco): S/ 60 at the general rate. 4 to 6-day programs (Vallunaraju, Chopicalqui, Ishinca and Tocllaraju): S/ 150.
- You must register at the control post and carry all your trash out.
Mountain guides: what AGMP and IFMGA mean
AGMP (Asociación de Guías de Montaña del Perú, the Peruvian Mountain Guides Association) is a member of the IFMGA, known in French as UIAGM: the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations, founded in 1965 in Zermatt, Switzerland, which sets a common training standard and an international credential.
AGMP belongs to the IFMGA as a “No Ski” association, like those of Bolivia, Nepal and Ecuador: its guides train without ski mountaineering and must say so in their advertising. AGMP grew out of the “Alpes-Andes” cooperation project (1977-1990), which trained mountain guides in Huaraz.
Before booking a climb with any agency, ask for your guide's name and credential: AGMP, IFMGA, or the mountain guide title the park requires.
How to book your climb
Message us on WhatsApp with the program you want, your dates, group size and experience: which peaks you have climbed, whether you have used crampons and an ice axe, and how many days you will spend in Huaraz before the climb. With that we confirm whether the program suits you, which gear the agency provides and the price.
If you do not have high-mountain experience yet, a multi-day trek is a good first step, such as the Huayhuash trek or the Alpamayo trek.
Climbing in Huaraz: FAQ
Which peak should I climb first in Huaraz?
For a first climb, Vallunaraju (5,686 m, 4 days), with a gradual ascent and 4 to 5 hours to the summit, or Pisco (5,752 m, 3 days), which SERNANP describes as low difficulty (PD). Since April 1, 2026, Pisco can only be climbed with agencies that hold a contract with SERNANP.
Do I need experience to climb a snow peak?
For a first peak you need good fitness, experience on high-altitude hikes and several days of acclimatization. For Yanapaccha, Tocllaraju or Chopicalqui, you need previous experience on glaciers and on snow and ice slopes.
What is the highest peak in your programs?
Chopicalqui, 6,354 m (20,850 ft) according to SERNANP, on a 5-day expedition via the southwest ridge. Next is Tocllaraju, 6,032 m according to our program, climbed after Ishinca on a 6-day program.
Can I climb in the Cordillera Blanca without a guide?
Huascarán National Park rules (Jefatural Resolution 196-2006-INRENA) state that climbing is done through a tourism service provider (art. 7.1) and that every expedition must use a tour operator and an official, licensed guide (art. 24 b).
What is an IFMGA or AGMP guide?
AGMP, the Peruvian Mountain Guides Association, is a member of the IFMGA (UIAGM in French), the international federation of mountain guides associations, as a “No Ski” association. The IFMGA sets a common training standard and an international credential for its member associations' guides.
How many days does a climb take?
Our programs last 2 to 6 days: 2 for Yanapaccha; 3 for Tuco, Huarapasca and Pisco; 4 for Vallunaraju; 5 for Chopicalqui; and 6 for Ishinca with Tocllaraju. Add the acclimatization days in Huaraz beforehand.
How do I book a climb?
Message us on WhatsApp with the peak you have in mind, your experience, your dates and group size. We will confirm whether the program suits you, the gear and the price.