HIKING AND CLIMBING IN SOUTH AMERICA 2022 – PERU, ARGENTINA, CHILE, BOLIVIA

South America is a fascinating continent that attracts travelers from all over the world. Here the heritage of pre-Columbian civilizations, the colorful flavor of modern cultures and incredible natural treasures are intertwined. As hikers and climbers, we are mainly interested in mountains. And in this regard, South America will please and surprise even the most experienced ones!

Across the continent from north to south stretches the Andes range, the longest mountain system in the world and the highest outside of Asia. Thanks to its location from the equator to the circumpolar regions of Patagonia, the Andes can boast a fantastic variety of landscapes, climate, and flora and fauna. Accordingly, the choice of mountain programs here is very wide: from simple one-day treks to climbs to the difficult six-thousanders! Choose the route that suits you and come with us to South America!

Features of hiking and climbing in South America

The most important feature of hiking in South America is the enormous natural diversity. The main mountain range of the continent – the Andes – includes 5 climatic zones and is located on the territory of 7 countries. The Northern Andes are in Venezuela and Colombia. The central ones are in Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. The southern ones are in Argentina and Chile. Each country has its own unique culture and distinctive mountainous landscapes. In the Andes, there are really high and symbolic peaks. For example, Aconcagua is the highest mountain on earth outside of Asia, Ojos del Salado is the highest volcano, and Chimborazo is the farthest point from the center of the Earth. At the same time, all of these are six-thousand mountains of great interest to climbers.

In addition to the mountains themselves, our South American hikes offer other legendary places: the Atacama Desert, numerous attractions of Patagonia, Lake Titicaca, the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu, the Iguazu Falls, and many others.

Another feature of active recreation in South America is a developed mountain infrastructure and convenient logistics. There are many roads and shelters for tourists in the Andes. This comes in handy if you are planning to climb in the Andes. The base camps of most popular peaks can be accessed by car. Because of this, climbing in South America can often be done much faster than in other parts of the world. As for regular hikes, many programs do not require you to spend the night in tents and carry a heavy backpack.

Finally, hiking and climbing in South America is an opportunity to experience the incredible culture of this continent. You'll visit stunning, atmospheric cities such as Quito, Santiago, Lima, Buenos Aires, and others, and also experience the grandeur and authenticity of ancient cultures, traces of which can be found in each of the countries in which we run hiking tours.

Hiking in South America

Tour to Chile: From the North to the South: Patagonia, Santiago, and the Atacama Desert

In this tour of Chile, we will visit what we consider to be the 2 most interesting regions of the country: Patagonia in the south and the Atacama Desert in the north. During the 14 days of the trip, members will visit a variety of places of great interest. Among them: the beautiful Serro Castillo Mountain that looks like a fairy tale castle, the Exploradores Glacier, San Rafael National Park, Marble Chapel Caves, Altiplano Plateau, Atacama Salt Caves and Geysers... And if you want more, you can fly to Easter Island.

This trip will be very comfortable for the members: all overnight stays in hostels and hotels, relatively easy crossings without heavy backpacks, we will cover most of the distance in hired vehicles.

Trekking in Patagonia – a journey to the edge of the world

On this trek, we will visit 2 countries at once: Argentina and Chile. We will walk through the Torres del Paine National Park, which is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. We will also look at its highlight: the Torres Towers. Furthermore, we will visit Ushuaia, the southernmost city on Earth and the center of Tierra del Fuego National Park. We will visit Los Glaciares National Park, a place where giant glaciers are concentrated. The most famous of them, Perito Moreno, will be remembered for the rest of your life. Meet the sunrise at the foot of the majestic Mount Fitzroy, the hallmark of Patagonia. And if these adventures are not enough for you, you can also travel with us to the Iguazu Falls, one of the new wonders of the world.

Trekking is of medium difficulty, and does not require special skills and experience in previous mountain hikes, but we recommend getting fit to get the most out of this trip. The weather in Patagonia is very changeable, so you should be especially thorough in choosing the equipment and clothing, on which it is definitely better not to save. Along the route we sleep in both hostels (in the cities), and tents.

Trekking in Peru: Machu Picchu, Salkantay Valley, Ausangate Trek

The main attraction and goal of this trek in Peru is the legendary lost city of Machu Picchu. We will climb up to it along one of the trails used by the Incas centuries ago. In addition, members will learn about other archaeological antiquities that can be found in the Urubamba Valley. There will also be trekking high in the picturesque Andes, the fantastic Rainbow Mountains, which have only recently become accessible to tourists, and an introduction to the culture of Lima and Cuzco.

If this is not enough, you can extend your program by visiting Lake Titicaca, the oasis of Huacachina, Colca Canyon, or El Misti Volcano, and by flying over the Nazca Lines.

The trekking part of the route includes some challenging crossings with up to 5,000-meter climbs, so mules will carry the majority of the supplies along the way. We recommend that you start your running training at least a month before the start to make the trip as easy as possible, so that it will bring only positive emotions.

Peru: Cordillera Blanca – trekking around Alpamayo

Alpamayo (5,957 m) is one of the most beautiful peaks not only in the Andes, but in the whole world. On this trek through Peru we will be able to see it from many angles, and at the same time admire the highest mountain in the country, Huascarán (6,768 m) and the other peaks of the Cordillera Blanca range. We will visit the two base camps of Alpamayo and meet the alpinists planning to climb it. In addition to the mountain part, we will explore the colorful cities of Lima and Huaraz, the culture and life of the Peruvian Indians, ancient ruins, and much more. And for the most inquisitive, we suggest you join the Machu Picchu and Rainbow Mountains program, which will take place just before the trek around Alpamayo. This will also help improve acclimatization and prepare for challenging hikes.

The members will experience high mountain passes and overnight stays in tents, with heavy backpacks with the bulk of their belongings transported by mules. We recommend that you prepare physically to go through the difficulties of the hike as easily as possible.

Chile and Bolivia: Atacama Desert, Uyuni Salt Marsh and Volcano Climbing

This trip through Chile and Bolivia will take in the world's driest desert, the Atacama, and the fantastic Altiplano Plateau, teeming with numerous volcanoes, colorful lagoons, smoky geysers, and endless salt marshes. We will enjoy these lunar landscapes and even climb several volcanoes. One of them is just under 6,000 meters high (Likankabur, 5,916 meters)! And the Uyuni salt marsh is so stunning with its ethereal minimalism that it attracts photographers from all over the world. Also, there is an astronomical tour of Chile, an introduction to the capital Lima, and much more on the program. You will surely not get bored!

Along the route, we will stay in hostels and hotels and walk only with light backpacks, so you can apply for this tour even without prior mountain experience.

Climbing in South America

Climbing Ojos Del Salado

Ojos Del Salado (6,893 m) is the highest volcano on earth and a part of the "7 Volcanoes" program. In addition, thanks to convenient logistics and developed infrastructure, it is one of the most accessible six-thousanders. You can drive up to the base camp of this volcano by jeep, and the snow on its slopes practically does not stay. All this makes Ojos del Salado very popular with climbers. Nevertheless, you should take into account the impressive altitude (Ojos is nearly seven thousand meters high!) and seriously approach the preparation and selection of equipment.

Climbing Aconcagua 

Aconcagua (6,962 m) is a record-breaking mountain. It ranks first in height not only in South America, but also in the Southern and Western hemispheres, as well as the entire planet, not counting Asia. Despite these impressive regalia, to climb Aconcagua is quite simple technically: you do not need special skills or special equipment, but you will have to put a lot of effort to reach the goal. We also need good acclimatization, which will be taken care of by the experienced team leaders of Kuluar.