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The Peruvian Andes provide one of the most reliable and accessible venues for high altitude snow and ice climbing anywhere in the world. The town of Huaraz, at the foot of the famous Cordillera Blanca, is South Americas' answer to Chamonix and is the ideal place to be based for a climbing trip to the region.

Huaraz is accessed directly by road from Lima, the capital of Peru. From here the mountains are reached easily by hiring a vehicle to the road head, followed typically by a half days walk in (all equipment is carried by pack animals). As Huaraz can be reached in a day from any basecamp in the region, it is normal to return back to town between climbs for fresh food, a shower and a comfortable bed.

Climbing Season The climbing season in Peru is similar to the Alps and takes place in the dry season, from early June to early September. During this period the weather is generally very stable with little precipitation. Unlike the Alps, afternoon thunderstorms however are not a really a problem. Any poor weather is generally shortlived and usually associated with unstable air coming in from the East across the Amazon basin.

Possible Itineraries The region boasts a huge range of possible objectives accessible in a 3 week trip from the UK, including:

For these and other itineraries, contact us to discuss your ambitions in more detail - as fitness and experience requirements vary widely and are specific to each trip.

Food and Accommodation  Huaraz has a wide variety of local hotels and eateries to chose from. In the mountains, camps are stocked with expedition quality tents, stoves and food - but nevertheless are chilly places at night, where good quality sleeping bags and sleeping mats will be neccesary.

Travel  Full travel details are provided with your joining instructions. You may buy your own flight to Lima independently, or use our recommended ATOL booking agent (who will have seats reserved on the same flight for us). All local transport is simply paid for on the spot.

Fitness  To climb successfully at high altitudes you need good cardiovascular fitness and plenty of stamina (see fitness levels 2-4) so we advise you to prepare well in advance with regular training and big days out in the UK hills.

Experience  You need previous alpine climbing experience and a proven track record of acclimatisation at altitude (eg in the Alps or on a trekking trip) in order to climb succesfully in this region.

Safety Awareness and Altitude Warning High altitude mountaineering has certain risks that can never be eliminated, but they can be minimised by good acclimatisation and appropriate safety decisions made by your guide – even if this means forsaking the summit. Nevertheless, dangers such as rock fall, icefall and altitude illness are not always predictable. If you are unsure about any of the hazards involved, we are happy to explain them to you.

Equipment  All communal safety equipment (ropes etc) is provided by us.  You are expected to come equiped with personal clothing and climbing kit, sleeping equipment, a rucsac and mountain boots. Local equipment hire including boots is also available, but the quality of hire equipment in Peru is very variable, so we advise you to arrive fully kitted out for the trip.