3-Day Climbing Huayna Potosi from La Paz
Overview
Available languages
72 hours
Mobile ticket
Join the team and get ready to climb one of the biggest South America mountains, Huayna Potosi, which has an elevation of 6,008m!
This trip gives you the unique chance to reach 6,000m. Try mountaineering and get great views of the Cordillera Real!
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
A maximum of 2 people per booking
Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there is not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Cancellation Policy
If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.<br>If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
What‘s Included
All mountain equipment: Ice axe, double boots, helmet, warm clothing etc
All Fees and Taxes
Professional mountain guide (Spanish speaking with basic English)
Private transport to and from base camp
2 nights in mountain hostels (base camp and high camp)
Meals, snacks, and water for the entire trip
Thermal underwear (top and bottom)
Thin liner gloves
2 pairs of socks (one thin and one thick)
One backpack (approx. 50 L)
Sunblock
Sunglasses
Sleeping bag (you can rent from us for 25Bs per day)
What To Expect
La Paz (3,600m) – Paso Zongo (4,700m)
Accommodations
Hostel with shared rooms, basic accomadation.
Food and Drinks
LUNCH
Lunch
Cooked lunch. Can include rice, chicken, salad. Drinks, tea and coffee. Vegetarian and vegan options available.
DINNER
Dinner
Cooked dinner. Soup, pasta, meat with vegetables. Drinks, tea and coffee etc. Vegetarian and vegan options available.
Huayna Potosi
We drive from La Paz to Paso Zongo (4,700m). Along the way we have views of Lake Titicaca in the distance and the mountain in front of us. We make a quick stop at an old mine cemetery with Hauyna Potosi in the background. Once at Paso Zongo, we drop our gear off in the hut and have some lunch (all meals on the trip are included). After lunch we will walk to the lower glacier. Once here, the guides will explain and show some basic techniques for ice climbing and mountaineering. We will practice these techniques with the guides and our climbing equipment. Later we will practices ice climbing techniques on small ice walls with safety ropes. We also get to explore the ice on the lower glacier and its formations. After our practice session, we walk back to the base camp where we sleep in a refugio. Cooks will prepare dinner and drinks with snacks.
Day 2: Paso Zongo (4,700m) - High Camp (5,200m)
Accommodations
Shared rooms in a refugee, toilets are out side. basic accommodation.
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
Includes yogurt, eggs, bread, cereal, jam, tea coffee hot water. Vegetarian and vegan option available
LUNCH
Lunch
Cooked lunch at high camp, meat rice, pasta with vegetables tea coffee hot water. Vegetarian and vegan option available
DINNER
Dinner
Cooked dinner, soup, main meal, tea coffee hot water. Vegetarian and vegan options available
Huayna Potosi
Today we have a relatively easy day up to high camp. High camp is on a rock buttress at an altitude of 5,200m and at the base of the glacier. The walk up is on a well-used rock path. On the walk up, we can see a long way down the valley with the cloud forest and part of the upper Amazon below. Once at high camp we need to get our gear ready for the next day, as we will have an early start in the morning.We will also have time to rest and re-hydrate. From the hut at high camp, we see the mountain in front of us and the next days are objective. It’s an early night tonight where we sleep in the Refugio.
Day 3: High Camp – Summit (6,088m) – High camp - La Paz (3,600m)
Food and Drinks
BREAKFAST
Breakfast
Includes yogurt, eggs, bread, cereal, jam, tea coffee hot water. Vegetarian and vegan option available.
LUNCH
Lunch
Some food on the way down, soup or sandwich. Soft drinks tea, coffee, hot water.
Huayna Potosi
We have an early start in the morning. We will leave around 1am in the morning. It will be cold so we want to dress well. The climb starts on the glacier, so we will start with our our crampons on, and the rest of our climbing gear. The climb is mostly follow a trail on the glacier. We have 2 steep sections, one at around 5,600m, called the Pala Chica. The trail goes through a snow and an ice wall. Once we get through this part, we keep following the trail on the glacier up to 6,000m. Around this time we can see the sun rise on the horizon, and when the first rays hit us, we start to warm up. From this point we can see the summit above as the last section to the summit offers great climbing on an exposed ridge. After we take our photos at the top of the mountain, we head back down the same way to high camp. Once back at high camp, we have a short rest and pack our gear. Then we head back down to base camp to meet our transportation back to La Paz.
Options
Climbing Huayna Potosi 2 days
Climbing Huayna Potosi in 2 days. Better for people with climbing experience and for people who are acclimatized.
Reviews
10 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Excellent preparation and support!
U5092RRdavidl,
Mar 28, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had been recommended Climbing South America and was really glad I chose them for Huyani Potosi. I am an absolute novice when it comes to ice climbing etc and they were really supportive whilst also pushing me on the treks. I wanted to ensure that I used a company that would provide the highest levels of care and attention. All our team summited on the day and I have no doubt it was down to the team in place from Climbing South America. The preparation they provided ensured we were ready for what is a very challenging trek. From the food, the information and the attitude of the guys that keeps everyone's spirits high. Thanks to everyone particularly Andreas who got us up to the top of the mountain.
Professional agency, very good support
dugashwili17,
Dec 23, 2021
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I came to this agency because I had bad experiences with other agencies in Sagarnaga, not all mountain tours are done with competent mountain guides, which can be dangerous. So I spent a bit more money climbing Huayna Potosi with professionals. The handling in the agency was very professional and courteous from the beginning. The price included the equipment, some of which was already a little older, but did its job well. My guide, Eulegio, is funny, nice and very experienced and has climbed the mountain hundreds of times, I have always felt safe with him. He also speaks English (and even a few chunks of German!), which was helpful when my Spanish was not enough. The food on the hike was excellent and the accommodations were simple but cozy. Important: This tour is not for complete beginners who have just arrived in La Paz. Physical fitness, acclimatization to the altitude and possibly a few hikes at low altitude to get used to are highly recommended. This tour pushes you to the limits and it is not guaranteed that you will succeed on your first attempt to climb a 6000 - no one can predict how your body will react at this altitude. I recommend this agency to anyone who wants to venture this adventure. Have fun!
Epic Journey
Stay642622,
Aug 17, 2021
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I would like to thank Ana Janett Paricollo her welcome and reception were fundamental in our trip, I highly recommend this agency, not the largest, but it is where it has the greatest heart both Ana as the guides and the cook who accompanied us to the base camp of Huayna Potosi were excellent with us! passing us all the necessary information and reassuring us, we will definitely return. Thank you to everyone from Climbing South America.
Highly recommended
A6902RZalexanderc,
Jan 28, 2020
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Can not recommend these guys enough!! On the day we summited Huyana Potosi only 6/17 people managed to summit, going with and organised, reputable company really helped here. They organised the trekking to give us as much time to acclimatise as possible. Our guide Silverio was very knowledgeable, professional and hilarious. The gear was a little worn but great quality. And the accommodation was comfy and cosy. For something like mountaineering paying a little bit extra was very worth it, if you want to summit go with Climbing South America
Huayna Potosi & Uyuni
83JohnK,
Sep 9, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I initially booked a 3 day Huayna Potosi hike with Climbing South America. The reason I picked them was how responsive to my WhatsApp messages and how professional and knowledgeable they were. During my trip, my guides were very professional and attentive, the equipment they provided was good. I am grateful that they made my Huayna Potosi dream came true. After my satisfaction level, I also booked a 3 day Uyuni trip with them. Again the same experience. Excellent service! I already referred them to a friend and I would refer them to anybody! Thank you guys. You made my Bolivia experience that much better and I really appreciate it! John
Climbing South America
Richard M,
Aug 6, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I found Huayana Potosi very challenging but definitely worth it. I know it's described as a beginner mountain and the "the easiest 6000 metre peak in the world" but it will push you hard. Climbing South America was excellent. Ana and Giselle were very helpful, provided me with good gear,advice and an excellent English speaking guide - Alex. Alex is a first class guide and just the person I needed to help me get to the top.
Climbing South America for Potosi!
CBAus7,
Aug 3, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We did the 3 day 2 night climb of Potosi...it did not disappoint! We went through Climbing South America and our guide was Silverio, he was an absolute legend!! He made the 3 days so easy and enjoyable, always cracking jokes and making sure we were going ok. Food was great the whole trip (and there was heaps of it!), always coca tea on hand too which is nice at the altitude. Everything was included in our trip, some other companies did not include entry or food extras like Climbing South America do. We wouldn’t have climbed with anyone else!!
Great experience all around
Roving401773,
Apr 30, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I did the long hike up to Huayma Potosi with JIWAKI tour company in La Paz and really enjoyed it. They had an ample supply of gear, and great, safe, an informed guides. It was a very difficult hike for me, but well worth the effort. Great experience all around.
Very cold, but the view is worth it
lidiakiyomik,
Apr 6, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We made the three-day tour to the huayna Potosí with Enterprise all transport tours. On the first day, you have breakfast at an Enterprise convenience restaurant, try out the clothes and then head to the Van for the mountain. As soon as you arrive at the base camp, the guides prepare lunch. After lunch begins the adventure of using the climbing equipment on the mountain, such as the grampons, socket, piolet and helmet. On this first day they teach how the equipment is used and the importance of using it correctly. On the second day, you make your suitcase with what it is necessary to climb to the Alto Campo (which is the base to climb to the summit) and climb with it on the back. This includes, sleeping bag, clothes, water, climbing equipment, etc. On that day, after the climb to the high field and lunch, the guides already explain how the climb will be planned (horaries, what to take, what you can do, what you can not do, etc.) The Third party day starts at 00:00, the time you wake up, take a breakfast and leave to attack the summit at 01:00. At a good pace at 6:00 you will be watching. The sunrise and already begins the descent to High Field. After a rest time, the descent to the base camp begins. Tip: It is necessary to be climbed at high altitude, otherwise you will suffer to climb the mountain and there is no cure that will make these pains pass. Tip 2: Listen to your body, you have the go and go, save energy. Tip 3: If you have difficulty carrying too much weight, it is possible to pay the guide to carry your suitcase, one value to go up + another value to go down. Talk to your guide. Tip4: Food is not the same as restaurant. If you are not used to the Bolivian spice, bring something to your taste. Tip 5: Bring things that protect you from the cold, it makes too much too cold
Huayna Potosi with German Fernandez Leon
OnAir37776162569,
Nov 14, 2018
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I climbed my first 6000 - an uplifting feeling! Huayna Potosi is feasible without mountaineering experience, but the effort at altitude and the ascent over the glacier should not be underestimated. Adequate acclimatization, very good physical fitness and mental strength are prerequisites for the summit experience. I did the 3-day tour with the guide German Fernandez Leon and was completely satisfied. The huts in the base camp and in the altitude camp were adequately equipped, the food was plentiful. German has a very balanced mind and therefore suited me well. On the ascent he adapted to my pace and so we reached the summit, but exhausted but happy!
From US$276.93
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