Hiking in the South American Andes will take your breath away – in more ways than one!
The Andes mountain range is the longest continental mountain range in the world – from Venezuela in the north, it runs along the western coast of South America via Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Chile – and the highest mountains outside of Asia. Here are six walks that showcase this incredible mountain range and its surrounds.
Trek of the Condor, Ecuador
At 5897m, Cotopaxi is one of the highest active volcanoes in the world, located within the Central Andes in Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador. Walkers can reach the summit on a trek (rated difficult) that can be booked with various agencies in Quito, Ecuador’s capital city. However, there are several options at relatively lower altitudes (if you haven’t fully acclimatised to the impressive heights yet) that allow you to explore Cotopaxi National Park and see some of the wildlife, including falcons, highland humming birds and condors. One of these walks is the Trek of the Condor, recognised as one of Ecuador’s best walks.
This four- to five-day trek begins at Papallacta (3400m) and finishes in the national park, taking walkers across the páramo and past valleys, lakes and the volcanic peaks Antisana, Sincholagua, Ruminahui and, of course, Cotopaxi itself. Most of the trek is between 3000masl and 4000masl, and several operators offer guided treks on this route; it can be used as an acclimatisation trek if you are planning on making the trip to Cotopaxi’s summit. Just remember that this is a volcanic region and check for closures as you plan.
Santa Cruz Trek, Peru
Walkers considering the Peruvian Andes as a destination will certainly know about Machu Picchu and the variety of treks focused on this ancient city. There are also several other popular treks in the country, including the 50km Santa Cruz Trek through the Cordillera Blanca region of the Peruvian Andes – known as the world’s highest tropical mountain range. This trek (rated moderate) is one of the most popular treks in Peru’s White Mountains – there are plenty of operators offering it as a guided trip – but it’s not as busy as Machu Picchu.
Starting with a drive from the mountain city of Huaraz to a village, Cashapampa, in the foothills, the four-day circuit takes walkers into the Cordillera Blanca. They’ll pass blue glacial lakes and make their way over the Punta Unión mountain pass (4750m) with its views of the high peaks Tauliraju, Rinrihirka and Paria. The area around the track is part of Huascaran National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Area renowned for its geology and its wildlife, including condors, puma and vicuna. It’s considered a great alpine trek; just be aware of the altitudes and the need to acclimatise.
Huayhuash Circuit, Peru
Located to the south of Peru’s White Range is the 30km-long Cordillera Huayhuash and its high peaks, six of which are over 6000masl – including the Yerupaja (Peru’s second highest peak at 6634m) and the Siula Grande (6336m), made famous by Joe Simpson’s ‘Touching the Void’. These peaks and the surrounding scenery, mountains lakes and wildlife can be admired from the Huayhuash Circuit. Like the Santa Cruz trek, this is considered a great alpine walk; however, it’s more difficult and can be breathtaking for more than one reason – much of the walking takes place above 4000masl and the high passes are around 5000masl.
The mountainous circuit can be accessed from Llamaq, Matacancha or Cuartelwain, depending on your tour group or if you’re walking solo, and walked in 9-16 days. The time taken varies according to the route you’re walking – there are side trips and alternative routes – and the itineraries offered by the operators – many include an acclimatisation day in Huaraz and rest days as part of their itineraries, so the trips themselves will be longer. There are also some shorter trip options out there for those with less time to spare, so there’s plenty to research when choosing this adventure.
El Choro Trek, Bolivia
The El Choro Trek is known as one of Bolivia’s premier hikes, located within Cotapata National Park and traversing the Cordillera Real. It takes walkers from the Altiplano down into cloud forest and then rainforest, following an Incan path that links the Andes with the subtropical lowlands. Starting from La Cumbre (4725m), the walk climbs to 4859m before descending down into the Yungas (a descent of 3250m) and the village of Chairo (many walkers and guided groups take a taxi from here to Coroico).
The 57km trek can be done in two to three days, depending on walking speed, and there are several operators offering it as a guided tour; it’s popular and can easily be accessed from La Paz. Walkers will need to prepare for both the starting altitude and a range of climates on the trek, as they start in at a high, cold altitude (possibly with snow) and then descend to a warmer climate. The best time of year to do this walk is from April to September (in the dry season); the Incan paving can be slippery, so wear shoes with good grip and consider using hiking poles.ica Traverse.)
Villarrica Traverse
Down in the Chilean Andes, Villarrica NP is known for its volcanoes, lakes and monkey puzzle trees. It’s easily accessed from Pucón and there are several walks allowing visitors to enjoy this landscape. One option is the 82km Villarrica Traverse, which takes hikers along a volcanic range, crossing lava fields and sometimes dropping down to the temperate rainforests, on a five- to seven-day trek (rated strenuous). You’ll be staying in refugios and wild camps along the traverse, so a camp stove and tent are a must when packing.
The trek starts by looping around one of the volcanoes – Villarrica (2847m) – before making its way along the volcanic range linking Villarrica to Lanin volcano (3774m). On the way, you will pass the exploded crater of Quetrupillan (2360m) and cross briefly over the border into Argentina, before finishing the trek at the southern end of the park and Puesco, back in Chile. There’s little risk of altitude sickness; however, it’s an exposed route with unpredictable mountain weather – fog, rain, sleet and snow – so you’ll need to be prepared for this, as well as for the lack of facilities at the wild camps and the difficulty of finding water on the walk. We didn't say it would be easy!
Monte Fitz Roy Track, Argentina
Located over on the Argentinian side of Patagonia, the Los Glaciares National Park borders the Torres Del Paine National Park and features, like its neighbour, rugged mountains, alpine lakes and glaciers – its name refers to the many glaciers that are born on the ice caps that cover almost half of its area. The northern part of the park is home to the Monte Fitz Roy Track, a three- to five-day (moderate) trek that’s accessed from El Chalten, southern Argentina.
This walk takes hikers past alpine lakes, along rivers and through mountain scenery, including the peaks of Cerro Torre and Mount Fitzroy: one of the highlights of this walking trail is watching the sunrise over the iconic jagged granite peak of Mount Fitzroy, the highest point in the park at 3375m and named in honour of Robert Fitzroy, the captain of the Beagle (of Charles Darwin fame). The trail is well-marked and it can be done as a self-guided walk or on a guided tour. Just be aware that while there isn’t much risk of altitude sickness on this walk, the area is known for bad weather – make sure you’re well prepared for the conditions.