Ascent to 6732-meter Llullaillaco Volcano

The Llullaillaco Volcano is located in the heart of the Atacama Desert, in the department of Los Andes in Salta, Argentina. Its height is 6.739 meters, just 220 meters less than The Aconcagua.

This summit is the highest Incas altar of sacrifices that has been found in history. This expedition will take you through the largest plateau of America, where the vastness of the landscape gives space to the infinite variations of colors, completely far from civilization.

Come with me to a 12-day trek you won’t never forget. For more details, keep reading the following program:

DAY 1: STARTING POINT

We will be taken from Jujuy city to Cerro Negro where we will start a 3-hour trek up to 3.600 meters. We will spend the night in a Hotel in Tilcara.

DAY 2: TREK TO CERRO MORADO

We leave Tilcara towards the Cerro Morado, where we will reach up to 4.550 meters that help us to get acclimatized. Then, we will visit the big saline known as Salinas Grandes and rest in a hotel in San Antonio de los Cobres, a small town at 3.750m.

DAY 3: SAN GERONIMO VOLCANO

Another acclimatization day, this time hiking up to the amazing San Geronimo Volcano at 4.950 meters high. It will take us about 3 hours. At night, we will sleep in a hotel in San Antonio de los Cobres.

DAY 4: TUZGLE BASE CAMP

Transfer and trekking ascent to the base camp of the Tuzgle Volcano and then, a ride by the Tren de las nubes (“Train to the clouds”). Camp night in a high camp at 5.200 meters.

DAY 5: TUZGLE SUMMIT 

This day, and after 5 hours of ascent, we will finally get to the summit of Tuzgle Volcano and then, we will be taken to Tolar Grande. We will rest and sleep in this mountain refuge.

DAY 6: FREE DAY

We will use this day to rest for such intensive last days. So, after breakfast in the hut Tolar Grande, we can visit the surroundings and plan the following ascent days together. Another night in the refuge.

DAY 7: LLULLAILLACO BASE CAMP

We are slowly approaching to the Llullaillaco Volcano. A 4×4 will take us to its base camp at 4.850 meters of height. It will be another day without mountaineering activity, only transfer. Night in the base camp.

DAY 8: CAMP I

We will start our ascent to the volcano with the objective to reach up to 5.500 meters, where we will set up our first camp. Depending on your own physical training, this trekking will take us about 6-8 hours. Night in the camp 1.

DAY 9: CAMP II

During our ninth day, we will hike up to our 6.100-meter camp (7 hours approximately). We will sleep in the camp II.

DAY 10: LLULLAILLACO VOLCANO SUMMIT

Early in the morning we will try to get to the Llullaillaco Volcano summit. If weather conditions help, we will be at 6.732 meters by mid-day. Once we did it and enjoy such a happy moment, we will descend to the camp II or the base camp.

DAY 11: DESCENT TO TOLAR GRANDE

We are returning to Tolar Grande Refuge in order to rest and relax. We will spend the night in there.

DAY 12: ENDING POINT

From Tolar Grande we will descend to Santa Rosa de los Pastos Grandes, a small village at 4.000 meters. A transfer will be waiting there to bring us back to the capital of Salta. End of our services.

You cannot tell me this Northern place and this trek expedition are not ideal for you. Mountains, colors, summits, plateaus, green lands and desert ones… I has the most varied features! Contact me and let’s plan your own adventure across the Puna of Argentina.