Climbing to Mariposa South 5640

Summary of the climb to Mariposa South

The itinerary begins with a departure from Cusco at 4:30 a.m., heading towards the village of Tinke, from where we continue to the community of Pacchanta. After breakfast at Pacchanta Lodge, the ascent to Pachaspata camp begins, passing through the circuit of the 7 lakes of Ausangate. The next day, the ascent begins at 2:30 a.m. to the glacier tongue, and then continues with crampons and ice axes until reaching the summit of Mariposa South. The descent is done by the same route, returning to base camp after 8 hours of effort. Finally, you descend to Pacchanta, where you can visit the hot springs before lunch and return to Cusco, arriving at the hotel at 6:30 pm.

Climbing Itinerary to Mariposa South

Day 1: Cusco, Pacchanta, Mariposa Base Camp

Departure from Cusco is at 4:30 a.m. from the hotel, heading towards the town of Tinke, three hours from the city of Cusco. The first stop by car is Cuyuni, where you can admire the great Vilcanota Mountain Range and Ausangate, which reigns in the Andes of Cusco. Upon reaching the town of Tinke (3800 m), a 12 km path is taken to the community of Pacchanta (between 4200 and 4300 m), arriving at the Pacchanta Lodge. Arrival in Pacchanta is at 7:30 a.m., just in time for breakfast and the meeting point with the expedition team.

Departure to the Mariposa base camp is at 8:30 a.m., with a 9 km ascent to the Pachaspata camp (4750 m), which is used as a base camp. Along the route, you pass through the Ausangate 7 Lagoons circuit and alpaca fields, which is the main activity in this area of Ausangate. Lunch is served at the camp, and in the afternoon, the route is surveyed, and equipment is prepared for the ascent.

Day 2: Base Camp, Mariposa South Summit, Base Camp

This day, the ascent begins with breakfast at 2:30 a.m., and departure is at 3:00 a.m., heading towards the glacier tongue. This rocky part of the journey lasts approximately 2 hours, covering a distance of 4.5 km to reach an altitude of 5300 m. From the glacier tongue, the ascent continues with crampons and ice axes for 2 km, which takes approximately 3 hours to reach the Mariposa South summit at 5640 m. Before reaching the main summit, you first arrive at the Tres Cruces summit, which is at 5512 m and is the prelude to the main summit.

The descent is made by the same ascent route, and at the end, the rocky part is taken to descend in a short time. Normally, the descent takes 3 hours to the base camp. In total, this day involves an 8-hour climb of pure effort.

Day 3: Base Camp, Pacchanta, Cusco

This day, the descent to the community of Pacchanta is made, passing by the 7 Lagoons of Ausangate, and arriving in Pacchanta at 11:30 a.m. Afterwards, you can visit the hot springs of Pacchanta. After the visit, lunch is had, and the return to Cusco begins, arriving at the hotel at approximately 6:30 p.m.

Climbing to Mariposa South Includes:

• Professional High Mountain Guide certified by UIAGM.
• Assistant guide for groups of 6 or more people.
• Private transportation during the expedition.
• Group and individual camping logistics.
• Horses for transporting camping and individual logistics.
• Muleteer team for handling horses.
• Cook and assistant team for food preparation.
• Group and individual climbing equipment (crampons, harness, ice axes, safety ropes, safety helmet, gaiters).
• Full meals during the expedition.
• Group toiletries.
• Emergency logistics and first aid.
• Entrance tickets during the expedition.