- SLOPE: Approximate 1.500 mts.
- TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY: Medium (during descent).
- PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY: Medium – high.
- PATH: 4,5 km to the summit.
- RISE TIME: 6 to 7 hrs.
- TIME LEFT: 3 hrs.
- DEPARTURE TIME FROM SPA – Day 1: 12pm.
- ARRIVAL TIME TO SPA – Day 2: 6pm approx.
Licancabur Volcano
(5.920m / 19.389ft)
Duration: 2 days
Licancabur Volcano - 2 days
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- Acclimatization in height and talk with the guides before the ascents.
- Health compatible with physical effort in height.
- Adapt an itinerary that considers breaks before the ascents to mountains.
- Good nutrition and hydration.
(Depending on the time of year, certain equipment may vary)
- First, second and third layers.
- Trekking boots.
- Trekking poles.
- Gloves, Hat for cold.
- Sunglasses.
- Sunscreen.
- Attack Backpack or Small Backpack.
- Transport.
- Mountain guide.
- Satellite and Communication phone.
- First aid kit, Oxygen.
- Mountain feeding.
- Life insurance.
- Accident insurance (in case of accidents, the transfer will be made to the nearest medical center).
Description
It´s probably the most legendary mountain in the San Pedro de Atacama area, it shares a border with Bolivia, it´s calls attention because it has a perfect conical shape that ends with a small inactive crater of 400 meters of diameter and a lagoon formed by the accumulations of snow and low temperatures.
The Licancabur has a strong cultural and historical weight, the meaning is: «People from the highs» or «Mountain village», probably because of the Inca ruins of a ceremonial calls «tambo» that was a Incas place for rest, it´s located at the base of the mountain around 4.600 meters. It has a zigzag path «Camino del Inca» (Inca Trail), well marked that goes from the base to the top with 4,5 kilometers of a steady climb of 35º degrees, being the last part necessary to use the hands.
The ascending route starts from the east side of the mountain, towards the north slope, where we continue to climb almost all the way through the northeast edge of Licancabur and which allows us to have a privileged view of the green and white lagoons during all the ascent, and also see one of the most beautiful sunrises of the area.
There is no technical difficulty, but the slope is about 1.500 meters from the base to the top, which translates into 6 or 7 hours of climbing.
Unfortunately, during the period of the dictatorship in Chile, in face of territorial conflicts with the neighboring countries, the access on the Chilean side has minefields. For this reason, the climb is made by the Bolivian side.
ITINERARY
DAY 1 From San Pedro de Atacama, take the international road to “Paso Jama” (you have to pass through the border control before), 48 km of road through “Paso Hito Cajón”. From here there is 4 kilometers in a Bolivian transport for the refuge (grouping) of the mountain that is in the national reserve of the “Andean fauna Eduardo Avaroa” (Bolivia). During the afternoon, you can take a light trek of one and half hour approximately at the edge of Laguna Blanca, then have dinner and sleep as soon as possible.
DAY 2 The itinerary is quite heavy, considering that you start the trek around 3 am. About 10 am the climb starts and the descent takes about 3 hours. Acclimatization (adaptation) and experience on steep terrain are essential.
Once at the base, you will return in a 4 x 4 to the mountain refuge, make a meal, there will be a rest and after that will get a transport to the border and return to San Pedro de Atacama around 6 pm.
