Huayna Potosi via the French route (2 days)

Join a certified mountain guide and climb Huayna Potosí, one of the most well-known peaks of the Bolivian Cordillera Real. Enjoy a technical climb via the French route and put your skills to test on a less crowded path to the top of this beautiful Andean giant with stunning glaciers and exhilarating walls.

Private

Andes

2 Days

May - Oct

High

Advanced

Highlights

Climb the famous Huayna Potosi via the French Route.
Enjoy awe-inspiring views of Glaciar Viejo.
Discover a gorgeous wall with a 250m drop, inclined at 65º / 70º.

Description

Would you like to explore one of Bolivia’s most emblematic mountains? Then come with us on this technical ascent to the top of the stunning Huayna Potosi!

Huayna Potosí is one of Bolivia’s most famous peaks, located in Cordillera Real near La Paz. At 6,088 m (19,974 ft) it stands tall and stately, and because it is so close to the city, it is a favorite among climbers. On this 2-day adventure, we will tackle Huayna Potosí via the challenging French route, a less crowded alternative for experienced climbers.

We will set off from La Paz and spend two days on the mountain. The route we will take will involve crossing a huge and challenging wall and then enjoying amazing views of the Altiplano, of La Paz, of Illimani and the Cordillera Real. It will be a challenging climb, no doubt about it, but full of worthy rewards. You can find a detailed description of the route we will take below.

Because this is a technical program, prior mountaineering experience is a must. A good fitness level is also necessary. Of course, we will be there to help and guide you every step of the way.

So, are you ready for an exciting Huayna Potosi climbing experience? Then contact us now and let’s start planning an unforgettable adventure.

Or, if you prefer, you can come with us on a fantastic 4-day climb of Illimani!

Price includes

Accommodation included
Guiding fee
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Transport during the trip
Permit and entrance fees
Porters
Mountain guide expenses
Luggage transfer
Drinks

Price details

Spot Connect, Satellite Phone, Oxygen Tank, Oximeter. Last evening dinner in La Paz is not included.

Itinerary

Day 1: LA PAZ - CASA BLANCA – ROCK CAMP - HIGH CAMP (5.270 meters / 17 290 feet asl.)

Departure from la Paz to the Casa Blanca refuge (4795 meters / 15 732 feet asl., 2 hours drive). From there, we will hike on a steep rocky spur to reach the high camp. (5270 meters / 17 290 feet asl.).

Day 2: ASCENT OF THE HUAYNA POTOSI (6.055 meters / 19 865 feet asl.) / SOUTH PEAK FRENCH FACE - LA PAZ (3.600 meters / 11 811 feet asl.)

Technical climb (D + / II).
Around 3:00 am, departure from the glacier. We arrived in the first time to the Argentinean at 5470 m.
A little further, at 5550 m above sea level, we will take a left to the southwest to reach the foot of the wall. We will climb on this ice wall up to the summit (65º / 70º). After 2 hours of climbing, we will arrive at the summit, at an altitude of 6055m. We will descent via the normal route and pass several crevices before reaching the Casa Blanca refuge 3 to 4 hours later. Return to La Paz by private vehicle.

Equipment you will need to bring

Crampons

Ice axe

Harness

Water bottle

Backpack

Helmet

Poles

Sunglasses

Goggles

Avalanche eqmnt

FAQs

What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?

We understand that finding the perfect place to stay is an essential part of your adventure experience. To help you with this, we’ve curated a list of three highly recommended hotels that offer comfort, convenience, and a touch of local charm. These accommodations are well-suited for adventurers looking to relax and rejuvenate after an exciting day of exploration

Casa Grande Hotel La Paz La Paz Bolivia

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Hotel Europa La Paz Bolivia

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Hotel Rosario La Paz La Paz Bolivia

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About the guide

Thaki Travel

Tour Operator

Thaki Travel was founded in La Paz, Bolivia in 2011 by Anne BIALEK and Jérôme BENASSI, two adventurous friends, passionate about Bolivia and who fell in love with the kindness of the Bolivians.

During your trip in Bolivia, we will be all the time with you, we personally know all our co-workers from the receptionist of a hotel to a mule-driver of the Cordillera Real.

We like to explore and innovate. Every year, we invest in field expeditions to open new routes and build new original itineraries for our clients. We focus on building strong friendships with local communities giving us privileged contacts and access to off the beaten tracks, like the north part of the Cordillera Real where almost no one else goes.

We are very sensitive to responsible tourism. We have carried out several social actions to improve the lives of local communities and we build all our itineraries in a sustainably-driven approach.
We are very serious about altitude.

All our programs are carefully planned to comply with the acclimatization process, we have trained all our guides to Altitude sickness and we have a partnership with a French Institute about training and research in mountain medicine (Ifremmont). We are the only local travel agency that offers to their clients access to a medical platform (any client having health problems related to altitude can contact a specialized doctor 24/7 through our satellite phones)

We use high quality equipment for our treks and mountain expeditions: North Face VE25 tent (for 2 customers), .., IFMGA mountain guide for 2 customers (English speaking), Oxygen, oximeter, hyperbaric box, satellite phone.

Languages

English | French

Certificates

AGMTB | UIAGM | IFMGA

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What people are saying about Explore-Share

Man

Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!

Maxine

Luis Silva was a great climbing guide and belayer! He taught me how to do moves that were difficult and encouraged me to try routes that were challenging for me! Because of his encouragement, I managed to complete these routes! I really enjoyed the climbs and completed 8 routes in the Sesimbra/Azoia area. The weather was perfect, no direct sun and cool enough to enjoy the climbs. Explore-Share made booking an outdoor climbing experience in Lisbon extremely easy. Luis, our guide, was fantastic, and the platform’s organization was flawless.

Valeriya

You’re simply the best!!! :))) Explore-Share made everything easy and stress-free. Will definitely use again.

Joshua

We had Léo as a guide for our day climb in Fonty. We were blessed with a knowledgeable, warm, and instructive guide. Communication with Léo and Ivan was smooth and swift. Explore-Share was excellent in arranging everything for our day climb. The communication was quick, and the platform was easy to use, making our adventure stress-free.

Cami

Patrick was a great guide. He took us on an intermediate Via Ferrata at Passo Sella. Renato was quick to respond with any outreach on the Explore-Share platform. The booking process was straightforward, and once Patrick was confirmed, all went well. It was a wonderful experience, and I’d highly recommend the platform.

4.8