• Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
• Distance: 24km
• Duration: Two days
• Max elevation: 5,825 metres
• Start/end point: Arequipa

Misti is the most popular of Arequipa’s volcanoes partly because it’s the closest to the city. Misti is a perfectly cone-shaped volcano and the one you’ll notice first when you arrive in Arequipa. There are no trees on the mountain, so you’ll have unobstructed views of the entire region.

There are two trails, up the south and north faces of the mountain. The northern route called Aguada Blanca is the most common. The second morning starts early so you can get up to the summit in the morning and be heading back down before the sun is too strong.

As with all hikes in the Arequipa region, the most difficult part of the trek is the altitude. The trail is not technical, though towards the top some parts of the trail are covered with loose ash.

You’ll start at 4,140 metres and hike up to Monte Blanco camp at 4,760 metres. Be sure to ask the tour operator about the quality of the tents and sleeping bags. If they don’t have four season bags, bring your own.

There is another trail on the south side of the mountain called the Chiguata variant. This second route takes you up to the summit via the town of Chiguata. You’ll drive 30 km from Arequipa to the town of Chiguata at 2,970 where you’ll start hiking. You’ll spend the night at Camp Piramide at 4,700 metres before making the summit ascent the next morning.