If you visit Arequipa on a clear day you cannot help but notice the El Misti volcano (5830m) towering over the city. The two or three day climb to the top can be hard work due to the thin air but any relatively fit, acclimatized trekker should be able to do it without too many problems, it is certainly not a technically difficult climb. The El Misti climb, in fact, one of the easiest ascents of any mountain of this size in the world. There are great views from the top. Although El Misti is an active volcano it has only erupted four times in the last 500 years. Best to acclimatize at higher altitudes such as Cusco or Lake Titicaca before attempting this trek. In 1998 an expedition found 6 Inca mummies high on the mountain. Visit the Museo Santuarios Andinos in Arequipa for more information. Read more…