Climb
Ojos del Salado
Summit the world’s highest volcano at 6,893m, deep in the remote Chilean Atacama Desert — no technical climbing required, just altitude, determination and good acclimatization.
Summit the world’s highest volcano at 6,893m, deep in the remote Chilean Atacama Desert — no technical climbing required, just altitude, determination and good acclimatization.
Remote Atacama Desert terrain — desert camps, high-altitude acclimatization pushes and a real summit day, with rest days built into every stage. At this altitude, nothing here is optional.
Grouped by phase — tap any stage to open it. Want every detail first? See the full day-by-day itinerary & gallery →
On arrival in Copiapó, a 2.5-hour 4×4 transfer takes us to Laguna Santa Rosa, visiting the Maricunga Salt Flat on the way and spending the night by the lagoon, surrounded by spectacular mountains.
A full day dedicated to acclimatization, helping your body adjust to the altitude before pushing higher.
We continue the acclimatization process by climbing Siete Hermanas and descending to sleep again at Laguna Santa Rosa.
A 1.5-hour road transfer takes us to Laguna Verde, our base for the acclimatization pushes ahead.
A rest and acclimatization day at Laguna Verde before the high-altitude phase begins.
A 1-hour 4×4 transfer takes us to the trailhead at 5,500m for an acclimatization climb up Volcán San Francisco, then back down to sleep at Laguna Verde.
Another rest and acclimatization day, letting the body recover and adjust before the final push.
A 1–2 hour 4×4 transfer to the Atacama Refuge, then on foot across sand, snow and ice to Refugio Tejos, before returning to sleep at Laguna Verde.
A final rest day at Laguna Verde ahead of moving up to sleep at altitude.
We move up to the hut and get ready for an early-morning summit push.
The ascent to the summit of the world’s highest volcano. The final stretch is a straightforward 30m climb, protected with fixed ropes. From the top, breathtaking views of lagoons, colours and neighbouring volcanoes. Return to Laguna Verde.
We close the trip with a well-earned farewell — a bath and a meal at beautiful Bahía Inglesa, then transfer to the airport.
An outstanding experience with Thin Air Trips! Isa and the team brought so much care, enthusiasm and professionalism to the whole adventure. Their thoughtful planning, clear communication and attention to detail made everything feel smooth and well organised, allowing me to relax and enjoy the experience.
What stood out most was the personal approach. Isa was approachable, helpful and always happy to answer questions. You could really feel her passion for the mountains and her commitment to making the trip special.
A fantastic team that I would happily recommend to anyone looking for a memorable trekking or mountain adventure. Thank you, Isa and Thin Air Trips—I would love to join you again!
I’ve now travelled with Thin Air Trips twice — to Torres del Paine and Kyrgyzstan — and both trips were absolutely incredible. Two very different destinations, but equally unforgettable adventures!
One of the best things about travelling with them is that they take care of everything. From planning the itinerary to organising accommodation, transport and all the logistics along the way, they make the whole experience feel easy. There’s so much that goes into organising trips like these, and having it all managed means you can relax, enjoy the adventure and focus on the places you’ve come to explore.
Torres del Paine was spectacular, and Kyrgyzstan was another amazing experience, with breathtaking mountains and landscapes that will stay with me for a long time. Both trips gave me so many special moments and memories that I’ll always treasure.
For me, the real value of Thin Air Trips is being able to experience these extraordinary destinations without the stress of coordinating everything myself. You get all the excitement of an adventure, with the reassurance that the details are taken care of.
The fact that I booked a second trip after my first probably says it all! I would happily travel with them again and highly recommend them to anyone looking for a well-organised, memorable adventure. An easy five stars!
Fuimos con ellos al Ararat y todo perfecto, organización de 10, muy buena comunicación antes y durante el viaje, y muy buenos guías. Repetiremos!
I had a fantastic experience travelling to Russia to summit Mt Elbrus. Isa has been really communicative and helpful. I had a lot of hestitations about travelling to the region, but all went smooth and the entire trip was amazing. The team on ground were also just as professional and helpful, really helping to take off the logitical pressure and allowing me to focus on the summit.
Espectacular!!la ruta , la organización , la gente…repetiré sin duda!
Viaje top y equipo mejor aún!
Certified high-altitude guide and assistant guide, 12 days from Copiapó to the world’s highest volcano and back. Small group, remote Atacama Desert terrain, good acclimatization built in.
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No technical climbing skills are required, but this is one of the most demanding expeditions we run — 12 days in the remote Atacama Desert, with a summit day that includes a short 30m roped scramble at 6,893m. We recommend months of cardio and strength training, and prior high-altitude experience helps.
The climbing season runs from January to March, the Southern Hemisphere summer. Thin Air’s guided departure goes in January 2027.
No technical climbing skills are required for most of the route — the final 30m to the summit is a straightforward scramble protected with fixed ropes. What matters most is endurance and slow, deliberate acclimatization, which is why the itinerary builds in multiple acclimatization days at Laguna Santa Rosa and Laguna Verde.
A certified local guide, assistant guide, Spanish-speaking team coordinator and cook, all meals during the expedition, group technical equipment, private 4×4 transport, one hotel night in Copiapó and a farewell dinner at Bahía Inglesa. Personal gear, international flights and mountain insurance aren’t included.
Ojos del Salado sits in the Atacama Desert on the Chile–Argentina border, far from any town or mass tourism — one of the most remote high-altitude objectives we run, which is part of what makes it special.