Hatun Machay

Great scenery and countless climbing routes

From what I've seen of the Cordillera Negra, Hatun Machay is easily the most amazing place to visit. It's very scenic and you can simply walk around the whole thing in a couple of hours, or wander among the weird formations. Or you can take it one step further and start climbing: it's a rock climbers paradise. There are more than 160 established (bolted) routes, varying from easy (French 4 / YDS 5.6) to very difficult (8a+ / 5.13c). Virtually everything is one pitch. And yet only a fraction of all the rocks are bolted, so if you want to find your own way up, the opportunities are boundless.

Hatun Machay from the refuge

External Links

Hatun Machay by Andean Kingdom has extensive topos. They operate the refuge nearby, and offer various other services. We only hired rock climbing shoes and booked a seat on the daily bus. If you've never climbed before, you can take an introductory rock climbing course. Mind you, I saw a group of people with a guide that literally spent hours explaining stuff that they wouldn't need at all that day - such as how to place protection - before they finally started climbing.

Images

View Hatun Machay Image Gallery - 67 Images