Best Misti Climbing Guides 2025

Johan was an amazing guide! Our trip was great -- it is a tough climb but we made it. Johan is patient and so knowledgable. Rueben was our porter and provided tremendous support. We booked the climb that starts near the dam...it is considered the easier way to summit Misti. Still it was a tough climb. We are so thankful that we did this experience!

We booked a half day trek to see a close up of El Misti volcano. Considering that we have booked truly last minute (less than 48 hours of our trek), everything was nicely organized. Our guide Marcelo greeted us on time, as agreed and gave us a glimpse in how it would feel to truly climb a volcano. The guide and his driver took as to the base of the mountain with a 4x4 Toyota and we started our hike at an altitude of 3400 m asl. We moved in a fast pace and reached our destination (roughly 4100-4200 m asl) in roughly 90 minutes. After taking some photos and enjoying the scenery, we hiked down and were taken back to Arequipa. It was a nice afternoon of hiking/trekking, ideal for those who seek to do something in nature, but do not have too much time for longer activities.

I arrived in Arequipa and as an avid hiker, I immediately was interested in climbing one of the large volcanoes. I sent emails to multiple tour companies inquiring about groups and recommendations for which to climb. Saul from Peru Adventure Tours replied very promptly and after stopping in their office, I was given lots of information about the different options and groups/dates that were signed up to go. I'm on a budget so I wanted to do the climb in a group rather than solo to save money. During my dates in Arequipa there was only a group already going to Misti so I joined this. I was able to discuss my previous hikes and altitude acclimatization with the guide Johan and he gave me lots of advice on what to pack/rent and what to expect. The climb was fantastic! Johan was a great guide and I felt very safe the whole time! The first day was pretty hard as you carry all your own things including a tent (around 15 kg total) to the base camp. I wasn't super accustomed to carrying so much weight but it was a great challenge. The ascent was great and the summit is beautiful! I had been at high altitude for quite a few days before this hike in Quito Ecuador, Cotopaxi Ecuador, and Huaraz Peru so I didn't feel sick at all (just out of breath). That being said the other hiker in the group did not make it to the summit and felt the altitude a lot. Definitely would recommend this for strong hikers who have been at altitude for a bit and I would definitely recommend Peru Adventure Tours. My guide Johan was wonderful and helping everyone in the group, especially those struggling. It was clear he put our safety first. The company was also very easy to communicate with and rent equipment from. Not an easy hike but such a great challenge!

As part of our holiday in Peru we decided we had to climb at least a mountain/volcano. We were discussing whether it should be the Chachani or El Misti. We eventually chose for El Misti as it is a more iconic volcano, has a longer trail to the summit and the fact that it is an active volcano attracted us as well. We came in contact with Saul from Peru Adventours Tours and booked the trip to the summit. The communication went all very smooth. We are quite experienced hikers, but not experienced with these high altitudes (4000+) at all and we were therefore not well prepared. On the first day of the trek, Saul, an excellent driver btw, stressed this out. Luckily he could lend us a decent pair of gloves and for the rest we should hope for nice weather. Our guide, Angel, was a very nice guy and actually a perfect guide. He spoke very well English and explained us a lot about the volcanos and he had a decent answer to all the questions we asked. His pace was perfect for us, as well as the timings for the breaks. What was also funny, is that his time estimations were all remarkably accurate. The food was basic, but functional. Reaching the summit and the crater were both amazing experiences. Also the altitude was funny to experience. Fortunately we did not have headaches or other serious symptoms of altitude sickness, but we were moving like we were hundred years old and were still constantly out of breath. At lower altitude everything went back to normal. Saul picked us up exactly at the agreed time (like the day before), which is not common in Peru we noticed. Overall we had a great time and were very glad that we booked our tour at Peru Adventure Tours, definitely a recommendation when you visit Arequipa.

I had a wonderful time on all three day excursions! The total cost for all 3 days was $266. I emailed Saul a week in advance and prebooked. My spot was reserved and I just had to go pay in person when I arrived to Arequipa. I did just that and there were no hassles. The first day tour was the Culpa Waterfall Trek. I was picked up from my hotel on time and was taken to Yuca with my guide (Jarly) where the trek began. It was a great time and tough in some parts of the waterfall climb. Lunch was provided for me. It was an all day event and was well worth the money spent. The second day I was picked up from my hotel and taken to an area near the slopes of Misti. The area was beautiful and an easy trek for anyone to do. I was really sore from the waterfall hike so this was a great choice. The views were beautiful and there was alot of willdlife out. Jarley was my guide again and he was wonderful. Lunch was provided again and the trek took most of the day. After the trek Jarly helped me negotiate prices on goods that I bought in the city. He even showed me more of the city that I had not seen on a city tour I went on with "Giardino" (overpriced, commercial travel agency that I would never recommend to anyone!) Jarley then dropped me off at my hotel when I finished shopping. On my third day tour Jarly and Saul took me to La Joya to the dunes to Sandboard. We started on a beginner dune and then moved to three additional dunes. I had so much fun even though I am very uncoordinated. After we finished sandboarding we did some offroading on the dunes and then took a few hour drive to the Matarani Port. It was beautiful here and really is a quaint little beach town. Lunch was included and Saul let me pick where I wanted to eat. After lunch we hung out on the beach and then made our way to the Santuario Nacional Lagunas de Mejia. My entrance fees were covered and the experience felt like a safari tour, but with flamingos and birds of all types! It was awesome. I wanted to buy a book to support the cause, but I was short on Soles as there was no ATM around. Saul and Jarly were quick to lend me the Soles and let me pay them back when we returned to Arequipa. It was really so much more than I ever expected. I spent 22 days touring Peru and I used other tour agencies for most of it (prebooked online) and I was disappointed with the other travel providers I used because Saul and Jarly set the bar extremely high. I would definitely use them again and plan to do so for exploring Colca Canyon, hiking Misti and exploring the Bolivina Salt Flats. They have so much knowledge on different regions in South America and you will discover this if you take the time to talk with them and ask questions. There was no hassle or pressure for anything and they really felt like family. I am not sure what the deal is with the bad reviews I read, but I am sure those people are not telling the entire story. Trips can be canceled due to inclement weather or for safety reasons or in worst case mechanical/technical problems with equipment. These things can and do happen. When traveling in Peru it is critical that one understands the climate, weather patterns, and safety warnings for tourists. Any one of these can mess up an itinerary big time. I have seen tourists pout when things don't go as planned. Hence the reason for poor reviews. I am pretty sure that was the case in the bad reviews I read. Reach out to the travel agency. Email and ask questions and decide if they are for you. They will email back. There were plenenty of agencies I emailed in Arequipa inquiring about day treks and never received a response. When dealing with any Latin American tour provider make sure that you understand what is and is not covered in an excursion. The tour providers do not just make assumptions or read your mind as to what you expect. This is NOT Washington D.C. where everything is politically correct and built on the "U.S. Standard". I have traveled with close to a dozen tour agencies in Peru (for different excursions, on separate trips). I can assure you that there will be disappointment with services if you do not clearly spell out exactly what you are looking for and understand booking conditions and cancelation policies. Always have a Plan B as a just in case. Anything can happen when you travel.