There are several popular 2-day, 1-night volcano treks near Arequipa. Some of the volcanoes are more dormant than others, but none are considered extinct because the Andes and Pacific Rim are still active.

It’s best to contact a reputable mountaineering company in Arequipa before you arrive. However, when you get to Arequipa, go to the company’s office and ask to meet the guide and see the equipment. You want the most experienced guide they have and to be sure they speak English if you don’t speak Spanish.

The most popular volcano to climb are Misti, which you can clearly see from town in the photo above. Chachani (below) is also close to the city and popular, as is Pichu Pichu. Chachani looks like several peaks, but it’s a massive crater so the surrounding peaks are all part of the same volcano.

Ampato and Coropuna are farther from Arequipa and popular with experienced mountaineers. Ampato is famous for the frozen mummy called Juanita who the Inca sacrificed in the 1440s and who now has her own museum in Arequipa. You need to be sure your guide for either of these is a licensed mountaineering, preferably trained at the Huaraz Casa de Guías.