Mirador de los Andes

Other Activity

By Christopher Minster

The Mirador de Los Andes ("Andes Lookout"), also known as the Patapampa Pass, is a breathtaking lookout point between Arequipa and Chivay. Most tours will stop there for a little while to allow visitors to get out and take some photos of the mountains. At 4,850 meters (about 16,000 feet), it is one of the highest passes in the world. On a clear day, you can see four volcanoes: El Misti, Chachani, Ampato and Sabancaya. Look for the apachetas, small mounds of stones made by superstitious travelers hoping for divine blessings: in the distant past, locals believed this region was home to the gods.