Parinacota (Volcano) Height report

Parinacota, which Aymara calls "flamingo lake," is a stratovolcano on the border between Chile and Bolivia, part of the Nevados de Payachata volcanic complex. There are no direct records of eruptions from this volcano, and the most recent activity is speculated to have occurred in 290 AD (±300 years). Parinakota has a well-developed caldera; a sister volcano, Pomerape, lies in its north.

Parinacota, with its snow-capped peak, is considered one of the most beautiful volcanoes in Bolivia and the world. People can climb from both the Chilean and Bolivian sides. From a technical point of view, the ascent is relatively easy, but Parinacota is not a classic mountaineering peak. While the most classic hiking trails lead from Bolivia to its summit, the most beautiful views are from the Chilean side of Lake Chungara.

The most classic ascents to the Parinacota Volcano start in the village of Sajama (4,250 meters above sea level), which lies below the highest mountain of the same name in Bolivia. Many trekking and climbing enthusiasts come from around the world to challenge this dormant volcano. This post will introduce more interesting facts about Parinacota.

Parinacota (Volcano) Height And Description

Parinacota is a potentially active stratovolcano on the Altiplano plateau in the Andes in west-central South America, and within the Lauca National Park. The conical summit of Parinacota Volcano and its well-developed summit caldera (6,348 meters above sea level) are prominently shown in a set of space photographs. The dark brown to black surface on the eastern and western sides of the summit includes lava flows, pyroclastic, and volcanic ash.

The eruption of Parinacota Volcano directly affected the landscape of this area. About 8,000 years ago, the western side of the Parinacota collapsed, and the avalanche of debris stretched 22 kilometers westward. Lago Chungara (4,517 meters above sea level) is formed by the magma erupting from Mount Parinakota, blocking the melted snow. Rugged volcanic debris also created many ponds and Cotacotani Lake to the west of Parinakota Volcano.

Measurements of Parinacota

Parinacota is a beautiful volcanic cone on the Chile-Bolivia border. As far as we know, it is the world's highest volcanic cone, although it is not the world's highest volcano, with a height of 6,380 meters. It has a summit crater with widths of meters. On the way to the summit of the Parinacota Volcano, you will have to pass a glacier that extends from 5,200 meters high to the top of the mountain. This symmetrical volcano forms a twin volcano with Pomerape, 6,222 meters high.

Final Words

Surrounding the Parinacota volcano is more than 25 kilometers of the barren plateau, home to various flora and fauna. How long it takes to get to the summit depends on how quickly you acclimate, but at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters, you have a heavy load on your back and are breathing hard all the time. First, you must reach the saddle between Parinacota and Pomerape, where many tourists often end their pilgrimage. Next comes the hardest part of the climbing - the glacier; you must have ice axes and crampons. The important thing throughout the climbing is to maintain hope.