If you dream of sitting on your hotel balcony and looking out at massive mountains topped by snow, South America has a massive number of substantial mountains that will set you up right. We’ve covered plenty of luxury lodges that fit the bill in plenty of countries and even did this round-up of the best lodges for hiking on the continent. But have you ever wondered how high is high in the Americas? We dug in to find out which are the 10 highest mountains in South America and where they’re located.
It turns out that 100 peaks in the Andes exceed 19,000 feet and 6,000 meters, so it’s a tight race at the top. This is the highest mountain range outside of the famous Himalayas. Covering terrain far and wide, the mountains of South America that reach to the clouds reside throughout Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, Suriname, and Venezuela. Here are the tallest mountains, but note that most of these are not near any major cities. You’ll need to get into the countryside to see most of them, even from a distance.
Mount Aconcagua, Argentina – 22,841 feet (6,961 meters)
Mount Aconcagua (pictured above) is usually the first one people think of when it comes to mountains in South America, at the highest point in the Andes Mountain range. Standing at nearly 23,000 feet and 7,000 meters, it is the highest mountain in the Americas, and the tallest mountain outside of Asia altogether.
This is the one all of those people on a quest to climb the world’s highest peaks come to scale. Or ones wanting to climb the highest summit on each continent. It’s in the Mendoza Province and the Principal Cordillera and has been said to be “the highest non-technical mountain in the world,” with manageable terrain and routes. This doesn’t mean it’s easy or predictable though and there are plenty of tales of mountaineers trying to reach the summit and having to turn back because of life-threatening conditions.
You don’t have to climb the mountain to enjoy this prominent peak of course. There are plenty of nice viewpoints in Aconcagua National Park. Here it’s easy to book at nice Mendoza wine lodge afterwards to celebrate.
Nevado Ojos del Salado, Argentina and Chile – 22,615 feet (6,893 meters)
The second-highest mountain in South America, Ojos del Salado, meaning “Eyes of the Salty One,” is the highest mountain in Chile, as well as the highest active volcano in the world, still with minor activity. While most of the climb can be simple like Aconcagua, low temperatures and winds make the summit of the second tallest mountain rough, especially when nearing the top close to 7,000 meters.
Its name comes from its numerous lakes and hosts the highest crater lake on the planet at over 21,000 feet at its base. You have to really want to come here to see this one: it’s in a rather isolated area halfway between Santiago and San Pedro de Atacama, west of Argentina’s white wine town of Cafayate. You can sometimes see the peak in the distance from the countryside there if you’re on an adventure tour of the Salta Province and it’s a clear day.
Monte Pissis, Argentina – 22,287 feet (6,795 meters)
Named Pedro José Amadeo Pissis, the name for the third highest mountain in South America is taken from the French geologist and former Chilean government member. In the 19th century, Pissis had a role in establishing the cartography of Argentina. The mountain itself is on the dryer side but has a notable glacier.
It is also an active volcano and is less explored than its neighbors despite its high altitude and peaks. This is another tough one to reach as there are few cities or even towns nearby, so mountaineers need to bring supplies quite a distance to get started on a climb.
Nevado Huascarán, Peru – 22,205 feet (6,768 meters)
The highest mountain in Peru, Huascaran also takes the title for the highest in the world’s tropics here in the Peruvian Andes. It is also known as Mataraju, meaning “twin snow peaks” from the Ancash Quechua, and the name given by the local indigenous people.
In 1970, an earthquake caused the north side of the mountain to collapse and cause the deadliest avalanche disaster in history, with around 30,000 casualties. Named after a 16th-century Inca ruler and UNESCO-designated, its national park is a World Heritage site.
Several adventure companies offer organized treks in this area, with stunning views along the way each day, and there are some basic but comfortable places to stay nearby.
Cerro Bonete, Argentina – 22,175 feet (6,759 meters)
Despite being the fifth tallest mountain in South America, the width and circumference of Cerro Bonete Grande takes the cake, covering a massive amount of ground, and takes around two weeks to climb. There is a refuge and a base camp along the way, with camping routes set in place. Overall, however, it’s a difficult, technical climb for more advanced individuals.
If you are a climber that wants to hit two mountains at once though, this one is just south of Monte Pissis mentioned above. From the top of either you might be able to see Ojos del Salado to the north if the clouds have cleared.
Nevado Tres Cruces, Argentina and Chile – 22,142 feet (6,749 meters)
By sergejf – Flickr: Ojos del Salado summit – scenery, CC BY-SA 2.0
To the east of Ojos de Salado, the summits have various glaciers. Not to mention, volcanic activity dates back nearly 2 million years (but with no eruptions in more than 21,000 years). The mountain resides in the Atacama Region within the Andes Mountains, and its name means “three crosses,” referring to the two main summits, Tres Cruces Sur and Tres Cruces Centro, and the third smaller summit.
See our article on the best scenic drives in Argentina for a route that passes by these peaks and some of the others, on Ruta 40 that climbs all the way to 5,000 meters. If you’re not a climber, this is the best place to get your views of some of the highest mountains in South America.
Cerro Mercedario, Argentina – 22,047 feet (6,720 meters)
North of Aconcagua, Cerro Mercedario is the highest point of the Cordillera de la Ramada mountain range. It’s known in particular for mountaineering, dating back to 1934, with implications of possible Inca summits all the way in the 1400s. The north and south sides of the mountain were ascended first by explorers only 3 years apart, in 1968 and 1971.
Yerupaja, Peru – 21,709 feet (6,617 meters)
The second-highest mountain in Peru, Yerupaja is not particularly climber-friendly. The first ascent wasn’t until 1950. Before that it was the highest unclimbed summit outside of Asia, when it was climbed by an American pair. However, the sharp peaks and rugged, rocky surface make it less ideal, especially with the proximity of other notable summits on this list. On the plus side, the closest town is only 4.5 hours of driving from Lima, so this one is at least easier to see from a lookout point than some of the higher peaks in remote regions.
Incahuasi , Chile – 21,722 feet (6,621 meters)
Northeast of Ojos del Salado is the eighth-highest mountain in South America, forming a 30-mile volcanic trail along with Cerro El Muerto, El Solo, and Nevado Tres Cruces. (Seeing a cluster pattern here?) The mountain has no glaciers but often gets snow, and Inca structures have been found documenting ascension all the way back in the 1400s.
It’s known for its various archeological sites and the summit’s Incan temple, the world’s second-highest ruins.
Tupungato, Argentina and Chile – 21,555 feet (6,570 meters)
Tupungato and Little Tupungato, or Tupungatitio are a lava dome and volcano duo on the border of Argentina and Chile. Tupungatitio is an active volcano still. The mountain is the site of a 6-person Star Dust plane crash back in 1947. Plane remnants were found in the glaciers over 50 years later in the year 2000.
The eastern and western summits are notable points, and the name is derived from a Quechua deity. From the wineries around Lujan de Cujo in Mendoza province, you can often see this peak in the distance over the grape vines. We suggest a stay at Entre Cielos to take it all in with a glass of wine in hand.
Nevado Sajama, Bolivia – 21,463 feet (6,542 meters)
The highest peak in Bolivia, Nevado Sajama is part of the Cordillera Occidental. It hosts the Sajama National Park and its name, referring to a cactus in the region, is from the indigenous Aymara language.
There’s a recent interesting twist to the climbing expeditions here: there are some led by female Cholitos (the ladies with traditional garb and the fedora-style hats). You can read or hear their story on this Duolingo podcast episode.
One last note: you’ll notice that none of the highest mountains in South America are in Patagonia. While that region gets most of the hiking tourists that come to Argentina and Chile, those picturesque peaks aren’t actually that high. You need to worry more about altitude sickness when you’re trekking in Peru, including on the Inca Trail and Saltankay Trail, than in Patagonia.
