With a strong team of women by your side, anything is possible—and so is summiting Pico de Orizaba, the highest volcanic summit and the third highest peak in North America. Also known as Citlaltépetl, this dormant volcano soars to a staggering height of 18,491 ft, and is home to the largest glacier in Mexico. By going on this guided, all-women, 7-day mountaineering expedition to Pico de Orizaba, all the logistical challenges and organizational hassles are taken away—meals, transportation, accommodation, camp, acclimatization, skills practice, everything is taken care of. All that’s left to do is see what you’re made of! As each step propels you higher, the camaraderie among your team amplifies the achievement and creates lifelong memories. Consider this your introduction to high-altitude climbing and enjoy the feeling of major success!
Pico de Orizaba is Mexico’s highest mountain, as well as the third tallest peak in North America—and you’re about to summit it. Alongside a team of like-minded women, you’ll get to practice your skills and acclimatize to the altitude, and climb the La Malinche volcano as a preparation for the big peak. And then finally, on day 6, you’ll summit the 18,491-foot Pico de Orizaba! Two guides will accompany you and make sure you’re ready—and you also don’t have to worry about food, accommodation, transportation, and any other logistical obstacles. Together with your all-women team, push beyond your limits and achieve new heights.
Make sure to arrive by mid-afternoon in Mexico City, with plenty of time to clear immigration and customs. Check into your hotel and freshen up for a welcome dinner, which will most likely be around 7 pm. Get to know your team and your guides and talk about the expedition ahead.
Meals: Dinner
In order to get used to the altitude, take an acclimatization hike near La Malinche—an inactive volcano at 4,462 m (14,636 ft).
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Today is the summit day! Usually no special equipment is required and the trail is quite straightforward to follow.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Get transferred to Piedra Grande, from where you’ll reach the Orizaba basecamp.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Today is all about acclimatizing at Piedra Grande and making sure you’re ready for the summit. Your guides will go through all the necessary information and you’ll get to practice your skills. Get some rest because today is the summit day!
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Today’s the day! Along with your guides and your amazing team, you’ll summit Orizaba at 5,636 m (18,391 ft). Congrats! Once you’ve soaked in the views and the feeling of achievement, return to Mexico City for a final team dinner.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Your mountaineering expedition in Mexico has come to an end. If you’d like to stay longer and explore, just ask your guides for some recommendations.
Meals: Breakfast
What a pleasure to spend time in the backcountry with incredible women and two phenomenal guides. I am so happy to have found AWExpeditions and so proud of the work they are doing. Do not underestimate going into nature with women — it is powerful, rejuvenating, and inspirational.
This was my second trip with AWExpeditions and it once again, did not disappoint. Sunny does such a wonderful job with planning, preparing, guiding, and caring for us on and off the mountain. I ran into some personal health issues and Sunny was proactive with what my next steps were to ensure my safety. It was truly an AWEsome experience, and the AWE community is the real thing.
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
Orizaba is a formidable, high-altitude summit just outside of Mexico city and it’s often underestimated by many visitors, resulting in a low summit success rate—mainly due to short-change acclimatization. However, this itinerary is designed to allow enough time for acclimatization and skills practice. Once you’re ready and acclimated, you will summit Orizaba.
In order to join this guided tour, you must be in excellent physical shape. Previous multi-day hiking experience is required and previous backpacking experience is highly recommended. If you’ve never tried mountaineering before, no problem—your guide will go through all the necessary steps to make sure you’re comfortable and ready for mountaineering.
There are plenty of other all-women tours on high peaks! If you’re looking for something in the U.S., this beginner-friendly glacier travel tour of Mount Shasta might be interesting for you. Feel free to check out this all-women climb of Kilimanjaro or women’s mountaineering expedition to Aconcagua. Scroll through our complete offer of all-women trips!
You will receive a detailed packing list once you sign up for this trip. Your guides provide the team, cooking, and emergency gear, including tents and emergency communication. You’re responsible for personal climbing gear and attire, including but not limited to the following items.
Here’s a list of the equipment we suggest you bring:
Here’s a list of clothing we suggest you bring:
Tents and group gear will be provided by your guiding service, but you’re required to bring your own backpack, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad. A broad selection of rental gear is available through national brands such as REI or Kit Lender. Rentals for mountaineering boots, crampons, ice axes, helmets & sleeping bags are also available locally in Mexico through your guide’s AWExpedition’s partner Nomada Mexico.
Group sizes and prices:
Mountaineering on Pico de Orizaba can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
Private trips are possible to arrange! Even if the displayed dates don’t work for you, please contact us—we’ll work with you to arrange a trip for you and your group (even co-ed is possible in this case).
To get to Mexico, the starting point of your mountaineering adventure, you can fly into Mexico City International Airport (MEX). The expedition kicks off with a welcome dinner, so make sure to arrive by mid-afternoon, with plenty of time to clear immigration and customs as well as to check into your hotel prior to the dinner at 7 pm.
In order to reach downton Mexico City, you can take the metro, an airport shuttle, a taxi, or a bus.
57hours is committed to providing safe outdoor adventure experiences. We require all guides using our platform to have a COVID-19 safety plan and to make the details of that plan accessible to travelers. In most cases, group sizes will be reduced, guides will avoid overcrowded locations, and other safety measures will be met depending on the location and activity.
We also expect clients to respect local regulations and take measures to protect themselves, their guides, and the communities they’re traveling to. For more information on COVID-19 measures in Mexico, please refer to Mexico’s COVID-19 travel advice,
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
Deposits
You can secure one of the set dates with a 30% deposit upon booking. The remaining 70% of the trip price is to be paid 90 days prior to departure, at the latest.
Secure your early bird spot with a 10% deposit! This tour gets sold out very quickly, but with early-bird booking, you will be the first one to know about any new upcoming dates. Pick your preferred dates without the risk of your bucket list adventure selling out!
Cancellations
Booking fees are non-refundable in all cases. During checkout, however, you can choose one of 57hours’ flexibility options:
Basic
Flexible
Super Flexible
Though unlikely, an expedition may be canceled for any reason prior to departure. In that event, the deposit and expedition fees paid by the participants will be refunded.
In the event of cancellation of a program and upon refund to participants of all program fee payments, the expedition organizer shall be released from any further liability to participants, including but not limited to liability for additional costs participants may have incurred, pre- departure expenses, non-refundable advance purchase air tickets, visa fees, equipment purchases and medical expenses.
Participants agree that beginning on the first date of the program itinerary, there will be no refunds of program fees for any reason whatsoever. Expedition participants agree the cost of any search and rescue undertaken on their behalf will be their financial responsibility. Including costs incurred by the expedition leader, other expeditions, government, and/or other entities.
First class organization that cares about getting women into the wilderness with other women. From communication leading up to the trip to the actual in the mountains personal experience, AWExpeditions over the top delivers. I will work with this phenomenal expedition company again and gain.