Private Advanced Hike (La Joya to Refugio de los 100)
For experienced hikers looking for a more demanding high-altitude experience
MX$4600.008 h
https://maps.app.goo.gl/SpUPk4pCzQsvCkvk7
Stand at 15,420 feet (4,700 meters) on the flank of Iztaccíhuatl, Mexico's third highest peak, at the Refugio de los Cien, the highest mountain hut in the country, the same refuge real mountaineers use before pushing for the summit, so you get to walk in their footsteps and reach a point most visitors to the park never see, with no ropes, crampons or climbing experience required.
Starting from La Joya (12,992 feet / 3,960 meters), you'll follow the historic Ruta de los Portillos past the Shark Head Rock landmark and the Las Rodillas viewpoint, climbing roughly 7 to 8 km one way with sweeping, ever-changing views of Popocatépetl's smoking crater the entire way up, while your guide shares the Nahuatl legend of the warrior and the princess who gave these two volcanoes their names, a story that's been told on this mountain for centuries.
This is real high-altitude trekking, the kind that builds the fitness and lung capacity mountaineers use to prepare for technical summits, and it's within reach of any hiker in good shape, moving for hours through volcanic sand and open sky above 4,000 meters as the Valley of Mexico shrinks beneath you and Popocatépetl grows closer with every step.
The whole day is private and all inclusive, with round trip transportation, a certified guide fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese or German, and travel insurance, so all you have to do is walk.
