Chaupi Orco, Mountain peak in Cordillera Apolobamba, Bolivia and Peru

Chaupi Orco is a 6,044-metre mountain on the Bolivia–Peru border, the highest peak of the Cordillera Apolobamba. Its broad, rounded summit carries snow and ice, with ridges running down to the left and right. Below the snowline the flanks are dark blue-grey rock and scree, and smaller snow-covered spurs stand in front of the main peak.

German mountaineers Werner Karl, Hans Richter, and Hans Wimmer made the first recorded ascent on August 1, 1957. This early exploration by European climbers marked an important moment in opening up the Apolobamba range to mountaineering attention.

The mountain carries a name rooted in Quechua meaning middle mountain, reflecting the language of indigenous Andean peoples in this region. The Aymara people also know it by the alternative name Viscachani, showing how different communities have their own ways of calling this peak.

Routes to the summit start from the Paso Pelechuco road and demand careful preparation due to dangerous seracs and steep ridge lines. Visitors should expect extreme altitude and alpine conditions, requiring experienced guides and proper high-altitude climbing equipment.

Chaupi Orco's nearest higher neighbour is Ausangate, 236 km away, giving the peak a topographic isolation of 236 km. Its key col drops to 4,489 m, so the mountain rises 1,555 m above the surrounding terrain. Digital elevation models give slightly different heights, from 6,001 m (SRTM) to 6,071 m (TanDEM-X).