Huaytapallana, Mountain summit in Huancayo Province, Peru

Huaytapallana is a mountain summit rising to 5,557 meters in the Andes of central Peru within Huancayo Province. The peak is surrounded by several high-altitude lakes that provide water to the surrounding region.

The name comes from Quechua words wayta and pallana, meaning a place where people traditionally gathered flowers. The term reflects how important the area was to its original inhabitants.

Local communities perform traditional ceremonies that show their connection to the mountain and keep their Andean roots alive. These practices are part of daily life for residents and shape how they see and use the landscape.

From Huancayo, a paved road leads in about two hours to Virgen de las Nieves at 4,000 meters, the trailhead for the ascent. Two routes start there: one reaches the climbers' refuge in two hours past Carhuaccocha, Cocha Grande and Yanahucsha lakes; the other takes three and a half hours to Lazo Huntay lake. The altitude demands acclimatization and weather-resistant gear.

The glacier feeds the Shullcas river, which supplies most of Huancayo's drinking water and adds about 0.5 m³/s during the dry season. Studies record a 72% loss of ice surface over six decades, and between 1993 and 2023 a further 41.58% reduction.