About us
The story behind the mountains
Montañas Sagradas is run by the Méndez family of Mancos — a name tied to these mountains since 1939.
Our legacy
Long before Montañas Sagradas, there was a mountain story
In the Cordillera Blanca, our story began generations ago, with people who knew these mountains not as a destination, but as part of their lives. Their knowledge, courage and connection to the Andes continue to inspire the way we welcome travelers today. We don't simply guide you through these mountains. We share the heritage that connects us to them.
1939
Pedro Méndez
The first Peruvian on Huascarán
In 1939 Pedro Méndez climbed Huascarán with the Austro-German expedition led by Dr. Hans Kinzl — the first Peruvian to stand on its summit. In 1959 he returned to the high mountains as porter and head muleteer for Lionel Terray's French expedition on Chacraraju. His guide license from that era makes him, by record, Peru's first mountain guide.
35+ years
Walter Méndez
UIAGM high-mountain guide
UIAGM CERTIFIED
Following his father onto the glaciers, Walter qualified as a UIAGM high-mountain guide in the last class of the Alps–Andes agreement — and became the region's first French-speaking tour operator. More than 35 years of adventure tourism in Áncash.
Since 2016
Christian Méndez
Trekking guide and founder
TEDQUAL CERTIFIED
A trekking guide and business administrator, Christian founded Montañas Sagradas Tour Operator in 2016 — the continuation of Quechua Expe, the company he had run since 2002. Twenty years of operations in the valley, one family on the mountain.
This story is documented through expedition records of the era and Pedro Méndez's original guide license.
Our Team
1 .- Trekking and cultural guides We have certified trekking guides with WFA (Wilderness First Aid) training and IFREMMONT certification, who speak English, French (B2 and C1 level ), Italian, and Spanish; we work exclusively with authorized guides who have over 8 years of experience. 2.- Mountain guides Our mountain guides are certified and endorsed by the UIAGM; they are fully qualified, possess technical expertise, hold WFA (Wilderness First Aid) certification, and are fluent in English, Spanish, and French. 3.- Cooks and muleteers We work with cooks and pack-animal handlers who are aligned with our quality standards. All our staff are well-compensated—earning above the regional average—and we follow rigorous food-handling protocols. Furthermore, all our meats are vacuum-sealed, and we monitor the weight of the animals used for our services.
All our safety protocols and quality controls were prepared and submitted to the local authorities by Pamela Henostroza, engineer and Head of Quality (PMP® | LCM® | Quality & Process Management | NEC | AI).
Mountain safety
Nothing about the mountain should be improvised
Experienced guides
Certified mountain guides who work the same routes season after season.
Altitude management
Progressive acclimatisation, daily saturation checks, emergency oxygen on high routes.
Weather and route planning
Daily forecasts, local knowledge of snow and river conditions, flexible plans.
Communication
Radios between groups and satellite communication where there is no signal.
Emergency procedures
Clear evacuation plans from every camp, coordinated with Huaraz rescue contacts.
Equipment
Ropes, harnesses, Ferrino tents and cooking equipment are maintained and checked before each departure. Every item has a usage and maintenance log (Kardex).
La Casita de Mi Abuela
Your home in the Cordillera Blanca
Between treks, our guests stay at La Casita de Mi Abuela in Mancos — the family house, not a hotel. It sits in the valley below Huascarán, an hour from the Santa Cruz and Llanganuco trailheads, with home cooking, gear space and somewhere quiet to acclimatise or recover. It offers massages, Reiki sessions, and yoga sessions, and features an archaeological museum as well as two exhibition rooms for local oil paintings.
Ask about staying with us