Sprawling over 8 square kilometers (3.1 square miles) and stretching for 4 kilometers (2.5) from one end to the other, Pastoruri Glacier is one of the few glaciers left in the tropics of South America.

Technically, Pastoruri Glacier is not a glacier by definition because it does not gain any mass during the rainy season and is disappearing quickly. Some scientists believe that it will all be gone in a few decades, which means it should shoot up to the top of any hiker’s to-do list in Peru.

From the trailhead to the glacier, which sits at about 5,000 meters (16,400 feet) in elevation, the hike is about 40 minutes, making it perfect for a day trip. The hiking is not very technically challenging, but made more difficult by the altitude.