Paso San Antonio (San Antonio Pass Huayhuash) – Huánuco Region – Peru

The Huayhuash hike in Peru is arguably the most beautiful and immersive trek I’ve ever done. Twelve days in the mountains, with just one exit to restock food. Every single day, we crossed a pass over 5,000 meters. Reaching that altitude is tough on its own, but carrying a 20kg backpack turns every step into a new kind of challenge. For this shot, I wanted to capture San Mateo Pass at sunrise. To avoid hiking alone in the dark, I decided to camp right there at 5,100 meters. The ridge offered no flat ground and was brutally exposed to the wind, but I tucked my tent behind a rock. It was good enough. The night was far from comfortable—I spent it reverse-rolling down my sleeping pad—but the next morning, I was rewarded. A glory moment unfolded: the sunrise, a hot cup of coffee, and the patient wait for the sun to finally light the lagoon far below in the valley. Landscape photography, especially here in Peru, is never just a click. It’s weeks of preparation and planning, all leading to that one perfect moment.