The Ishinca & Tocllaraju
Summit Scholarship for African Women
Made possible by McGill’s Mountains
Calling all African women who dream of mountaineering: apply for a scholarship to travel to South America and climb glaciated 5,000m+ peaks in the Peruvian Andes. Please note that you must have a valid passport in order to participate in this expedition.
This scholarship is made possible through funding from McGill’s Mountains.
The scholarship includes the expedition fee for an all-women two-week expedition to Ishinca and Tocllaraju in the Cordillera Blanca of Peru, a $1000 flight stipend, top-notch mountaineering footwear from LOWA Boots, mountaineering attire from Fjällräven, and more. The scholarship’s total value is >$6,000.
This Scholarship is reserved for aspiring women mountaineers from Africa. To qualify, you must be an African citizen (i.e. hold a passport from an African Nation), with a preference given to candidates currently residing in African countries. If you are not an African citizen, please apply to the unrestricted scholarship for the Ishinca & Tocllaraju expedition instead.
Meet the woman behind this scholarship: Jeanette McGill of McGill’s Mountains
Jeannette McGill is a proud South African high-altitude mountaineer who thrived in the rugged mountains of the Eastern Cape and Drakensberg. In her twenties she was fortunate enough to go to Bolivia and Peru as her first ever overseas mountain-climbing expedition. Peru is where she subsequently has cut her mountaineering teeth, returning on various occasions. The skills Jeannette built over the years following that first Cordillera Blanca expedition many years ago eventually allowed her to summit Mount Everest, after having been the first South African woman to summit Manaslu in 2018 and having climbed on Dhaulagiri, bad weather stopping her at Camp 3 in 2019. She loves supporting and mentoring others to experience the outdoors and achieve significant outdoor goals. With annual commitments since 2022, Jeannette is paying it forward by sponsoring a recurring Summit Scholarship for a woman mountaineer from Africa to be inspired like she was by the mountaineering experiences available in Peru.
Read more about Jeannette here.
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Jagged peaks; glaciated, crevassed terrain and expedition climbing at 6,000 meters, but without the typical 3 week+ high altitude expedition time frame: that’s mountaineering in the Cordillera Blanca in Peru.
The Peruvian Andes are one of the America’s most understated mountaineering destinations, with several introductory-level 18,000-20,000ft peaks beckoning.
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This all-women Ishinca & Tocllaraju expedition is operated by AWExpeditions.
With a 14-day itinerary, we’ll access the Cordillera Blanca to develop and solidify glacier travel at high altitude on Nevado Ishinca (18,143ft) prior to getting in position to attempt a summit on the more techincally demanding 19,790ft Tocllaraju.
Thanks to uncomplicated access to these peaks from the city of Huaraz, known as South America’s outdoor capital, it is possible to combine both summits in a stunning two-week itinerary without compromising acclimatization.
Ishinca is a terrific introductory high altitude climb suitable for first-time mountaineers. Tocllaraju is a more challenging climb that includes crevassed terrain and several sections of steeper angle snow climbing. It is a prize objective for the aspiring mountaineer after honing their foundational glacier climbing skills on Nevado Ishinca during the acclimatization phase.
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July 12-24, 2026
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Prior mountaineering experience is NOT required (though having had some exposure to roped climbing or snow travel with crampons & ice axes is helpful). Participants must be in excellent physical condition. Previous hiking experience is required and previous backpacking experience is strongly recommended.
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Guiding & logistics support on the mountain with a US-based female AWExpeditions guide in addition to an experienced local IFMGA guide
All in-country transport
Meals on the mountain
Accommodation in Huaraz & on trail (double occupancy)
A $1000 flight stipend to help offset airfare costs
Top-notch mountaineering footwear from LOWA Boots, mountaineering attire from Fjällräven, a mountaineering backpack from Deuter, and trekking poles from LEKI
Access to substantive discounts for personal gear purchases
The Summit Scholarship award does not cover:
Visa costs
Travel to & from Huaraz, Peru, above and beyond the travel stipend
Travel insurance or mandatory rescue insurance
Extra hotel nights in town in case of early departure from the mountain
Beverages and personal expenses such as battery charging fees, hot showers on the trail, etc.
Personal mountaineering gear not covered by the Summit Scholarship (rentals are available in Huaraz)
Guide gratuity
Get a glimpse behind the scenes of Summit Scholarship recipients’ Alli and Nana’s experience in the Cordillera Blanca in July 2025.
Applications for the 2026 Summit Scholarship program are closed.
