CORDILLERA BLANCA & HUAYHUASH

16 days at - including flights

Tripcode: TPC

Itinerary

Day 1: Fly to Lima.
Day 2: To Huaraz. We take a public high-quality tourist coach to Huaraz, the main town of the Cordillera Blanca region; the drive is quite long and tiring (420km in about 9 hours), but increasingly scenic as we enter the mountains. The journey includes the crossing of the 4100m Conococha pass and we should arrive in the early evening. Huaraz, at 3028m, is dominated by Peru's highest peak, Huascaran (6768m).
Day 3: Start Cordillera Blanca Trek. Drive further north to the trailhead, passing the town of Yungay, which was completely destroyed by the 1970 avalanche killing 20,000 inhabitants. The road winds up into the gulley between Huascaran massif and the Huandoy three-pronged peak. Llanganuco, as the area is known, has the two lakes of Chinancocha and Oroncocha, with turquoise blue waters. We cross the pass of Llanganuco at 4,750m with spectacular views of Mt. Huascaran, Huandoy, Pisco and Chacraraju. Continue on to Vaqueria (3,700m). The trek starts with a leisurely walk down towards a trail which makes its way over a small ridge and into the Huaripampa valley. Overnight in the area of Paria or Tuctu.
Day 4: Cordillera Blanca Trek. The trail starts ascending towards Punta Union, a pass of 4,750m. The old trail was heavily used in pre-Columbian and colonial times as a route for transporting goods from the eastern side of the Andes to the main valley. As we approach the pass, Mt Taulliraju will loom above us and on the other side its glacial lake and glacier adds colour to the amazing view down the Santa Cruz valley. The trail descends into Taullipampa, where we spend the night.
Day 5: Cordillera Blanca Trek. Past the side-valley of Arhuaycocha (with the option to view Mt. Alpamayo), we continue down the Santa Cruz valley. The landscape changes, and scree slopes appear on each side of the now marshy meadow, as well as rock boulders fallen from eroded walls above. Towards the end of the day we walk out of the ever-narrowing canyon into Llamacorral.
Day 6: End Cordillera Blanca Trek. A steep descent brings us to Cashapampa in the early morning. We meet the vehicle that will take us back to Huaraz. The road winds slowly down to the main valley, and we will arrive at Huaraz in the afternoon. We should have enough time for a few pisco sours and a meal to celebrate our return to civilisation!
Day 7: To Chavin. Drive to Chavin, with spectacular views of the Cordillera Blanca. The drive takes us over the continental divide at a high pass traversing a tunnel to then pass through the village of Catac. We will arrive at Chavin de Huantar, located on the outskirts of the village of the same name. During the afternoon we will explore this citadel, the largest pre-Inca site that has been restored with its impressive carved stonework and anthropomorphic figures and its labyrinth of underground passages. It is the oldest known pre-Columbian culture discovered known as Chavin-Kotosh. Overnight near Chavin.
Day 8: Start Cordillera Huayhuash Trek. Drive down the Conchucos valley to the village of San Marcos. A dirt road winds uphill with spectacular views of Carhuascancha valley. We cross the Antamina pass to Huansalá. From here we follow the Vizcarra river route for lunch at La Union, located in the Huanuco region. Above the village, on a big pampa (high altitude meadow), is located Huanucopampa, one of the most important Inca sites, still untouched as it must have stood in Inca times. We camp nearby, with time to explore the site (5hr drive).
Day 9: Cordillera Huayhuash Trek. Leaving the site, the road criss-crosses past the villages of Rondos and Baños. From here the road slowly ascends to Queropalca, the roadhead. Our horses and drivers wait for us as we begin our hike to Carhuacocha, a beautifully located lake below Mt. Jirishanca, Siula and Yerupajá. Overnight on the lakeshore with amazing views of the Jirishanca, Yerupajas and Siula.
Day 10: Cordillera Huayhuash Trek. Head up over the Mitucocha pass (4,750m) and then drop into another cirque, with views of Rondoy and Ninashanca. Camp near the shores of lake Mituchocha, surrounded by an awesome landscape.
Day 11: Cordillera Huayhuash Trek. Walk up the hillside until we reach the Cacanampunta pass, the aquarium divortium between the Pacific and the Amazon. We descend into the valley to join the road, which will take us to our next camp at Rondoy.
Day 12: Cordillera Huayhuash Trek. We ascend through the Rondoy valley towards the pass of the same name at 4700m, from where we can see the snow capped peaks of Ninashanca, Rondoy, Jirishanca, Jerupaja, Rasac and Solteracocha. We descend towards to lake Jahuacocha, the support crew prepare a typical Pachamanca dinner.
Day 13: End Cordillera Huayhuash Trek. Take in the last views of the Cordillera Huayhuash before we leave the snow-capped mountains behind as we head down the Jahuacocha valley. The trail heads over the Llamac pass, into the village of Llamac and we camp in nearby Pocpa.
Day 14: To Lima. From Pocpa there will be a full day drive (private bus) to Lima via Chiquian, over the Conococha pass and down the Fortaleza valley to the Panamerican Highway. Arrive in Lima in the late afternoon after crossing the desert.
Day 15: End Lima. Those on the group flight depart in the morning and arrive in London the next afternoon. Those on Land-only arrangements will leave us after breakfast.
Day 16: Arrive London.