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10-day Cordillera Huayhuash guided trek

camping-elefante-huayhuash
Cordillera Huayhuash
Huayhuash classic trek
Cordillera Huayhuash

Join Romer, a local certified mountain guide, for this 10-day hiking adventure in the Cordillera Huayhuash, one of the highlights of the Peruvian Andes!

Not specified

Andes

10 Days

May - Oct

Fit

Intermediate


Description

The Cordillera Huayhuash, in Perú, is one of the classic trekking circuits of the world. This 10-day trip is your chance to explore this stunning area under expert guidance. Come join me!

Located in the boundaries of Ancash, Lima, and Huánuco, the Cordillera Huayhuash is a sub-range of the Andes. It is 150 km long and includes seven over 6,000m peaks. Furthermore, the area is also famous for its spectacular lakes: Sarapacocha, Santa Rosa, and Jurau, among others.

On this 10-day hiking program, we will reach amazing spots such as the Cacanan Pass (4,700m), the Carhuac Pass (4,500m), and the Paso de Carhuac pass (4,650m). Additionally, we will set our base camps in unique settings like QuartelHuain (4,200m), Carhuacocha lake (4,150m), and Cutatambo (4,100m).  You can find the complete itinerary below!

The hiking trails are not hard, but you need to be physically fit as we will walk uphill at least four hours per day!  Of course, you will at all times receive assistance and guidance.

So, if you want to spend 10 days exploring the wonderful Cordillera Huayhuash, please contact me! I’ll be glad to guide you through this beauty of the Peruvian Andes.

And if you want to explore another amazing area of Perú, take a look at this 6-day trip in the Cordillera Blanca.

Price includes

- Guiding fee

- Breakfast

- Lunch

- Dinner

- Snacks

- Transportation start and back

- Transport during the trip

- Permit and entrance fees

- Group porters

- Mules and horses

- Clean drinkable water

- Camping equipment tents

- Camping equipment sleeping pad

- Camping equipment cooking utensils

Price details

Not included: transport to and from the Lima airport, bus tickets between Lima and Huaraz, accommodation in Lima and Huaraz, international flights to/from Lima, and applicable airport taxes, personal clothing and equipment, sleeping bags, food and drink during in-town days, insurances.


Itinerary

Day 1: Huaraz - Cuartelhuain (4,300m)

First, we will drive from Huaraz to Chiquián, enjoying distant views of the awesome Huayhuash range. Then we will descend to a cactus and scrub environment and continue to the village of Llamac (3,300m). Finally, we will hike into a wide u-shaped valley flanked by broad expanses of quenual forest. Camp at QuartelHuain (4,200m)

Duration: 4 hours (by car) 4 – 5 hours (hiking)

Day 2: Cuartelhuain – Cacanan Pass (4,700m) – Mitucocha

We cross our first pass, Cacanan Punta (4,700m). Here, at the Continental Divide, we might observe the Andean Condor flying overhead. Descent to the Jalca plain and on to our camp at the beautiful Mitucocha lake (4,220m), located at the foot of the stunning Jirishanka Grande peak. If you have energy, there’s the option of walking around the lake or to one of the nearby valleys.

Duration: 5 hours aprox / Distance: 12 km aprox

Day 3: Mitucocha – Carhuac Pass (4,500m) – Carhuacocha

We flank the Jalca floodplain and ascend south to the Paso de Carhuac pass (4,650m). From here we appreciate an awesome panorama: Yerupajá Grande, the second highest mountain in Peru, Yerupajá Chico(6,121m) and Siulá Grande (6,344m). Descent to our camp at the Carhuacocha lake (4,150m).

Day 4: Carhuacocha – Siula Pass (4,850m) – Huayhuash

There are two optional approaches to our next camp at Huayhuash. We can take the normal trail to ascend the Carnicero Pass (4,600m) or the more challenging alternative by ascending the Siula Pass (4,800m).

Duration: 6 hours aprox / Distance: 13 km aprox

Day 5: Huayhuash – Portachuelo Pass – Viconga

We climb to the Portachuelo de Huayhuash pass (4,750m) on a steady gradient. From here we can see the Cordillera Raura range and the nearby snow peak of Leon Huacanan. We descend to the large Viconga lake and set up our camp (4,480m). There are some open air hot springs near Viconga, so a hot bath could certainly be enjoyed!

Duration: 6 hours aprox / Distance: 11 km aprox

Day 7: Viconga – Cuyoc Pass – Huanacpatay

Today we cross our highest pass, Punta Cuyoc, with a sustained 3-hour uphill hike. The panoramas here is breathtaking: the sharply serrated ridge of the Cordillera Raura and several of the giants of the Huayhuash range from a new perspective. Sarapo (6,127m) is also seen for the first time. The initial 50m of the descent is quite steep and loose, becoming easier as we continue descending to the Quebrada Huanacpatay valley, where we stop for lunch. Easy hike back to our camp

Duration: 5 – 6 hours / Distance: 10 km aprox.

Day 8: Huancapatay – San Antonio Pass – Cutatambo (4,400m)

This is a demanding day with some steep hiking, but by now we should be well acclimatised. We climb to a pass on Cerro San Antonio (4,800m). Fantastic views of all the giants of the Cordillera Huayhuash and the lakes of Sarapococha, Santa Rosa and Jurau. We can also see the Siula Glacier. Descent to Lake Jaurau and finally to our camp in the Quebrada Calinca at Cutatambo (4,100m).

Duration: 5 – 6 hours / Distance: 10 km aprox.

Day 9: Huatiac – Yaucha Pass (4,800m) – Jahuacocha

Hike up to Punta Tapush Pass at (4,750m) and Punta Yaucha Pass (4,800m). It is certainly a challenging experience with a reward of magnificent views of the surrounding high peaks. We descend down through the valley to our final camp at Jahuacocha Lake (4,150m).

Duration: 7 -8 hours aprox / Distance: 16 km aprox.

Day 10: Jahuacocha – Lamac – Huaraz

Gentle descent and gradual climb to the final pass, Pampa Llamac (4,300m), from where we have our final views of much of the Huayhuash range. Long descent back to the village of Llamac. The bus will be waiting to take us back to Huaraz.

Duration: 4 hours (hiking) + 4 hours (by transport)

 

Details

More info

All you need is appropriate clothing and a good pair of walking shoes or hiking boots.

Meeting point

Huaraz

FAQs

What are some recommended accommodations near our adventure location?

We understand that finding the perfect place to stay is an essential part of your adventure experience. To help you with this, we’ve curated a list of three highly recommended hotels that offer comfort, convenience, and a touch of local charm. These accommodations are well-suited for adventurers looking to relax and rejuvenate after an exciting day of exploration
Hotel Espana Lima Lima Peru
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Gran Hotel Bolivar Lima Peru
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Hotel Continental Lima Lima Peru
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About the guide

Guide profile image

Romer

4.00

(10)

Mountain Leader

I like mountains and I love nature, I practice cycling and hiking, I know very well the hiking trails of Cordillera Blanca and Huayhuash.
The passion for nature was my inspiration to study Official Tourist Guide. I am experienced in travel organisation and logistics, especially adventure travel.
At present I’m a logistics manager at a travel agency with German clients, and I also have my own agency where I take care of the organisation of the adventure trips (trekking, mountaineering, mountain bike and day hikes).

Languages

| English

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What people are saying about this trip

Seth

4.00

Trip was good. Romer was not the guide. He just runs/owns a company. Explore-share offers nothing. Could have booked the exact same trip for half as much in Huaraz.

Andrew

1.00

Our guide communicated poorly. He requested to meet the day before the trek and then gave us no information and did not respond to our messages for the entire day (12 hours). When he finally responded late the night before the trek we were told to meet with another random person in a public square. The next morning we learned that we had a different guide and that we were on an 8 person tour, not the 2 person tour we had booked and paid extra for. The tour did not have enough food to feed all 8 of us. Our tents leaked in the rain. There were countless other issues. We contacted explore share with our complaints and received no response. This was easily the worst organized tour I have been on in my entire life.

Alex

5.00

We had Darwin as a guide and Hilario as a chef and it was absolutely amazing! Darwin knew everything possible about hiking and the local mountains and Hilario was always cooking up something amazing, great guys and hosts!


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