Join this challenging 21-day guided expedition to Alpamayo and Huascaran in Peru, alongside a local certified mountain guide.
Not specified
Cordillera Blanca
22 Days
Jun, Jul, Aug
Join me in this 22-day expedition to ascend the Alpamayo and Huascaran, the highest mountain in Peru! This is a perfect program for experienced mountaineers. You will enjoy a great challenge while you discover the beauty of the Cordillera Blanca in the Peruvian Andes.
We will start the Alpamayo and Huascaran expedition with an acclimatization trek from the city of Huaraz (3100 m). After 5 days, we will then get to the Alpamayo Base Camp (4300 m). Two days later, we will reach the Alpamayo High Camp (5300 m).
The ascent of Alpamayo (5947 m) is really steep and it will mostly be a technical climb. That's why it's only suitable for well aclimatized climbers with previous summit experience.
After the ascent of the Alpamayo, we'll descend to Huaraz and have a rest day. Then we will start our way up to the Huascaran (6768 m). The mountain has two summits: Huascaran North (6655 m) and Huascaran South (6768 m). Its ascent is not difficult. However, the risk of avalanches and elevation make it a challenging climb.
Also, due to crevasses, sometimes it can be a challenge getting from High Camp I to High Camp II. Nevertheless, climbing the Huascaran is one of the highlights of mountaineering in the Andes. It will be a trip to remember!
The next departure dates are the following: July 2 to 24, 2017; July 6 to 28, 2017; July 9 to 31, 2017 and July 11 to August 2, 2017.
So contact me if you are interested in climbing the Alpamayo and Huascaran in Peru! I will be happy to answer your questions. You can also check the detailed Itinerary below. And if you want a less demanding expedition, take a look at this program: Santa Cruz trek + Nevado Pisco climb.
- Guiding fee
- Accommodation included
- Transportation start and back
- Transport during the trip
- Permit and entrance fees
- Group porters
- Personal porters
- Mules and horses
- Clean drinkable water
- Mountain guide expenses
- Hot shower
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Snacks
- Rope
- Belay and rappel devices
- Camping equipment tents
- Camping equipment cooking utensils
Not included:
• International flights to Lima / Peru round trip
• Transfer from the airport for bookings of individual flights with different times of arrival / departure
• Exit tax at the airport in Lima
• Travel accident and health insurance
• Luggage insurance and trip cancellation
• Meals in restaurants in Lima and Huaraz
• Personal expenses
• Acclimatization Tour
• Entrance fees to the Huascaran National Park
• Transfer from the Hotel to the airport and bus station
• Domestic flight Airline ticket LC-Peru
• Hotel Casa Andina 2 nights in Lima
• Hotel San Sebastián 4 nights in Huaraz
• Pick up at the airport in Lima to the Hotel
• Personal equipment (such as boots, ice ax, crampons, harness, sleeping bag, mat, Goretex, etc.)
• Tips four our local team
Arrival in Lima. Time to explore the city on your own. Overnight in hotel.
Travel 8 hours by bus to Huaraz (3100 m). The trip is 400 km, across the amazing Pacific coastal dessert. Then we’ll pass through the Cordillera Negra (Black Range) at Conococha Pass (4020 m) into the Santa Cruz valley and Huaraz (3100m.) You can also fly from Lima to Huaraz, via LCPERU. It’s a50 minutes flight.
Huaraz. Trekking to Laguna Wilcacocha (3725 m). We’ll visit the Cordillera Negra for acclimatization. You’ll enjoy a spectacular view of the Cordillera Blanca and its peaks: Huandoy, Huascaran, Chopicalqui, Hualcan, Copa, Vallunaraju, Ocshapalca, Ranrapalca, Palcaraju, Churup, and many more. Overnight at hotel.
Huaraz. Transfer to Yuracoral (3850 m). Cebollapampa. We’ll hike to Lake 69 (4450 m), a beautiful blue lake, surrounded by glaciers, with great views of the Cordillera Blanca. The round trip will take us about 6 hours. We’ll return in the afternoon to Yuracoral Camp (3850 m).
Cebollapampa/ Yuracoral. Transfer to Portachuelo Pass (4650 m). We’ll arrive in the village of Vaqueria (3750)Huaripampa Camp (3550 m), where our pack animals are. Short hike to Huaripampa Camp (3550 m). Overnight camp.
We’ll continue to Huaripampa valley, past Paria (3800 m). Short hike in the area around Tuctupampa Camp (4150 m). From there we can see Punta Union Pass. Overnight Camp.
Paria. Trekking to Punta Union Pass (4750 m). We can see from there all of the Santa Cruz Valley and the trail that we will follow. We’ll stop for photos and then descend to Taullipampa camp (4250 m) to continue to Alpamayo Base Camp (4300 m). From this point we can already see Alpamayo, the goal of our expedition. Overnight camp.
Alpamayo Base Camp. Today we’ll prepare the expedition equipment for Alpamayo. From here, a local team (cook, porters, and local guides) will help us carry everything. We’ll follow the trail across the steep moraine at the tongue of the glacier to Moraine Camp (4900 m).
Moraine Camp. Today we’ll ascend to Alpamayo High Camp (5300 m). It’s on a steep glacier at the base of Alpamayo and Quitaraju. Due to the glacier constant changes, the situation in this area is different every year. From High Camp the summit looks so close! We’ll have an early dinner because we must get up very early tomorrow.
Summit day! From High Camp, today we’ll ascend to Alpamayo Summit (5947 m). We’ll possibly follow the French route: a 60 to 80 degree wall of ice which narrows toward the top. Above the wall, you need to conquer a few meters to the highest point of the narrow ridge. At the summit, you will enjoy a spectacular view of the Cordillera Blanca! You’ll see the peak of Quitaraju (6036 m) and to the southwest the summit of Huascaran (6768 m.) Brief rest and photos at the summit. Return quickly to High Camp via a rappel, down the same route we came up. The climb to the summit and return to base camp can be done before noon, if the weather is good. The ascent will take us 5 to 6 hours. The descent, about 2 to 3 hours. If the group is tired, we can stay one more night in High Camp. But if everyone is fine, which is usual, we’ll descend to Alpamayo Base Camp.
Rest day in Alpamayo Base Camp (4300 m). This is an extra day, scheduled in case of bad weather or to return to Base Camp, if we stayed the previous night in High Camp.
Base Camp. Today we begin our hike very early. We’ll descend through the Santa Cruz valley to Cashapampa (about 6 hours.) Our minibus will take us back to Huaraz. Overnight Hotel.
Rest day in Huaraz. You’ll have the option of climbing at the walls of Chancas, 40 minutes from Huaraz. It’s a classic location for rock climbers, with 8 routes of different difficulties. It’s a perfect site to spend a peaceful day in nature. You can visit later the local hot springs and relax your muscles.
Huaraz. Today we’ll start our trek to Huascaran Base Camp (4250 m). Transfer from Huaraz through the Callejón de Huaylas to the village of Musho (3000 m). We’ll load our luggage onto donkeys for a 4 to 5 hour hike to Huascarán Base Camp (4250 m). From there, we’ll have a fantastic view of the Cordillera Negra.
From Huascaran Base Camp, today we’ll ascend to High Camp I (5350 m). The southern and northern summits of Huascaran seem close enough to touch from this spot. Lodging in tents on the glacier. At night, temperature falls to as low as -13°C.
Very early, we’ll start to ascend to High Camp II (Garganta, 6000 m). We’ll climb over the steep section of the glacier, with avalanches in the chutes and crevasses. There’s also an area of icefall with 50° faces requiring ice climbing. Every year conditions change in this area because of the retreat of the glacier. We’ll continue up to Camp II in La Garganta (The Throat), between the North Summit (6655 m) and the South Summit (6768 m.) Night in tents on the glacier.
Summit day! We’ll start our ascent to the South Summit very early this morning. The trail goes through many avalanche and crevasses zones until we arrive at the flat summit ridge of the Huascaran. From the top, we’ll have an unforgettable view of all of the Cordillera Blanca. We’ll enjoy the summit and take photos and then we’ll begin our descent back to High Camp II. If weather allows and everyone feels fine, we can descend to Base Camp, or we can either stay in High Camp II, rest one hour and start to go down to Base Camp. Dinner and lodging in Base Camp. The ascent takes about 6 to 7 hours and the descent to High Camp II, 3 to 4 hours. The descent from High Camp II to Base Camp also takes 3 to 4 hours.
This is an extra day, in case we face bad weather or to sleep in High Camp II. (Garganta, 6000 m).
Today is our last expedition day. After the luggage is loaded in the mules and donkeys, we’ll descend to Musho, a walk of 3 to 4 hours. Then, our private transport will take us to Huaraz, our final destination. We’ll have a complimentary dinner at Juventino Albino Caldua’s place, where we’ll taste a special dish called Pachamanca. Lodging in the hotel.
Transfer to the Anta airport for a 50 minute flight to Lima, or transfer to the bus terminal for an 8 hour drive to Lima. Transfer to the hotel.
Stay in Lima. Transfer to the airport. Overnight flight.
Arrival in your country of origin.
Accommodation -In tents during the expedition
-Hotel Casa Andina or other hotel - 2 nights in Lima
-Hotel San Sebastián or other hotel - 6 nights in Huaraz |
More info Participants: minimum 4, maximum 12 You can also join an open group. Prices vary according number of people. Contact me for more information. Meals are included during the trek, but not in hotels in Lima and Huaraz. |
Meeting point In Lima. |
Will I need to bring any technical equipment of my own? Is it possible to rent equipment, and if so, what would be the approximate cost of that?
How far in advance should I start training and what kind of training do you suggest?
How will accommodation and meals be handled on the mountain?
What happens in the event of bad weather?
Can I join a group?
What is the guide-to-client ratio to climb this mountain?
What experience and how fit do I need to be to climb this mountain? Is this program suitable for children or older people?
Are there any other special requirements such as permits/insurance/vaccines that we need to consider before the tour?
Will there be porters to help to carry group and personal equipment?
What is the best time of the year to climb this mountain?
Peru Expeditions is a Guide Agency and Tour Operator based in Huaraz, Peru.
It's a family-owned travel agency, which was founded more than 35 years ago, and is now managed by IFMGA-guide Juventino and his son, Eric.
We organize trekkings and mountain expeditions in Cordillera Blanca, and all around Peru.
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