Cordillera Blanca 6-day trek: Olleros to Chavin

We did the 4-day, 3-night Santa Cruz trek with Qorianka Travel. The trek was beautiful and our guide was knowledgeable, helpful, and fun to trek with. We were extremely catered to on the trek by a team from the company that managed the donkeys, food, and all sleeping gear. During the hike we only carried what we needed in our day packs, the donkeys carried the rest of the cooking, sleeping, and personal gear. The food was was very well-cooked and we were provided with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. All of the staff on the team were very skilled and knowledgeable. I recommend this trek and company to anyone looking for a way to get into backpacking in Peru.

We booked our trip nine months in advance, but just three days before our departure, the original provider tried to force us to change our dates because "other travelers needed the change." After we refused and contacted customer service, they reassigned us to a different tour operator, Caleb Expeditions, so my review is about them. The tour itself was amazing, the landscape was incredible and every single effort really worth it, but I faced a few significant challenges. As a diabetic, I struggled to make the staff understand that I cannot eat a lot of carbohydrates (rice and pasta on the same meal). I also had a hard time with the altitude, and it felt like the guide lacked the expertise to properly detect respiratory issues. That said, they did provide me with oxygen and an emergency horse when I requested them. On the positive side, the food offered great variety compared to what we heard from other camps. Regarding the physical demand, the hiking pace was around 5 km/h—which is normally manageable but quite grueling at high altitude. While there were only a few and long rest stops, it was very difficult to take photos on the move. Stopping even briefly meant falling behind, and it would take ten minutes of intense walking just to catch up with the group. At the end of the trip we were requested for tips to the the staff, but it was quit uncomfortable, as it didn’t feel as a voluntary tip but an obligation to all travellers.

Edwin de la Cruz is the best of the best. I could not fault this wonderful man. Sensational, very attentive, caring and motivated.

La comunicación con el el guía Romer, previo a la excursión, a mi parecer le faltó fluidez. Me hubiera gustado tener más contacto y/o de mayor calidad y calidez. Luego durante la excursión, que fue guiada por Wilson, me pareció del todo bien, excelente.