The cordillera Huayhuash

Day 1

The group will arrive in the afternoon and transfer directly to the Hotel in Lima.

Day 2

Lima: City Tour . 3 Hrs. In the afternoon, a trip to the essential Lima, “The City of Kings” including the most important architectural icons of the city, such as the Main Square, where you can find the Government Palace, the City Hall, the Cathedral and the Archbishop’s Palace. Then, we continue with a visit to the San Francisco Convent, an architectonic jewel dating back to the 16th century. On our way to the modern area of the city, we will cross the exclusive district of San Isidro, the new financial heart of the city, to take a look at pre-inca Huaca Huallamarca. Finally, we conclude our circuit in Miraflores, where we will visit the “Parque del Amor” (Love Park) an excellent spot to enjoy a great view of the Pacific Ocean.

Day 3

Drive Lima to Huaraz. We drive directly to the mountain town of Huaraz. The eight hour bus journey and drive borders Peru´s unusdesert coastline for over 100 miles before climbing to the mountains. About 3 ½ hours on Pan American Highway (paved) to Barranca for lunch. The best place to eat is “La Gaviotas.” It is on the coast, so passenger can stretch and have a nice view of the ocean.

Then 3 hours to pass of Conococha at 12,800 feet where you have views of the Cordillera Huayhuash range to the right (peaks from L. to R. are: Ninashanca, Rondoy, Jirishanca, Yerupaja Chico, Yerupaja Grande, Rasac [in front of Yerupaja, Jurau and Trapecio) and the Cordillera Blanca in the distance to the left.

Then another 1 ½ hours to Huaraz from Conococha.

Day 4

Acclimatization hike to Huari Ruins of Willcahuaín. This is a fairly easy hike to start out with (5-6 hours of hiking), which is good. Pyramid Expeditions will provide a bilingual guide for today and tomorrow. Two choices for lunch: 1) at the end of the hike at a good restaurant in Monterrey, called “El Cortijo.” Good local dishes, including Pachamanca. This is a good restaurant, but you get there kind of late and people are hungry Or take with you pack lunch just so the passenger aren’t so hungry. Eat the box lunch at the ruins.

Walk from the hotel through the old part of Huaraz (the only street not destroyed in the 1970 earthquake. This in itself is interesting for the passenger. Walk about 2 – 3 ½ hours to the ruins of Wilcahuain, mostly on dirt road with occasional cars passing. There is some uphill, but it is gradual.

These Wari ruins can be very fascinating (inside burial and ritual chambers) if you have a good guide explanation. The guide has lots of knowledge and good delivery.

Then 2 ½ hours steeply down on trail, through farms, to the town of Monterrey and lunch (if you eat at the restaurant). Monterrey, bus to take passenger back to Huaraz – Hotel (only 7 km.)

Day 5

Acclimatization hike to Lake Churup. Drive about 1 ½ hours north of Huaraz to starting point for Lake Churup hike. Road is good. Start hike at about 12,800 feet in Pitec and walk up glacier moraine for about 1 ½ hours. Then tricky rock section where passengers climb steeply alongside stream. The right side is less tricky than the left, but there is one spot where the guide needs to set up a rope line. There is some scrambling on all fours. While it is not exposed, it is tricky. This section only lasts for about 30 feet or so. Arrive after 2 ½ hours (or 3 if passenger go slowly) to Lake Churup, at base of Churup glacier, 14,700 feet. Eat lunch here. Return is less time. With driving time this is a full-day excursion.

Let the passenger know that this is a tough day. They will be tired since it is a tough climb for having just arrived at altitude, and also we do not have any trekking like they will experience this day.

Day 06

HUARAZ – LLAMAC – CUARTELHUAIN. The Huayhuash beckons! We drive to the village of Llamac, the gateway to the Cordillera Huayhuash. We have a brief stop in the small market town of Chiquian to stretch our legs in the Plaza, walk around the nearby market and perhaps buy a cup of coffee. A rough road continues to Llamac and we stop en route for a pleasant picnic lunch beside a bubbling river. When we arrive in Llamac a brief stop in the Beyond Pocpa the country small Village and drive up the valley following the Rio Llamac to the village of Pocpa. The valley is beautiful, there is an abubdance of flowers. Trees and birdlife and we are likely to meet local hill folk on the path coming down to Llamac with their produce and livestock. ide open out into rolling tussock land before reaching our pleasant campside is beside a stream.Cuartel Huain. 4185m. 5-6 hours.L.D

Day 07

CUARTEL HUAIN – MITUCOCHA. This morning we cross the Punta Cacanan (4700m) pass which marks the crossing of the continental divide and the Andean watershed. From here the water drains to the Amazon basin and on into the Atlantic. Descending now along the eastern side of the range we reach a beautiful lake side campsite at Mitucocha (4300m) where there are powerful views of the Huayhuash giants, Jirishanca, Rondoy and Ninashanca. 6 hours.B.L.D

Day 08

MITUCOCHA – CARHUACOCHA. Leaving Mitucocha we cross the pass of Carhuac (4650m), which is easier than Punta Cacanan. Another option, weather dependent, may be a route to visit Lake Aguashcocha, famous for the size of its trout. We spend the night at Carhuacocha, a very large turquoise green lake, There is plenty of wildlife here including Andean geese, torrent ducks, kara kara ( Try fishing for trout ) and waders where we camp in a walled en closure at its easternend. 4138m. 6 hours.B:LD

Day 09

CARHUACOCHA.Two nights at Carhuacocha lake enables us to take a side trip to Laguna Siula (4300m). This small blue lake sits beneath the tumbling glaciers of Siula Grande. There is plenty of wildlife here including Andean geese, torrent ducks, kara kara and waders. The round trip takes about 4 hours from the camp. Other options: have a rest or try fishing for trout!.B:L:D

Day 10

CARHUACOCHA – CARNICERO. Traversing the main valley we then turn to climb up and over the pass of Carnicero (4600m). This is fairly straight forward, followed by a gradual descent to a region of high lakes and our remote camp at Lake Juraucocha. 4450m. 5-6 hours. B:L:D

Day 11

CARNICERO – VICONGA. Shortly after leaving camp the very small and isolated mountain settlement of Huayhuash is reached. It is a traditional highland Indian community which is almost totally cut off from the 21st century. From Huayhuash it is a long gradual climb to the pass of Portachuelo (4750m). As we descend to the south we enjoy our first views of the smaller and even more remote range of the Cordillera Raura. We skirt Lake Viconga and camp at about 4480m in the Pumarinri valley.In the afternoon to visit hot spring place. 6-7 hours. B.L.D

Day 12

VICONGA – HUAYNACPATAY.Today the highest pass of the trek! A 2½ – 3 hour climb passes a small lake en – route to Punta Cuyoc (5000m) It is thrilling to be this high and seemingly able to reach out and touch the hanging glacier of Puscanturpa! But we have to descend, steeply at first past a tower sculpted by the wind and weather, then to the flat-bottomed Quebrada Huaynacpatay, which is followed to our camp at 4400m. B.L.D

Day 13

HUAYNACPATAY – HUATIAC. We leave the Valley Huaynacpatay and an impressive waterfall before dropping steeply down to the valley and passing through stone walled fields on our way to the village of Huayllapa (3700m), Here we ascend a arrow valley, which opens up into the flat pasture at Huatiac (4253m) where we camp above the town of Huayllapa . 6 hours. B.L.D

Day 14

HUATIAC – JAHUACOCHA. A long and tough day where we cross passe: Punta Tapush (4750m), on the passe fantastic views of the Huayhuash peaks and Punta Yaucha (4800m) before descending to the spectacular Laguna Jahuacocha Camp (4000m). On the way there is dramatic rock scenery and we should have magnificent views of the surrounding peaks of Rondoy, Jirishanca and Yerupaja, highest peak in the Huayhuash.

Which is considered to be one of the most inspiring settings in the Huayhuash. This large blue lake lies at the upper end of a deep valley, with an imposing amphitheatre of peaks around it. If energy levels permit take a walk to the lake, which provides a home for geese and a whole host of other birds. 10 hrs .B.L.D

Day 15

JAHUACOCHA – LLAMAC – HUARAZ. We hike back down the Llamac valley, our final pass is the gradual climb to Punta llamac (4300m). Here we enjoy a last close up view of the Huayhuash peaks before making the long descent to Llamac 5/6 hrs. B.L, where our bus will waiting to take us to Chiquian and Huaraz-Maimara Hotel.

Day 16

Transport by tourist bus.Huaraz-Lima(Lunch/Dinner)Hotel/Transfer.Kamana Hotel.Lima

Day 17

Breskfast. Transfer to airport & Flight back home.(Evening)