CORDILLERA BLANCA TREKKING AND HIKING
|| Come with us to experience the magic of the Cordillera Blanca - an amazing place in Peru to trek and hike
The Cordillera Blanca means 'The White Mountain Range', so named because of the seemingly endless chain of snow capped peaks. Countless trails, high mountains, glaciers, lakes and rivers offer some of the most varied scenery and spectacular trekking and hiking of anywhere in the world.
Huascarán - Cordillera Blanca
The Cordillera Blanca is also a climbing playground with several peaks suitable for beginner climbers, through to technically difficult and challenging climbing including the famous Alpamayo, and the highest mountain in Peru - the massive Huascarán.
Huaraz
Our home of Huaraz is situated in the heart of the Cordillera Blanca and is fast becoming known as the trekking, hiking and climbing capital of Peru.
The city is flanked by mountains - on one side the dry Cordillera Negra and the other side the snow capped peaks of the Cordillera Blanca. The city skyline is dominated by the massive Huascarán, the highest peak in Peru at an altitude of 6,768m. It is a lively friendly city with colourful local markets, cafes, hotels, restaurants, night clubs, museums, archaeological sites, local crafts & ceramics, and natural hot springs
Huaraz
The city and surrounding area has a relaxed atmosphere; the local people retain a traditional way of life and are warm, friendly, open hearted and welcoming to visitors.
Huaraz combines countless possibilities for trekking, hiking or climbing adventures for active outdoor people with relaxing in the city in the sun in the squares and cafes, cultural tours and day tours.
Travel to Huaraz from Lima is by tourist bus (7½ hours) or there is a daily flight (one hour). There are also buses from Trujillo to Huaraz for those people traveling along the coast.
Huaraz Market
PERU TREKS - YOUR PERU TREKKING OPTIONS
CORDILLERA BLANCA TREKKING, HIKING & CLIMBING
Use our programs to join a group tour or we will design your own independent program. CONTACT US for full details of our service and descriptions of our Peru trekking and climbing adventures.
All our treks start and finish in Huaraz. Add extra days for international flights and travel from and to Lima.
Acclimatisation:
We do recommend that you arrive in Huaraz at least two days before the trek departs to help you become acclimatised to the altitude. It is good to have a full day or two in Huaraz to recover from the travel to take one or two day hikes to help with acclimatisation. We can organise day hikes for you. Refer our Day Hikes Page
Peru Trek Grading & Fitness:
Trek grading and walking times are average times only for people of average to good fitness. Walking times vary depending on fitness levels. The effects of altitude do make hiking harder than a similar trek closer to sea level. You need to have average to good fitness and be able to climb a sustained uphill for 2 to 2½ hours without distress.
During treks we use donkeys to carry camping and cooking equipment, food, your personal gear. You only need to carry a light day pack with camera, snacks, lunch, warm clothes, etc.
Donkeys On Santa Cruz Trek
Our descriptions of treks are a summary only, contact us for a detailed itinerary and prices.
CORDILLERA BLANCA TREKKING
QUEBRADA QUILLQUEYHUANCA AND LAGUNA CHURUP 3 Days
Grade: Easy / medium
Fun In The Quillqueyhuanca Valley
A great short trek into a beautiful valley away from some of the other busy trekking trails. Ideal as acclimatisation for climbing and suitable for families or for those looking for an easier hike or camping trip while still experiencing magnificent mountain scenery. Features visits to glacial fed high mountain lakes.
Day 1: A relaxing hike up the valley Quebrada Quillqueyhuanca to camp at Olivos 4250m. 4 hours. In the afternoon we can hike into the valley Quebrada Cayesh where we have close views of mountains and glaciers.
Day 2: A hike up to the lake Laguna Tullpacocha 4350m where we often see ice from the glacier floating in the lake. Return to camp at Olivos.
Day 3: An easy walk down the valley, and return to Huaraz.
Options: To hike up to Laguna Churup 4485m or to hike up to a high pass crossing into the Cojup Valley at around 4800m.
Quillqueyhuanca Valley
contact us for more information and prices.
OLLEROS TO CHAVIN CULTURE TREK 3 Days
Grade: Easy / medium
Dominating Mountain Views
Ruins Chavín De Huántar
Wanting to experience some of the ancient Peruvian culture but avoid the busy Inca Trail?
Our Olleros to Chavin trek combines 3 days of trekking through a remote area of the Cordillera Blanca removed from the busier tourist circuits and where local people still live a traditional way of life.
The trek finishes at the archaeological site of Chavín de Huántar which was the centre of the Chavín culture, the oldest major culture in Peru existing from around 1000 to 300 BC. The site of Chavín de Huántar is an incredible feat of engineering, with most of the construction being built underground in an extensive labyrinth of interconnecting chambers and tunnels.
A fantastic short easier trek, combining meeting friendly local people living in remote villages with spectacular countryside and ancient culture & history.
We offer a pony trek option on this trek!
Traditional Agriculture
Day 1: We start from the village of Olleros half an hour drive from Huaraz, and hike gently up the valley to camp at Sacracancha 4080m. 8kms 5 hours walking
Day 2: Cross the pass Yanashallash which is not steep and descend to camp at Shongo 4088m. 13kms 7 hours
Day 3: We pass through several villages where we meet local children, eventually descending to Chavin 3150m. 4 to 5 hours. We spend the afternoon having a guided tour of the Chavin de Huántar archaeological site, and then return to Huaraz by our private van in the early evening.
Contact Us for more information and prices
SANTA CRUZ LLANGANUCO TREK 4 or 5 Days
Grade: Medium
Pass Punta Union
A well known shorter trek in the Cordillera Blanca. Its popularity is due to the amazing variety of scenery that you have in only 4 or 5 days - spectacular mountain views, crystal blue lakes and the challenging pass Punta Union at altitude 4750m.
This is a great trek to combine with the Inca Trail and / or Colca Canyon for those people who would like to see a wide variety of scenery in the Peruvian Andes with only limited vacation time. It is also an excellent trek to acclimatise for climbing.
Day 1: Drive to Cashapampa 2800m 3 hours. Hike continuously upwards through the Santa Cruz river canyon to camp at Llamacorral 3750m 5 hours.
Day 2: An easier day hiking in a wide, open valley to Taullipampa 4250m. 4 hours.
(Optional extra day) Stay another night at beautiful Taullipampa campsite. Options to visit Alpamayo Base Camp, Lake Arhuaycocha, climb Centillo Peak 5000m or have a rest day
Day 3 (or 4): Climb steadily up for 2 to 3 hours to the pass Punta Union 4750m then descend to camp in a secluded valley away from the main trail at Paria 3850m. 7 hours.
Day 4 (or 5): Follow easily down the valley Quebrada Huaripampa passing through farming settlements and villages, and then a short climb to the road end at Vaqueria 4 to 5 hours walk. Our private van will take us over the pass Portachuelo 4767m, passing the famous Llanganuco Lakes and then to return to Huaraz.
Taullipampa Campsite
contact us for more information and prices.
SANTA CRUZ TREK AND QUEBRADA ULTA 6 Days
Grade: Medium / hard
Avalanche Campsite
An exciting extension to the traditional Santa Cruz Llanganuco Trek for those looking for a longer trek. From the Quebrada Huaripampa we leave the Santa Cruz Llanganuco trail and continue on to an amazing high campsite at Avalanche Place , then cross the spectacular pass Paso Punta Yanayacu (4850m) finishing our trek in the beautiful Quebrada Ulta, close to Huascaran . A tremendous medium length trek and an excellent warm up for a climbing trip.
Day 1: Drive to Cashapampa 2800m 3 hours. Hike continuously upwards through the Santa Cruz river canyon to camp at Llamacorral 3750m 5 hours.
Day 2: An easier day hiking in a wide, open valley to Taullipampa 4250m. 4 hours.
Day 3 : Climb steadily up for 2 to 3 hours to the pass Punta Union 4750m then descend to camp in a secluded valley away from the main trail at Paria 3850m. 7 hours.
Day 4: At first we walk easily down the Huaripampa Valley passing through farming settlements and villages to Colcabamba, meeting many local children along the way. We then climb gently to camp by a stream at Molino Pampa in the Quebrada Keshu 3600m. 6 to 7 hours.
Day 5: A short day where we climb steadily upwards to a high campsite on a plateau perched on the mountainside called Avalanche Campsite at 4650m. 4 hours. Spend the afternoon watching avalanches crash down from the glacier on the opposite side of the valley
Day 6: A climb of around 2 hours to the high and narrow pass of Punta Yanayacu (4850m) where we have close views of the glaciers on Nevada Contrahierbas and the massive peaks of Chopicalqui and Huascarán. Then descend to Quebrada Ulta where our van will be waiting to return us to Huaraz.
Quebrada Ulta Quebrada Huaripampa
contact us for more information and prices.
CIRCUIT OF ALPAMAYO & ALPAMAYO BASE CAMP
13 days
(with shorter options 8 to 12 days)
Grade: Medium/hard
Laguna Cullicocha
The Cordillera Blanca must provide one of the most varied landscapes for trekking and climbing in the world, with more than 50 peaks higher than 5700m; featuring the beautiful pyramid of Alpamayo which has been voted the most beautiful mountain in the world and the mighty Huascarán, the highest mountain in Peru.
Our circuit of Alpamayo crosses in and out of the many valleys in the Blanca Range, crossing high passes and passing by blue mountain lakes, glaciers, awesome vertical walls and lush expansive valleys. The trek features an extra day at Cruze Alpamayo camp, treating you to close views of Alpamayo and the opportunity to day hike up to Alpamayo Base Camp.
This is a demanding longer trek, suitable for people with average to above average fitness.
Program for the full circuit:
Day 1: Drive 5 hours to Hualcayan 2900m. On the way we have visits to Yungay where there is a memorial to the thousands of people killed in the 1970 earthquake, and then the colourful local market at Caraz.
Day 2: Climb steadily in a zig zag path from Hualcayan to Wishcash 4300m.4 to 5 hours hiking
Day 3: Continue upwards to the spectacular lake Laguna Cullicocha 4650m, then cross the first pass Paso Osoruri 4850m. A long descent to camp at Ruinapampa 3800m. 8 hours
Day 4: An easy day, walking gently up valley to Cruze Alpamayo camp 4150m. 3 to 4 hours
Day 5: Extra night at Cruze Alpamayo Camp to appreciate the stunning views of Alpamayo. Visit Laguna Jancarurish or Alpamayo Base Camp (4500m).
Alpamayo From Cruze Apamayo
Day 6: Climb to the often windy pass Cara Cara 4830m from where we have more fantastic views of Alpamayo and the lakes, then traverse to another pass Mesapata 4500m and before descending to camp at Lake Safuna 4200m 7 hours.
Paso Cara Cara
Day 7: From Safuna to another pass Paso Pucajirca 4600m and camp in the open grassy valley of Jancapampa 3600m 7 hours. There are a lot of farming families living in the valley and we meet many curious local children.
Day 8: We pass by many adobe farm houses, sheep, cattle and horses while climbing up to the pass Pass Tupatupa 4400m and descend to camp beside the small lake Laguna Huecrococha (3950m). 7 hours
Day 9: Pass Alto de Pacaraju 4650m from where we have breathtaking views of the mountain Taulliraju, then a steep descent to camp in a lovely quiet valley at Tuctubamba (4250m). 7 hours
Day 10: We enjoy our spectacular mountain surroundings by spending an extra night at Tuctubamba camp. We can take a day hike joining onto the famous Santa Cruz trail and climbing to the pass Punta Union 4750m from where we have grand views of the Santa Cruz Valley, or take a rest day and enjoy the sun at camp.
Day 11: At first we walk easily down the Huaripampa Valley passing through farming settlements and villages to Colcabamba. We then climb gently to camp by a stream at Molino Pampa in the Quebrada Keshu 3600m. 6 to 7 hours.
Day 12: A short day where we climb steadily upwards to a high campsite on a plateau perched on the mountainside called Avalanche Campsite at 4650m. 4 hours. Spend the afternoon watching avalanches crash down from the glacier on the opposite side of the valley
Day 13: A climb of around 2 hours to the high and narrow pass of Punta Yanayacu (4850m) where we have close views of the glaciers on Nevado Contrahierbas and the massive peaks of Chopicalqui and Huascarán. Then descend to Quebrada Ulta where our van will be waiting to return us to Huaraz.
(left) Jancapampa Valley (right) Llamas at Avalanch Campsite
contact us for more information, options for shorter treks and prices.
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