4-Day Santa Cruz Hike to Pisco Summit with Camping

• Leave Huaraz around 7 am from your hotel and drive along the Callejon de Huaylas, passing several villages such as Carhuaz, Yungay, and Caraz.

• Then continue to the trailhead at Cashapampa, 2900 masl, to meet our donkey handlers.

• Start hiking up through the narrow and hot valley, ascending for about 2 hours.

• After that, have lunch under the shade of a tree. Continue through a moderate, almost flat area to the first camp at Llamacorral.

The walking time to the lunch area is 2 hours, so the total hiking time is about 4 hours.

Overnight camping at Llamacorral, 3760 masl.

Distance: approximately 5 km.

• After an Andean breakfast at our campsite, hike along the valley. After a moderate walk, enjoy the sight of the beautiful lakes called Ichicocha and Jatuncocha. Reach a nice spot to have lunch at a place called Quisuar.

• Go up to the Alpamayo south base camp and take pictures, then return after a short walk.

• Continue for a few more hours to the next camp, Taullipampa, at 4200 masl.

Walking time: approximately 6 hours.

Distance: 8 to 9 km.

• After breakfast at the campsite, start the hike at around 7 am. After 3 hours of hiking up along the zig-zag path, reach Punta Union Pass at 4750 masl. Here, behold spectacular views of mountains such as Taulliraju, Paria, Artesonraju, and others, along with the beautiful lake of Taullicocha.

• Next, continue hiking down to Morococha Lakes Pass and arrive at Cachinapampa Camp.

• After 4 hours of hiking down from Punta Union Pass, reach the camp at 3850 masl.

Walking time is approximately 8 to 9 hours.

Distance: approximately 12 km.

• After breakfast at the campsite, start hiking along the valley down to Huaripampa.

• Afterwards, turn to the right side and climb in short sections for about 40 minutes to reach Vaquería. Here, our minivan will be waiting for you to take you to Huaraz along a road that crosses Portachuelo Llanganuco Pass (4,750 m). The road leads up to the pass through Quinoa forests and meadows before approaching the lakes. The lovely Llanganuco Valley comes into view. Also see the east flank of Huascarán, with both the North and South peaks (6,395 m), Chopicalqui (6,354 m), and the awe-inspiring Chacraraju (6,112 m).

• Descend the amazing 32 switchback mountain pass road into the Llanganuco Valley.

• Continue driving to Huaraz, arriving around 5 pm.