17-Day Trekking Tour in Santa Cruz and Huayhuash from Huaraz

• Go on a full-day hiking tour from Huaraz to Pitec.

• Enjoy the trail for a couple of hours, then take the same path back to Huaraz.

• Enjoy an early morning breakfast at your hotel in Huaraz.

• Then get picked up around 5 am and drive to the hike's starting point at Cebollapampa. The journey takes approximately three hours.

• Begin on a moderate slope for about 4 hours before reaching Lake 69. Once you arrive, you will have enough time to discover its beauty and take many unforgettable pictures.

• Return on the same trail to Cebollapampa, where the bus will be waiting for you.

• Transfer to the Vaqueria trailhead for the next day's trek.

Relax at a nice hotel at the mountain base, with dinner and an overnight stay.

• Start the Santa Cruz Trek after breakfast.

• Follow your Peru trekking guide through the small village of Huaripampa, equipped with your day pack and box lunch.

• Register at the National Park control point. From here, you will have an incredible view of Pucaraju (5,025 m). At the tent, enjoy a hot cup of tea to warm up.

From Huaraz to Vaqueria is 121 km, approximately 5 hours of driving on a non-paved trail. Highest pass: Portachuelo Llangnauco.

From Vaqueria to Paria campsite is 13 km - about 5 hours of walking.

• Have breakfast around 6:15 am. Meanwhile, the tents are taken down.

• Head toward the highest point of the Santa Cruz Trek, Punta Union Pass at 4,750 m. The beginning of the trek is easy, but then the hardest part starts as you climb the steep pass. Slowly and with small steps, make your way up over huge rocks on this strenuous and challenging hike.

• Reach the pass almost 7 hours after leaving the campsite.

• Enjoy the fantastic views of the Santa Cruz Valley to the west and the Huaripampa Valley to the east. Looking toward the Santa Cruz Valley, admire the peak of Taulliraju (5,830 m) with its glacial lake on the right-hand side.

• See the mountains Paria (5,720 m) and Artesonraju (6,025 m) on the left-hand side. Far away in the distance, you can see the blue water of Lake Jatuncocha in the Santa Cruz Canyon. In good weather conditions, you can already see all of Santa Cruz Canyon with the mountains Alpamayo (5,947 m), Artesonraju, Taulliraju, Rinrihircas, Chacraraju, Chopicalqui, and Pucahircas.

• Descend to the next camp, Taullipampa (4,250 m).

• Enjoy dinner with the crew.

Walking distance: about 16 km.

About 8 or 9 hours of walking.

• After breakfast, leave Camp Taullipampa and enjoy a pleasant and much easier route up to a viewpoint where you can have a great view of Paria and Artesonraju.

• Continue to Laguna Jatuncocha. Its blue water is fascinating, and you can enjoy a snack break with views of the valley.

• Make your way down into the Santa Cruz Canyon and pass the beautiful Lake Jatuncocha.

• Cross the Llamacorral campsite (3,760 m).

• Make your way through different vegetation on a gradual descent to the final destination, Cashapampa. Along the way, come across cactuses.

• Walk along the Santa Cruz River and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere in the valley.

• At around 12:00 pm, arrive in the village of Cashapampa.

Walking distance: about 5 km, an easy walk.

About 2 or 3 hours with rests.

• Huillcacocha lies at 3,600 m and has plenty of wild ducks and hummingbirds. The stunning view of the amazing Cordillera Blanca is extremely impressive for its wide display of snowcapped peaks and magnificent landscapes. Complete the hiking circuit at the lake and get picked up by your mountain tour guide to go to the public minivans station (private groups - private car).

• Drive to Chiwipampa along 10 km of paved highway on the south side of Huaraz.

• Cross the Santa River by a small bridge in the direction of Santa Cruz Village, where you will start hiking up to Huillcacocha Lake. The short trek is a moderate ascent on a local trail for about an hour. During your hike, you will meet local people still wearing their traditional colourful Andean clothes.

• Pass by typical adobe houses while taking the opportunity to appreciate the farming fields and observe products such as wheat, barley, oats, corn, and potatoes.

• Arrive at the lake and be surprised by the wonderful views of the Cordillera Blanca and the notoriously impressive Huascaran massif, the highest peak in the Cordillera Blanca at 6,768 masl. There is an alternative trail to cross to the north side toward the Cordillera Negra and reach Huascar village. From here, a car will take you back to Huaraz. You can thus avoid taking the same trail on your way back to Huaraz, or you can return the same way if you prefer.

• Pack your bags to leave Huaraz and head toward Llamac (3,350 m).

• Cross the wild paramo (puna) by Conococha Pass at 4,500 m, passing the southernmost peaks of the Cordillera Blanca. The Huayhuash range contains, in a single cluster, seven of the highest and most dramatic summits in Peru. Behold these peaks on your descent to the small town of Llamac.

• Continue uphill through the Pocpa Valley. On the way, there is a typical peasant town called Pocpa. It is the last town in this valley where you can buy soda and other drinks.

• Arrive at Pallca for lunch. Half an hour from here is your campsite, Matacancha (4,100 masl). From here, appreciate Ninashanca Mountain (5,607 masl) and Rondoy (5,870 masl).

Overnight camping at Cuartelhuain (4,200 masl).

• Start the trek after breakfast at 8 am. This section is a bit difficult because the climb to the pass will take about 2 or 3 hours.

• From the pass, first descend and then ascend again for approximately 30 minutes. Have lunch after the short climb.

• Take the alternative trail to reach the campsite early. On this route, you will get to appreciate the Andean rabbits called vizcachas.

• Arrive at the campsite and go fishing at the lake while the cook prepares dinner. You will camp at 4,170 masl.

• Start the trek at 8 am.

• After 3 hours of walking, reach the pass where you will have lunch. Enjoy the sights of Yerupaja, Jirishanca, and Siula peaks during the hike.

• Reach the campsite around 3-4 pm. Set up camp at a special site facing a lake.

• Start the trek at 8 am.

• Follow an easy trail to Carnicero Pass after around an hour.

• After the pass, choose a scenic place to have lunch next to the Carnicero lakes. From here, after a few kilometres downhill, you will arrive at the campsite (4,350 masl).

• Take the easy hike up to Portachuelo de Huayhuash Pass.

• From here, descend to the campsite in Viconga for lunch.

• Walk 20 minutes down from the campsite to the hot springs. Those who do not want to go to the hot springs will have a free afternoon at the campsite (4,390 masl).

• Go on a moderate hike up to the highest pass of the whole trip, which takes approximately 3 hours. At this pass, you will get very close to Cuyoc Mountain.

• Descend to Guanacpatay Valley via a dusty and rocky path for lunch.

• Reach a beautiful grassy field to walk through, where you will have lunch.

• After a few hours of walking, reach the campsite in the peaceful Guanacpatay Valley at 4,150 masl.

• Climb for roughly two hours to San Antonio Pass.

• From this point, enjoy a great view of the southwest Cordillera Huayhuash, looking at the mountains Sarapo, Siula Grande, Yerupaja, Carnicero, Los Juraos, and Trapecio.

• Descend to Juraro Lake for lunch with your mountain tour guide.

• Continue to Huayllapa, a small isolated peasant village at 3,700 masl. Here, in small Andean shops, you can buy soda, beer, and other necessities.

• Overnight in Huayllapa at 3,490 m, or continue hiking up for about 3 hours to reach the next campsite at Huatiac, where you will camp at 4,250 masl.

• You will have about 3 hours to go up to Tapush Pass at 4,800 masl.

• Then take the easy trail down and arrive at the campsite in the early afternoon.

Spend the rest of the day relaxing at the campsite.

• Hike up to Yaucha Pass (4,800 masl). Stay here for two hours.

• Continue descending along the Huacrish ravine for approximately three or four hours, and be surprised by a beautiful panoramic landscape. Lake Jahuacocha lies at the base of the mountains Jirishanca, Yerupaja, and Rondoy.

• At the camp, you will find a typical mountain hut for sheep herders, and the owner will receive you with a gentle smile and offer you cool beer and soda water.

Sleep in the sheep shed for the night.

• Go up on an easy walk to Pampallamac, where you will leave the Huayhuash Mountains. A few meters down, you will have lunch.

• Proceed to Llamac town and arrive around 1-2 pm.

• Leave Llamac town, driving down along the Llamac River until Timpoc, where the Llamac and Pacllon rivers join.

• Start going up to Chiquian along the Ainin River.

• Arrive at Chiquian and take a walk around the village.

• Continue to Huaraz on a 3-hour drive and reach the hotel in Huaraz.