4-Day Santa Cruz Trek in Cordillera Blanca with Punta Union Pass

• Depart from Huaraz at 7:00 am and drive north along the Callejon de Huaylas on the paved road to Caraz at 2200 m. From there, continue northeast on a dirt road to Cashapampa village at 2970 m.

• Start walking up the narrow Santa Cruz Valley, passing sparkling waterfalls, groves, and highland bushes and trees, until you reach a wide meadow where the campsite is located, with a spectacular view of Mount Taulliraju in the background.

Overnight camp at Llamacoral.

• Start walking up across grass meadows, passing the beautiful mountain lakes of Ichiccocha and Jatuncocha.

• Hike up the Santa Cruz Valley until Quisuar.

• Continue up a steep hill, where the trail winds in zigzags to the Alpamayo viewpoint above Arhuaycocha gorge and Arhuaycocha Lake at 4450 m.

• Relax and enjoy the splendid summit views of the majestic mountains of Alpamayo and other peaks.

• Return along the same route to the Alpamayo viewpoint, then continue on to the isolated Taullipampa campsite.

Overnight camp at Taullipampa.

• Start walking up toward Punta Union, the highest point of this trek.

• At the pass, enjoy the most spectacular panoramic views, surrounded by huge mountains such as Mount Taulliraju, Artezonraju, Pucajirca, other peaks, and turquoise lakes.

• Descend along the slope and rocky trail toward the Huaripampa Valley. Passing small glacier lakes, waterfalls, and highland groves and trees, reach the campsite at Cachinapampa in the Huaripampa Valley.

Spend the last camp night at Cachinapampa.

• Start walking down along a flat valley road with some sections of Quenual and Quisuar forest. The trail is fairly easy until Huaripampa village.

• Climb up to the Vaqueria settlement, where the private transport will be waiting to drive you to Huaraz.

• On the road, pass through Portachuelo Pass, then drive down from the Llanganuco Valley to Yungay and continue to Huaraz.