Trekking Huayhuash Trek circuit - Cordillera Huayhuash

Huayhuash Trek - 10 days:

It's no longer a secret ... one of the prettiest mountain ranges in the world!

Trek with moderate difficulty: the whole circuit are 10 days hiking. Depending on the desired start and finish point, the trek in the Cordillera Huayhuash can be anything from 3 to 18 days. Our recommendation for the whole circuit is at least 10 days.

Few years ago Huayhuash was known to be hard to get to and very few people were doing the circuit. Due to improved roads and the success of the movie Touching the Void (Joe Simpson, Siula Grande is here) Huayhuash has known an enormous increase in visitors. In the 2005 high season we've had more clients doing the Huayhuash circuit then the — so far — better-known Santa Cruz Trek.

Duration: 3 to ca. 18 days
Highest altitude: 5.000 m (16.404 ft) (Punta Cuyoc)
Difficulty: difficult

Huayhuash Circuit Trek altitude chart

Day-per-day itinerary

Tent

Breakfast

Lunch

Dinner

Day 1
Pick up from hotel in Huaraz & Transport to Quartelhuain. Hike to Mirador Asiac.

Day 2
Quartelhuain – Cacanan Punta-Pass (4.700 m) - Mitucocha .

Day 3
Mitucocha - Punta Carhuac pass (4,650 m) - Carhuacocha.

Day 4
Carhuacocha - Siula Pass (4,830 m) - Huayhuash (Huayhuash village).

Day 5
Huayhuash - Portachuelo Pass (4,795 m) - Lake Viconga Visit the hot springs (entrance not included, approx. 10 Soles per person)

Day 6
Viconga - Punta Cuyoc (5,000 m, the highest point of the trek) - Huanacpatay.

Day 7
Huanacpatay - San Antonio Pass - Huayllapa - Huatia.

Day 8
Huatia – Punta Tapush (4.750 m) – Susucocha - Cashpapampa.

Day 9
Cashpapampa – Jahuacocha (optional: ascent of Diablo Mudo, 5,350 m).

Day 10
Jahuacocha - Llamac. Transport back to the hotel in Huaraz

Click here for a full description - 10 days

Huayhuash Trek - 10 days

Day 1: approx. 4,5 hours transport, approx. 2 hours hiking
Our transport will pick you up at your hotel at 7:00 AM. From Huaraz we start driving South (direction Lima) for about 1 hour before turning east at Conococha towards a small mountain town called Chiquian, where we will have a short break to stretch our legs. After doing so we continue our drive towards the start of the trek in Quartelhuain (4.150 m) which we will reach after a total 4,5 hours driving through spectacular mountain scenery. We get our day pack ready, put on sun blocker and adjust our walking poles before starting an easy 2-hour walk to the outlook "Asiac".

Day 2: approx. 5-6 hours hiking
After a relaxing breakfast we climb the first high altitude pass, Cacanan Punta (4.700 m), which is the natural divide between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. After all participants have reached the pass at their own pace, we take a break for 10-15 minutes to enjoy the views and possibly watch the Andean Condors. After our break we start hiking downhill towards Mitucocha Lake (4.270 m) from where we can appreciate the view of snow capped mountains Rondoy (5.883 m) and Jirishanca (6.094 m). Few minutes later we reach our next campsite. Our donkey drivers and cook will have overtaken us – the tents will already be set up and our cook will be waiting for us with a hot cup of tea and a snack.

Day 3: approx. 5-6 hours hiking
Our today’s programm startswith a very moderate steadily ascending trail towards the sandy Punta Carhuac (4.650 m). Today we will get larger overviews from the Cordillera Huayhuash including Jirishanca Chico (5.467 m), Jirishanca (6.094 m) and Yerupaja (6.617 m), the latter being the highest mountain of the Huayhuash mountain range. From here we continue hiking to the southwards until we reach our camp site at Carhuacocha Lake (4.150 m) in the afternoon. The rest of the afternoon we use to rest.

Day 4: approx. 8-10 hours hiking
Apart from being a more difficult/strenuous day, many trekkers consider this stretch of the circuit the prettiest of the whole loop. We start hiking along the south side of the Carhuacocha Lake before turning south into the Siula Valley where the gradual ascent towards three glacier lakes, Gangrajanca, Siula Cocha and Quesillococha, starts. At Siula Cocha we take a longer break and those participants with some spare energy can climb an additional 30 meter/5 min. towards a ridge from where Grangrajanca Lake can be seen. Especially pretty are the large pieces of glacier ice floating peacefully in the water. After our break we start the more difficult ascent towards Siula Pass at 4.950 meter - from here maybe the best panoramic view of the Cordillera Huayhuash can be appreciated. After approximately 2 hours downhill hiking towards Lake Quesillococha and Huayhuash Village (4.365 m) we reach our campsite where after a hearty dinner we spent the night.

Day 5: approx. 4-5 hours hiking
After our exhausting day yesterday, today our day is rather short and the trail is a gradual ascent and gradual descent. In 5 hours we cross the Portachuelo Pass (4.795 m) and walk down to the camp site just after Lake Viconga (4.400 m). In the afternoon there is plenty of time to enjoy the nearby hot springs.

Day 6: approx. 6-7 hours hiking
Today we cross Punta Cuyoc, with 5.000 meter the highest altitude on the whole trek. On an ascending zigzag trail we hike slowly towards this high mountain pass. Just before the actual pass we reach a flat meadow with 3 small lakes that provides for a nice wind shielded break. From Punta Cuyoc we can see Mount Pumarinri (5.465 m), Cuyoc (5.550 m) and the Puscanturpa range (5.430 m). At this point our trail starts descending towards our camp site in the Huanacpatay Valley (4.325 m). Looking towards the North, we can see the San Antonio pass and lookout point which we will visit tomorrow morning.

Day 7: approx. 8-9 hours hiking
After our breakfast we leave our campsite hiking downhill toward the nearby San Antonio pass. At the saddle you will have some incredible views over the Huayhuash range from the South-West including the Lakes Jurau, Sarapacocha, Caramarca and Mount Trapecio, Jurau, Carnicero and Siula Grande. Siula Grande and therefor the Cordillera Huayhuash has come to the attention of the international press after Joe Simpson’s legendary adventure on Siula Grande was made into the film “Touching the Void”. From the saddle we return to the Huanacpatay valley floor to hike toward the village of Huayllapa (3.400 m). After having spent a week at high altitude with purely mountain scenery we enjoy the less high altitude with its presence of abundant flowers, trees and fields. In the vicinity of the village farmers grow their crops on the terraces or “Andenes” that gave the whole South American mountain range its name – the Andes. After spending some time in the idyllic village – having drunk the obligatory beer or soda – we start walking steep uphill until reaching the next camp site Huatia at 4.290 m, approximately 900 meters above the village. From here we can see the south face of Diablo Mudo that some participants may want to summit.

Day 8: approx. 3-4 hours hiking
Today we start hiking towards Punta Tapush (4.750 m), from where we get a closer view of Mount Sacra (5.548 m) and Diablo Mudo (5.228 m). After passing Lake Susucocha we reach our camp site Cashapampa, with 4.500 meter the highest camp of the whole circuit.

Day 9: approx. 4 hours hiking or 9-12 climbing (optional) & hiking.
Today we have the possibility to split up in two groups. The “hiker group” that walks directly towards Jahuacocha, our next camp site on the lake. The “climber group” will receive a “wake-up-call” at 2 a.m., have breakfast and then leave the camp site at 3 a.m. to climb Diablo Mudo (5.350 m). After approx. 6 hours you will reach the summit. Then you hike down into the Huacrish Valley towards Lake Jahuacocha – the hikers group is awaiting you already! Notification for the summit has to be given before the start of the hike.

Day 10: approx. 4-5 hours hiking. approx. 3,5-4 hours transport.
On our very last day of our Huayhuash loop we cross our last pass, Punta Llamac (4.300 m). After we have crossed so many high mountain passes in the last 10 days, the ultimate seems very low to us. After descending to the village of Llamac where our transport is waiting for us, we say goodbye to our donkey drivers and start our drive back to Huaraz.

- 9 days: Day 1 you don't go to the lookout Asiac, instead start the trek to Mitucocha on the 1st day.
- 11 days: same itinerary allowing a rest day with/without side treks during the trek.

Included:

Private tours: our price system guarantees your departure and only with your team members.
Private tourist transport from/to your ho(s)tel.
English speaking official guide.
Cook.
Donkeys & Donkey drivers. Approx. 15 kg per client.
Good and varied food (vegetarian option, see FAQ below for more info) .
All camping equipment and cooking/eating utensils.
3 or 4 Season sleeping tents. (3 person tents for every 2 clients)
Thermarest self-inflatable mattresses.
Emergency Horse. (>6 people, 2 horses).
All entrance fees.
First aid kit & oxygen bottle.

Not Included:

Additional beverages or meals in villages.
Breakfast on the 1st and dinner on the last day.
Return or abortion otherwise as planned itinerary: transport & possible accommodation costs (also for staff)
Personal mountain equipment such as trekking shoes, rain/wind jacket/pants, hat, gloves, sunglasses etc.
Sleeping bag (more info)

FAQ:

Can we book on-site?
The quality of the tours sold in Huaraz (99%) are not at the level of our minimum requierements (general quality, proper payment of staff, sudden extra costs, unwanted surprises, ...). In order to organize a trek properly, get one of the better guides etc. it is very much recommendable to book well in advance. Needless to say that left-over guides, cooks,… are not usually the best.

Hotels, bus before/after trek?
We can also organize transfers, hotels in Huaraz or other cities, packages in the rest of the country etc. If you would prefer more services, from the airport in Lima for example or a complete Peru travel package, please let us know.

Can you accommodate food sensitivities?
Our cooks are used to dealing with vegetarians. However, other clients and staff may have a conventional diet. Meals are prepared in the same tent and scents of meals can not be avoided. if you do not want to eat your meal in the same tent with clients having a conventional diet, please inquire about a private tour.

Back

Diablo Mudo (5350 m) from the pass Llaucha Punta (4850 m).

Our crew (donkey drivers with their donkeys) on the Huayhuash-circuit.

One of the numerous mountain lakes on the Huayhuash-circuit: Laguna Carhuacocha.

Ascent to Diablo Mudo (5350 m), an „easy“ mountain over 5000 m.

Diablo Mudo, brilliant viewpoint for the highest peaks of Cordillera Huayhuash.

Lagunas Quesillacocha, Siulacocha, Gangrajanca; in the background Mt. Jirishanca (6094 m).

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