Day 1 - Arrival to Lima - Hotel
According to your arrival time our driver will be waiting for you to transfer you to your hotel in Miraflores district in Lima.
Day 2 - Lima: City Tour
This day we will visit the center of Lima - known as the city of the Kings, we will visit Jiron de la Union, the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Merced and admire the facades of the old houses, today converted into stores. Arriving at the Plaza Mayor we will see the Government Palace, the Cathedral, the Archbishop's Palace, the Casa del Oidore and the City Hall. If possible, also the Church of San Francisco with the museum and the catacombs. Overnight in Lima.
Day 3 - Lima - Huaras (3090 m)
In the morning around 8:00 am. - Transfer to the Cruz del Sur bus station, from where we will take the bus to Huaraz. The distance is 408 km and the bus takes approx. 8-9 hours. Upon arrival your guide will be waiting for you and then transfer to your hotel.
Day 4 - Acclimatization hike to Wilkacocha Lagoon (3700 m)
After spending the first night above 3,000 meters, it is time for our first half-day acclimatization hike in the mountains. Today it will be Wilcacocha Lake, located south of Huaraz in the Cordillera Negra at 3,700 meters above sea level. The lake itself is modest and has less charm than what awaits us, but it offers a beautiful view of the Cordillera Blanca, which we will enter in the next few days. On the way we will meet the Quechua people, who take care of their fields and animals.
Day 5 - Acclimatization hike to Churup Lake (4460 m)
Second day of acclimatization to Laguna Churup, located at 4460m. The transfer from the hotel will take approximately 1 hour and will take us to Pitek, the starting point of the hike. There is a climb of approximately 3 hours to the charming lake where we will take many pictures and rest before returning, approx. 7 hours.
Day 6 - Huaras (3090m) - Cashapampa (2900m) - LLamacoral (3700m)
Today begins the real part of our adventure: The Santa Cruz trek.
Early breakfast and departure from Huaraz at 7:00 a.m. Transfer to the starting point of the trek Cashapampa (2900m above sea level), where the muleteers are waiting for us. We load the main luggage on the mules and climb up a narrow valley for about 2 hours. Then the slope decreases to an almost flat terrain, along which we reach the first camp Llamacorral 3700m.
- Transport: 3 hours
- Trekking: 4-5 hours
Day 7 - Llamacoral - Alpamayo Base Camp 4250m - Taullipampa 4300m.
After breakfast, we will embark on a moderately strenuous hike, during which we will enjoy the turquoise lakes of Ichiccocha and Jatunkocha. After a lunch break, we will climb to the south base camp of the magnetic Alpamayo peak. We will take pictures and return to our main route which will take us to the next camp Taullipampa.
- Trekking: 5-6 hours
- Altitude: 4300m
Day 8 - Taullipampa - Paso Punta Union 4750m - Kachinapampa 3700m
We have breakfast and at 8:00 a.m. we head to the high pass of Punta Union (4,750 m.a.s.l.), from where we observe enchanting views of the opposing peaks Taulliraju, Paria, Artezonraju and Contrahierbas. We descend towards Paria and our campsite at Cachinapampa.
- Hike: 8-9 hours, about 13 km.
- Campsite: 3700m.
Day 9 - Cachinapampa - Vaqueria - Portachuelo Pass 4800m. - Llanganuco Huaraz
Today we have a decent of approximately 1.5 hours, followed by a 30-minute ascent to reach Vaqueria. There the transport to Huaraz will be waiting for us. Before arriving to Llanganuco lagoon we will cross the Portachuelo Pass 4,800 m. from where we will have beautiful views to the North and South Peaks of Huascaran, the Chopikalqui, Huandoy, Pisco, Yanapaccha peaks. Then we descend to the Llanganuco lagoon where we will have lunch before arriving at the Huascaran National Park checkpoint, then we head to Huaraz arriving approx. 3.00pm. a hot shower at the hotel.
Day 10 - Huaras - Conococha - Chiquian - Cuartelhuain
After breakfast we board our tourist transport, arriving at the village of conococha next to the lagoon of the same name. Continuing we pass through the village of Chiquian, Llamac, Pocpa and finally to our first camp of Cuartelhuain.
Possibility to take a short walk around the camp for 1-2 hours.
- Transportation: approx. 5 hours
- Campsite: 4100m.
Day 11 – Cuartelhuain - Kakanan Pass 4700m. - Mitucocha Lagoon
After acclimatizing in the Cordillera Blanca, we head to the first high pass of our route at Huayhaush - Punta Cacanan 4700m. We descend on the other side to our campsite by the enchanting Laguna Mitococha. We are surrounded by the imposing peaks Rondoy, Hirishanca, Ninashanka.
- Hike: 5 - 6 hours
- Campsite: 4150m.
Day 12 - Lake Mitucocha - Carhuac Pass 4600m. - Karhuacocha Lake
Today we climb the Carhuac Pass (4650m above sea level), after which we descend to our next camp next to the large Carhuacocha Lake (4250m). The trek will take us about 6 hours. From the camp we will observe on the other side of the lake the Siula ice fields and the two-peaked Jerupaha.
If the weather is good and the group is in good condition, an alternative but more difficult route can be chosen, passing through a pass at 4800 m above sea level. With a close view of Hirishanka Chiko and a beautiful deep blue high mountain lake. The route is not marked and has a short section with some rock climbing, so this route is only recommended for a group of experienced climbers in very good shape.
- Hike: 6 hours, 8 km.
- Campsite: 4250m.
Day 13 - Carhuacocha Lake - Punta Siula Pass 4800 - Huayhuash 4300m.
Today will be a long day, choosing a suitable route over the pass of Punta Siula 4800m. Before the pass we will see the three lagoons of different colors: Laguna Siula, Laguna Quesillococha and Laguna Cangrajanka, as well as the second highest peak of Peru Jerupaja 6635m. Jerupaja Chico 6121m. and Siula Grande 6344m. Beautiful view and often you can see pieces of ice floating in the lagoon dragged by avalanches.
Day 14 - Huayhuash - Trapesio Pass (5000 m) - Elephante
We have breakfast and start a 3 hour climb to our first pass above 5000 meters: Trapesio with an altitude of just over 5000 meters above sea level. From it we will see the Cordillera Raura and many peaks of the Cordillera Huayhuash as Pumarinri, Cuyoc, Jurao, etc.
Overnight in tents.
- Trekking: 5 H
- Camping: 4300m.
Day 15 - Elefante (4300 m) - Santa Rosa Pass 5020m. - Huayllapa 3500m.
After breakfast we head to the second-high mountain pass with an altitude of more than 5000m: Santa Rosa with 5020m. From here we will contemplate the beautiful peaks of Jurao, Sarapo, then we descend to the Jurao lagoon and continue descending through the Calinca valley to the village of Huayllapa whose inhabitants are farmers and wear traditional dress.
- Trekking: 6 - 7 h.
- Campsite: 3500m.
Day 16 - Huayllapa - Tapush Pass 4800 m - Cashpapampa 4350m.
Today we head towards a pass again, this time the Tapush Pass at 4800m. From there we will be able to observe the snow-capped Diablo Mudo 5350 m, which we may try to climb the next day. One more hour of descent to Cashpapampa camp, night in tents.
- Hike: 4-5 H.
- Camp: 4350m.
Day 17 - Cashpapampa - Yaucha Pass 4800m. - Jahuacocha
After breakfast, we descend for about 30 minutes, followed by an ascent to the Yaucha Pass at 4800m above sea level, from where we descend to Jahuacocha camp for approximately 2 hours. We will spend the afternoon relaxing by the lake of the same name, one of the most impressive places of the whole trek.
- Trekking: 4 H.
- Campsite: 4100m.
Day 18 - Huayhuash - Pampa Llamac Pass 4300m. - Llamac - Huaraz
We leave early the first 40 minutes are almost on flat terrain, then we ascend to our last pass of Pampa Llamac at 4300m. from where we observe the last panoramas towards the Cordillera Huayhuash. From there we descend for about 3.5 hours to the town of Llamac where our private transport will be waiting for us to return to Huaraz Hotel - hot shower.
- Walking: 5 H.
- By transport: 4 H.
Day 19 - Huaraz - Lima
Breakfast at the hotel then transfer to the bus station to take the morning bus to Lima. Upon arrival at the bus station in Lima our driver will be waiting for your transfer to your hotel.
The driver will be waiting for us in Lima to take us to the hotel.
Day 20 - Transfer to the airport and return flight.
This day you will be transferred depending on the time of your international flight.
