15 Days/14 Nights Season: May to November Difficulty: Hard (physically demanding)
Peaks: Pumarinri 5,465 m and Diablo Mudo – 5,229 m
Grade: Both peaks are non-technical, but physically demanding.
The Huayhuash Circuit is a world-renowned trekking route through a remote and rugged terrain and home to some of Peru’s most spectacular snow-capped peaks. Each day on the trail you will be surrounded by epic, close-up views of glaciated mountains, including Peru’s second tallest peak, Yerupaja Grande (6,634 masl). You will also descend into wild, pristine valleys where you’ll be surrounded by Andean wildlife and camp next to turquoise glacial lakes.
Our 15-day trek option features a visit to the Siula Grande Basecamp, made famous by a pioneer mountaineering expedition that inspired the novel and feature film, “Touching the Void”.
Previous climbing experience is not required as our team will provide comprehensive instruction and support. However, the climbing days are physically demanding, and you need to be in appropriate physical condition before attempting an ascent.
The climbs are optional. Participants not wishing to climb continue trekking on the normal path to the next campsite.
Huayhuash Circuit Trek: The Huayhuash trek route involves a circular route of 120 km around the mighty Huayhuash mountain range with several peaks above 6,000 m. The highest point in the trek, Yerupajá (6,617 m), is the second highest mountain in Peru, while another peak, Siula Grande (6,344 m), achieved notoriety as the setting for Joe Simson’s gruelling ordeal in his book Touching the Void. The Huayhuash Circuit trekking trails are less visited than the popular trekking trails of Cordillera Blanca, but the Huayhuash mountain range offers a challenging trek in a remote and sparsely inhabited part of the Andes where few trekkers venture.
Overview: Huayhuash Circuit trek around the Cordillera Huayhuash takes around 10 or 11 days to complete. There are several possible routes and the circuit can be tackled in either direction, but all Huayhuash Circuit treks include the same major features. As the trek progresses, participants need to dig deep into their reserves of endurance to conquer numerous high passes but are rewarded by the sight of magnificent, remote mountain vistas, including views of Yerupajá and Siula Grande, along the way. This is one of the toughest treks out of Huaraz that requires no technical mountaineering skills but the exquisite scenery along the way sets it apart from other challenging treks in Peru. The knowledge of having conquered such a demanding trek is ample recompense for the exertion required to reach the end.
Many guiding books: They say that Huayhuash trekking is the most beautiful in all of America (and the second best trekking in the world).
Day 1: Huaraz - Llamac (3,300 masl)
Day 2: Llamac - Cuartehuain (4,200 masl)
Day 3: Cuartelhuain - Punta Cacanan (4,700 masl) - Lake Mitucocha (4,220 masl)
Day 4: Lake Mitucocha - Cahuac Pass (4,650 masl) - Lake Carhuacocha (4,150 masl)
Day 5: Rest day at Lake Carhuacocha (4,150 masl)
Day 6: Carhuacocha - Carnicero Pass (4,600 masl) OR Siula Pass (4,800 masl) - Lake Carnicero (4,300 masl)
Day 7: Lake Carnicero - Portachuelo Pass (4,750 masl) - Viconga hot springs (4,480 masl)
Day 8: (***OPTIONAL CLIMB - Pumarinri 5,450m ***) - Cuyoc Pass (5,000 masl) - Huanacpatay Valley (4,300 masl)
Day 9: Huanacpatay - Cerro Antonio Pass (4,800 masl) - Cutatambo (4,100 masl)
Day 10: Visit Siula Grande Basecamp
Day 11: Cutatambo - Huallapa - Huatiac (4,350 masl)
Day 12: Huatiac - Tapush Pass (4,750 masl) - Lake Susucocha - Cashapampa (4,500 masl)
Day 13: (***OPTIONAL CLIMB – Diablo Mudo 5,350m ***) - Huacrish Valley - Lake Jahuacocha (4,150 masl)
Day 14: Day of activities at Lake Jahuacocha
Day 15: Lake Jahuacocha - Pampa Llamac Pass (4,300 masl) - Llamac – Huaraz
Day 1: Huaraz - Llamac (3,300 masl)
Head south from Huaraz towards the Huayhuash Mountain Range. Set up camp in the rural community of Llamac at 3,300 masl, the take-off point for Huayhuash circuit treks. Travel time: ~ 5 hours
Day 2: Llamac - Cuartelwayin (4,200 masl)
Hike along the Llamac River, gradually ascending until reaching our first campsite at Cuartelwayin. Hike time: ~ 6 hours
Day 3: Cuartelwayin - Punta Cacanan (4,700 masl) - Lake Mitucocha (4,220 masl)
Begin the day with an ascent towards our first pass, Punta Cacanan. Break for lunch at the pass before descending to our campsite along Lake Mitucocha. Hike time: ~ 6 hours
Day 4: Lake Mitucocha - Cahuac Pass (4,650 masl) - Lake Carhuacocha (4,150 masl)
From camp we will head up Carhuac Pass, breaking for lunch and taking in great views of surrounding peaks such as Yerupaja, Jirishanca and Siula Grande. We then begin our descent to Lake Carhuacocha where we will make camp for the night.
Day 5: Rest day at Lake Carhuacocha (4,150 masl)
Enjoy an easy morning and a relaxed breakfast at our campsite. Take a day hike to check out the three glacial lakes at the base of Siula. Lunch and dinner will be served at camp.
Day 6: Carhuacocha - Carnicero Pass (4,600 masl) or Siula Pass (4,800 masl) - Lake Carnicero (4,300 masl)
Today your group will choose the route: an easy-going 5 to 6-hour ascent to Carnicero Pass (4,600 masl) or a more rugged and demanding route up to Siula Pass (4,800 masl) that will take 6 to 7 hours. We will make camp at Lake Carnicero (4,300 masl) on the other side of the pass.
Day 7: Lake Carnicero - Portachuelo Pass (4,750 masl) - Viconga hot springs (4,480 masl)
Today we’ll pass through a rural highland village on our way to Portachuelo Pass (4,750 masl). We will descend to Viconga Lake where we often see herds of llama and alpaca. We will make camp near the natural hot springs that border the lake, so you will have an opportunity to soak your bones in a steamy bath! Hike time: ~ 6.5 hours
Day 8: (***OPTIONAL CLIMB - Pumarinri 5,450m ***) - Cuyoc Pass (5,000 masl) - Huanacpatay Valley (4,300 masl)
For those interested in climbing, today will be your first chance to summit a peak in the Huayhuash. We will ascend the northeast face of Pumarinri (5,465 masl), which is steep in some sections, but non-technical. From the summit, we will descend along the same route and cross down to the pass at Punta Cuyoc (5,000 masl) where we will continue down to our campsite in the Huanacpatay Valley (4,300 masl) Hike/Climb time: ~ 10 hours. Alternatively, non-climbers will hike from camp to the highest pass of the circuit, Punta Cuyoc (5,000 masl), before descending into camp in the Huanacpatay Valley (4,300 masl) Hike time: ~ 4.5 hours
Day 9: Huanacpatay - Cerro Antonio Pass (4,800 masl) - Cutatambo (4,100 masl)
Make sure to eat plenty at breakfast, because today’s hike will be physically demanding. Head out from camp up to the Cerro Antonio Pass (4,800 masl), where you’ll be greeted by exceptional views of the Siula Glacier and bright blue glacial lakes. A rugged descent, we will circumvent Lake Jurau as we hike down into the Calinca Valley, finally making camp at Cutatambo (4,100 masl) Hike time: ~ 6 hours
Day 10: Visit Siula Grande Basecamp
Today we’ll visit the fabled basecamp from Joe Simpson’s, “Touching the Void,” a novel and feature-film based on a true mountaineering accident that occurred while Simpson and Yates attempted Siula Grande. We will then spend another night at our camp in Cutatambo.
Day 11: Cutatambo - Huallapa - Huatiac (4,350 masl)
Continue descending through the Calinca Valley until we reach the rural community of Huallapa where we’ll break for lunch. In the afternoon we’ll begin climbing towards our campsite at Huatiac (4,350 masl). Hike time: ~ 7 hours
Day 12: Huatiac - Tapush Pass (4,750 masl) - Lake Susucocha - Cashapampa (4,500 masl)
An easier hiking day after several intense portions of the trail, we’ll head up to the Tapush Pass (4,750 masl) before descending to in Caspapampa (4,500 masl), passing Lake Susucocha on the way. Hike time: ~ 4 hours
Day 13: (***OPTIONAL CLIMB – Diablo Mudo 5,350m ***) - Huacrish Valley - Lake Jahuacocha (4,150 masl)
For those wanting to climb, we’ll leave camp early for a long, steady ridge ascent up the moraine and then glacier of Diablo Mudo until summiting. We will descend along another route that will take us into the Huacrish Valley where we’ll retake the main trail, continuing on to our campsite at Lake Jahuacocha. Climb / Hike time: ~12 hours
For non-climbers, you will make an ascent to Yaucha Pass (4,800 masl) before heading down to Lake Jahuacocha (4,150 masl), one of the most scenic campsites in the Huayhuash Mountain Range. Hike time: ~ 4 hours
Day 14: Day of activities at Lake Jahuacocha
Feel free to do explore what you wish as we enjoy the day camping by Lake Jahuacocha. Options include a climb up Cerro Amarrillo, a 5,000-meter peak, a day-hike to Lake Solteracocha or a hike up to Sambunya Pass (4,750 masl). Alternatively, sit back and relax enjoying a slow day at camp. You deserve it!
*Let us know if you are interested in fishing for trout in the high-altitude lakes! This day would be a perfect opportunity, but we would need to know before we hit the trail.*
Day 15: Lake Jahuacocha - Pampa Llamac Pass (4,300 masl) - Llamac – Huaraz
Our final day on the trail, we will head up to the last pass at Pampa Llamac (4,300 masl) before a long descent to the rural community of Llamac where transportation will be waiting to take us back to Huaraz. Hike time: ~ 5.5 hours / Travel time to Huaraz: ~ 4 hours
Included meals: B=breakfast; L=lunch; D=dinner
Season: May to November
Difficulty: Moderate
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