Active Peru: Trek the Cordillera Huayhuash – 12 Days

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This awesome 12-day adventure takes you to the pristine heartlands of the Cordillera Huayhuash, one of the most stunning mountain areas in Peru. Your lungs will be tested as you cross four passes over 14,700 feet (4480 m)—but the challenge is well worth it for the chance to see colorful lakes, glaciers, wildlife, and Peruvian mountain culture.

Highlights

  • Explore Huaraz, the adventure town in the Peruvian highlands
  • Visit Huanuco Pampa ruins, once an important town of the Inca empire
  • Camp at Laguna Carhuacocha to view peaks that soar higher than 20,000 ft
  • View the Laguna Siula Lakes, which appear in various shades of blue and green
  • Enjoy splendid views of Yerupaja Grande, the second highest peak in Peru
  • Test your lungs and physical fitness on this demanding, high altitude trek

Overview

The Huayhuash trek is an expedition specially designed for those trekkers who do not have sufficient time to complete the entire Huayhuash Circuit (up to 15 days) but still want to get to the heart of the Cordillera Huayhuash and undertake some serious hiking.

In addition to the awesome natural scenery, you will experience Peruvian mountain life and see local farmhouses and farm animals (cattle, sheep, horses and sometimes alpacas & llamas).

Although we grade the trek as moderate, you do have to cross four passes above 14,763 ft (4500 m). This requires a reasonable level of fitness and adequate acclimatization. You do have the option of taking a horse for part of the journey but you would need to descend from the passes on foot. The hire of a horse requires an additional cost.

The hiking hours mentioned in this article are estimated times including rest breaks and lunch stop. Distances mentioned are also estimated. Prior to the start of the trek, you’ll stay in Huaraz (elevation: 10,137 ft / 3090 m) for acclimatization purposes. The trek is approximately 40 miles (65 km) in total—distances mentioned here are estimates.

Finish the trip with a night in Lima where you can check out the capital’s up-and-coming dining scene—a nice reward after all your hard work!

Difficulty

Condition

Travel Program

Day 1: Arrival in Lima, Transfer to Huaraz

Welcome to Peru! Upon arrival in Lima, transfer to the bus station to board the overnight bus to Huaraz. This bus ride is about 8-hours long. You will arrive in Huaraz early tomorrow morning.

Upon arrival in Huaraz this morning, you will be greeted and transferred to your hotel. After you get settled in, you will tour around the town of Huaraz. Including stops at the Plaza Mayor, the Archaeology Museum of Ancash, Temple of Señor de la Soledad. Get a glimpse of what old Huaraz looked like on Jose Olaya street, which is the only street that remained intact after many earthquakes. Stop at the Pinar viewpoint, to get a panoramic view of Huaraz.

In the evening, return to your hotel in Huaraz.

Following a couple of days in Huaraz for acclimatization, the journey begins with a bus ride of five to six hours (143 miles / 230 km) from Huaraz to Huanuco Pampa (12,275 ft / 3736 m).

Along the way, you’ll have your first distant views of the breathtaking Cordillera Huayhuash. You’ll stop briefly to take in the amazing views and marvel at the vastness of the surrounding countryside. You’ll then set up camp at Huanuco Pampa, near the Inca ruins of Huanuco Viejo.

Huanuco Viejo was an important Inca settlement, probably a tambo (major stopover point and storage site) built on the main Cuzco-Quito route. The site covers several hundred hectares and substantial ruins remain, including the main temple Usnu, accommodation for the Inca elite, women’s quarters and a garrison, as well as private quarters and baths for visitors.

You’ll see intricate stonework, as good as any found in Cusco, with solid walls of precisely interlocking stones that have withstood centuries of earthquakes.

Today you’ll drive for three to four hours (65 miles / 105 km) between two high altitude villages, from Huanuco Viejo via Baños to Queropalca at (12,467 ft / 3800 m). In Queropalca you’ll meet your donkey drivers, load packs on the donkeys and start the trek with a relaxing uphill hike on a gentle gradient to Laguna Carhuacocha (13,779 ft / 4200 m). From the camp, you’ll have astonishing views across the lake to the Yerupaja Grande (21,768 ft / 6635 m), Yerupaja Chico (20,082 ft / 6121m), Jirishanca (20,098 ft / 6125 m) and Siula Grande (20,814 ft /6344 m).

Distance: 7 miles / 11 km hiking
Duration: 4 hours

Tonight you’ll overnight again at Carhuacocha in order to enjoy the mountain surroundings. You’ll take a day hike up a side valley past the base of Yerupaja and Siula Grande. Here you’ll find three glacial lakes, each one a different shade of blue or green. Avalanches coming off the glaciers into the lakes are sometimes seen here.

Note: For the fit and adventurous, it is possible to continue by hiking a circuit past the Siula Glacier to a pass at (15,748 ft / 4800 m), and then return along an unmarked trail through a high hidden valley where we often see wild vicuña grazing, before descending back to Laguna Carhuacocha (a total of eight hours hiking for the day). Alternatively, you may prefer a quiet afternoon trout fishing or rest at the spectacular campsite.

A steady ascent on a good path takes us to Punta Carhuac Pass (15,255 ft / 4650 m), with good opportunities en route for spotting the elusive viscacha, a rodent endemic to the high Andes. From here, weather permitting, you’ll enjoy excellent views of the Yerupaja and Siula Grande peaks.

Next, you’ll descend on grass to the Janca Plateau then head southeast to reach tonight’s camp at another large, trout-filled lake — Laguna Mitucocha (13,943 ft / 4250 m). After lunch, you have the option of walking around the lake. From camp, you’ll have superb views of the sheer face of Jirishanca (19,993 ft / 6094 m) and Jirishanka Chico. Groups are not permitted to camp next to the lake, due to a request by local people in order to protect the grass for their animals. The campsite is now a 15-minute hike downriver from the lake in a flat area.

Distance: 7.5 miles / 12 km hiking
Duration: 4-5 hours

In the morning, you’ll continue anti-clockwise across puna grasslands (paramo) and cross the pass — indeed the Continental Divide — at Cacanan Punta (15,419 ft / 4700 m). You’ll then descend to the Quebrada Cuncush, a broad valley flanked by vast expanses of forest, and pass a collection of small farms known as Quartelhuain, the site of tonight’s camp (14,271 ft / 4350 m) at Rondo Valley.

Distance: 7.5 miles / 12 km hiking
Duration: 6-7 hours.

Following a long traversing ascent to the Rondoy Pass (15,583 ft / 4750 m) you’ll enjoy yet more awesome views of the nearby peaks, the highest being Yerupaja (21,768 ft / 6654 m), Rondoy and others, dominating the panorama. The descent from the pass takes you first past a stunning, milky-blue glacial lake, Solteracocha, and then along the shore of the beautiful Laguna Jahuacocha to a picturesque camp at the head of the lake (13,615 ft / 4150 m).

Distance: 8.6 miles / 14 km hiking
Time: 7 hours

The awesome setting, together with options for side-trips, means staying an extra day at Laguna Jahuacocha. you can take a day hike up to the Yaucha Pass (15,902 ft / 4847m) to take a look at the western side of the Cordillera Huayhuash range or head up the Quebrada Rasac valley to the Rasaccocha glacial lake. Alternatively, you could enjoy a rest day and go fishing for trout! Why not visit the farmhouse just behind our camp and buy a beer to go with your trout?

After an early start and gentle descent for an hour, we start our gradual climb to the final pass, Pampa Llamac (14,107 ft / 4300 m), from where we have our final views of much of the Huayhuash range. Then it’s a long descent back to the Llamac valley and the village of Llamac.

Distance: 8.6 miles / 14 km hiking
Duration: 5.5-6 hours

In Llamac, the bus will be waiting to take you back to Huaraz and your hotel for that long-awaited hot shower. You’ll arrive in Huaraz at about 6 pm.

Enjoy a hearty breakfast at your hotel in Huaraz, then transfer to the bus station for your 8-hour ride back to Lima. You’ll arrive in Lima in the evening. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel and take time to relax before heading out to wander the city before dinner.

Today is your last day in Peru! You will be met at your hotel for a transfer to the airport, where you will connect to your departure flight. ¡Buen viaje!

Included meals: B=breakfast; L=lunch; D=dinner

What's Included

Included

  • English- and Spanish-speaking guide
  • Entrance tickets as per itinerary
  • Accommodation
  • Trekking staff (if applicable)
  • Camping equipment (if applicable)
  • Meals as specified in the itinerary
  • Transportation as per itinerary
  • Airport transfers (if specified)

Not included

  • International or domestic flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Tips
  • Personal expenses
  • Optional tours or additional entrance tickets
  • Personal equipment

What to Bring

What to Bring or take fo Day Hiking and Technical Equipment for Climbing Expedition

This equipment list is compiled to provide you with adequate help when choosing your equipment for a climb. Most items are required. Please consider each of them and make sure you understand the function and exclusive use for mountaineering, before substituting or removing items from this list. Please note that this list has been carefully annotated by the organizer. Remember that mountaineering, climbing or mountain expeditions tours is an extreme, risky sport, therefore everything related to it is of great attention.

Hiking backpack for hiking 50 to 60 liters

Light gloves for hiking or (Optional Mittens waterproof)

Medium weight socks

Sleeping bag (-15º to 20ºC)

Small daypack for one day hiking 30 liters

Weather-appropriate clothing (think moisture-wicking and layers)

Hiking boots or shoes

Medium weight parka with fibber fill or down

Rain poncho (or rain gear)

Long-sleeved shirts

Fleece or Wool sweater and/or trousers

Lightweight pants

Cotton short-sleeved shirts or t-shirts

Water bottle for hiking or trekking

Strong waterproof duffel bag

Flashlight with spare batteries and bulb

Towel for personal hygiene each participantFirst-aid kit

Regular and long underwear

Knife or multi-tool

Light cap and wool hat

Sunglasses with UV certification, Sun block, lips

The rest of the list Essentials as appropriate for your hike

Grooming and personal hygiene kit

One Hiking Buff per person

3 Locking carabiners, we recommended per person

We recommend 2 ice screws for each client

1 Daisy Chain (Life Line) per each person

2 Ice axes (per person) technical, we recommended GRIVEL company

1 ATC descender (Rappel), this is very necessary for technical mountains

2 Cords for prusik, very important (Size Cord 6 mm x 10 m. long)

Gloves(Good gloves) for expeditions over 6000meters

Harness for climbing

Sleeping pad / Mattress, we recommend with air or inflatable mattress

Crampons, we recommended GRIVEL company

Walking sticks – Trekking Poles (optional), a pair per person, we recommended GRIVEL company

Down Jacket for expedition

Very important to have personal clothing such as pants and jacket with GOROTEX certification

First aid kit, for high mountains, because we as guides cannot medicate clients

Backpack Capacity 60 liters, it is better to have a bigger backpack to go comfortably to the high camps, because here you have to carry all your personal things

Gaiters or Leggings, now modern boots already have built-in (Incorporated), but better to have an extra pair

Dressing appropriately for the mountains can make the difference between a pleasant trip and a really uncomfortable one. Clothing must provide the right degree of temperature, perspiration and be well ventilated. Preferably cotton clothing should be avoided, as in humid conditions they absorb body heat.

In general, the weather conditions in in the Andes of South America can vary from day to day and even throughout the day. Therefore, clothing must be versatile.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have regarding the necessary equipment.

Prices & Dates

FROM/TO

PRICE (USD)

TRAVEL STATUS

01 APR 2026 / 19 APR 2026

$ —-

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Please note: Insurance for emergency evacuation is required for this trip. Call for more details.

» Additional dates available upon request
» Rates may vary from July 26th to 31th for the national holidays

Prices (per person):

1 PAX 2 PAX 4 PAX 6 PAX 8 PAX 10 PAX 12 PAX 14 PAX
— USD — USD — USD — USD — USD — USD — USD — USD

Deposit for reservations

— USD (– EUR) ✓ Full payment 40 days before. No refund if you cancel less than 30 days!

Places: 🟢 *Available
Trip-code: Number ►BOL-000
Duration: 1 day
Participants: Minimal: 2 Maximal: 15
Members: We don’t have an open group to join – We can open a new group – Contact us!
Country / Location: Bolivia
Mountain Guide: Eric Raul Albino Lliuya
Other dates / additional info: Contact us!

3% early bird discount when booking 6 months prior to departure 2024

Legend Booking-information:
EZZ Single room supplement
🟢 On this trip, places are still available.
🟡 On this trip, only a few places left.
🔴 This trip is sold out / closed.

Eric Raul Albino Lliuya

Expert guide certified by AGOMP
General Sales Manager of Peru Expeditions

Hans Honold | Certified Mountain and Ski Guide

For a trip with a Professional Certified Mountain Guide from abroad with your own language that you speak, please request us to get in touch. We have guides working for our company from all over the world who are members of IVBV/UIAGM/IFMGA Certified Guides.

It is very important to have accident coverage for trekking and climbing mountains, more if you go a technical mountains over 6 thousand meters, we oblige and recommend buying travel insurance with our partner Global Rescue, you get the peace of mind that the finest medical, security evacuation, field rescue, intelligence and telehealth.

Only $1000 deposit to book

Pay over time, interest free

No booking fee, no change fee

24/7 support

Accommodations

Scroll through our exclusive accommodations for this trip below. Although very unlikely, we will be able to make substitutions when necessary. The comfortable accommodations that guests stay in every night offer comfort, the level that these options are are 3 stars and some hostels in some towns of first class quality to make your stay very pleasant.

*These exact accommodations are not guaranteed. In some cases, alternative accommodation of similar quality and location can be used.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What our travelers or clients always ask questions before joining our trips, tours & expeditions, read all the information provided here.

Suggested FAQs

For our mountain climbing trips: If they are easily accessible mountains: For easy-climb mountains, well, you don’t need much experience, but if you already want to climb mountains above 6,000 meters and the conditions become more difficult, we recommend if you already want to go through mountains above 6,000 meters, have a basic or intermediate course for a good preparation. It is very important to be physically, technically and psychologically prepared.

Regarding the preparation of children: Everything will depend on which mountain you want to climb with your children, once you are clear on which of our tours or mountains you want to go with your children, we can give you some advice or see how to prepare them before going with they.

Regarding older people: It all depends on the condition of experience and how well the person is in health, on many occasions older people are the best to walk in the mountains because they have more experience, so it is always good to ask and find out about their experience of older participant. If you have any other questions, please contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

In all our trekking or mountaineering trips we do not include personal equipment in our prices, so you have to have your own equipment: Personal equipment (such as boots, ice ax, crampons, harness, sleeping bag, mat, Goretex, etc. ) and also within each page of the trips that we sell is a small list so you can see it on our website.

Our company can also rent the materials that you would need for your trip, see the list here on our website: https://peru-expeditions.org/equipment-rental/ . For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

Safe and effective vaccines are available that provide strong protection against serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Billions of people have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Getting vaccinated is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself against COVID-19, help end the pandemic and stop new variants emerging.

We also recommend having accident insurance, we always recommend. We are Partners –Global Rescue. If you have any other questions about the trip we can schedule a date for a calling via WhatsApp. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

To do long-distance hiking you need to at least train or do some tours such as visiting lagoons to get the experience and feel comfortable with what you do, it is always good before doing a long-distance hiking tour to test yourself so as not to be with the problems of altitude sickness during the trekking, and if you travel with children it is good to first train them before taking them, if they are accompanied by an adult of legal age, they must do a good acclimatization before going on the long-distance tour or with high altitude camps If you want to know or learn more advice, we can schedule a call via WhatsApp to clarify your doubts. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

The preparation is according to what type and what technical level you want to go and climb a trek or mountain, the preparation will always gain experience little by little.

For this type of demanding or technical climbing sports, it is recommended to do some summits above 5 thousand meters beforehand and have good knowledge of high mountain technical equipment such as the use of technical ice axes, ice screws, correct use of crampons, and of course all the technical material. For more information, we can schedule an appointment to be able to explain in more detail everything about the mountain equipment and the preparations prior to joining our outings. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

Every day we have active walks around approximately 4, to 5 sometimes 6 hours of walking, everything is according to your pace and physical condition of each person, in each of our travel programs you will find more detailed information, and if If you need more information about each day of the travel program, we can schedule a call via WhatsApp to clarify your doubts or questions, for this please contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

In our trips, either hiking or mountaineering: Depending on the type or destination of the trip that you are going to book, in some parts of the treks you go with mules or donkeys or sometimes with horses, and within the mountain trips, the approach camps are also They go with mules or donkeys, but there are some stretches where pack animals can no longer reach. In this part, our logistics is fully supported by the porters.

Who are the porters? They are people from the area who were born and live in the heights of the towns, they are very strong and are very acclimatized, the reason is that after the tourist season ends they dedicate themselves to agriculture and livestock for that reason they are people They are used to the altitude and have lived in nature all their lives and they are happy to be in the mountains together with our expeditions. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

About accommodation or meals during the tour: Well, depending on the type of tour, when the tour is a classic cultural tour or a city tour, we eat during the route in tourist restaurants and sleep in category hotels that the client has requested.

If the tour is with camps and trekking: During the activity, logistics we include the service of Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with traditional and typical meals of the region where you are going to travel with us, during the night we stay in tents, and we have a special tent for the kitchen and another for the dining room.

If the trip is at altitude or in the mountains: We bring special high mountain food, It are quicker meals to cook and we provide complete logistics such as Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, and we sleep in special 4-season high mountain tents, with the best tents. If you have any questions or concerns, we can schedule an appointment via Whatsapp to clarify all your doubts and give you better information so that your trip is an unforgettable tour.

In mountains above 5000 meters: A local guide takes a maximum of 3 clients = Ratio 3pax = 1 local guide

In technical mountains: In large-big mountains we manage the travel policy, a guide and a maximum of 2 clients = Ratio 3pax = 1 local guide. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

For all the trips that we offer within our main tourist destinations such as South America and Central America, also including the ascent of the 7 continents and the 7 highest peaks of each continent, on each page of our website for each trip we indicate that month or what season to travel, then please read the information you find in our travel offers for each tour. If you have any other questions you can contact us by WhatsApp with one of our travel experts. Thank you so much. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

In the interest of the team’s enjoyment and success, we work with every single guest to ensure they are properly prepared and ready for this expedition. We pride ourselves on vetting every member to make sure that the team can bond and succeed together. It really sucks to be grouped with members that are much faster, or much slower, than you are. No one wants to the weakest link on a trip like this. By setting expectations and a solid training plan, we work to insure maximum cohesive success. Use this trip as an exercise motivator, and we will succeed together with style.

For the pick-ups of each trip, depending on the place or the trip that you are going to make with us, the meeting point is always at our office, in one of our trips we pick you up where you are staying or staying, or in some cases a A representative of our company will pick you up and then ship you to your transport to continue with your destination of the tour or trip you have booked with us. If you wish to request more information, do not hesitate to contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

For all the trips that we offer within our main tourist destinations such as South America and Central America, also including the ascent of the 7 continents and the 7 highest peaks of each continent, on each page of our website for each trip we indicate that month or what season to travel, then please read the information you find in our travel offers for each tour. If you have any other questions you can contact us by WhatsApp with one of our travel experts. Thank you so much. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

About the meteorological conditions of the climate, we try to organize the trips of each tour in the best season to have the best views and enjoy the selected trip but sometimes even is good season we can have bad weather, in this case on hiking or treks trips The complications are minimal, but when this happens during high-altitude climbing expeditions, the complications can become very difficult, that is why the bosses or leaders of the local guides must always make the most correct decision for the safety of our passengers, so we always recommend listening to the best advice from the local guide assigned for each tour. If you have any other questions please contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

We as a local company and connoisseurs of tours have departures on different dates. The best thing to do is to join a travel group to take care of your budget, and of course you can join our groups, but on trips like mountaineering we recommend going in small groups. To join a group, ask us for the dates and we will send you the necessary information to be able to join any of our trips.

Why go in a private trip: For trips whether trekking or high mountains, going privately is the most recommended option, but the costs are more expensive. So, if one joins a group, the prices will be more reasonable. In the mountains, the only disadvantage is if you are in a wall with another partner and if one of the participants gets tired or gets sick. In this case, you have to abort or cancel the summit and return together. For more information, contact us. We can schedule a call via WhatsApp to clarify all your questions.

In a mountain, for example, if 3 people go and one of the participants falls ill on the route, for security reasons they have to cancel or abort the summit or return all together. The same in a technical mountain if the climbing partner gets sick they all have to return, for these reasons sometimes it is better to go private only because for a single person the costs are more expensive for the same reason that the trip would already be private .

For more information please contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

Additional information

We help in the purchase of air tickets: we set up convenient flight options with each participant of the trip and book tickets such as international flights and domestic flights in each destination city of the countries that we offer our trips. We recommend you booking international flights tickets well in advance so we can find current flights offer prices from the airlines. In order for us to search for and book your flight, please contact us and we will be happy to help you!. → More information click here
About a Satellite Phone or inReach® Messenger - GARMIN: On each trip we recommend having a satellite phone at your disposal. The possibility of quick contact from anywhere on the mountain will guarantee your safety on the road. In case of need (for example, contact with the family or the travel company), for this service the participants have to request to rent a satellite phone, of course this service has an additional cost, contact us or ask our office for more information. A practical device is to have an inReach® Messenger - GARMIN also helps for any emergency. → More information click here
Many of the participants or clients of our adventures, hikes and expeditions in the mountains are people who sign up alone, but in some of our trips you will be able to find a travel partner companion to join a group. We have many options for you from day tours, short treks, long duration tours, and even the most extreme climbing high mountains on each country or South American continent and other destinations, as like the destinations you can see on our website. The mountains are a great place for rapid integration and a very healthy sport. → More information click here
Our mountain guides or tour leaders: All of our Tour Leaders are multiple conquerors of the peaks they lead the expeditions to. Each of our cultural guides, high mountain guides, mountainbike guides, among others are internationally recognized and certified guides, such as the certifications of (UIMLA) Union of International Mountain Leader Associations & (IFMGA) International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations. The mountaineering experience, skills and knowledge of your guides are a priority for us. → More information click here

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