Cordillera Huayhuash - 9 Days

Planning a trek? Let one of our trusted local travel specialists help you plan your trip. 

Highlights

Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Lima, Transfer to Huaraz

¡Bienvenidos! 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.

Day 2: Arrival in Huaraz & City Tour 

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. 

Day 3: Huaraz (3,100m) to Pacllón (3,350m)

Today, we travel by bus for roughly 5 hours. From the city of Huaraz, we take the highway to the south of Callejón de Huaylas, where we can see the snowy peaks of the Cordillera Blanca until the Querococha lagoon (70 km / 43.5 miles).  From here, we turn eastwards through the pampas of Lampas by a road still asphalted to Mojon, where we follow it until detoured by a dirt road towards Chiquian (3 hours), accompanied by the first and fantastic views of the Cordillera de Huayhuash.  

We then have a small stop in the picturesque village of Chiquian and continue on the way to the small town of Pacllón to begin trekking (3,350 m) 2 hours, to install our first camp.

Day 4: Pacllón to Corralpampa (4,200m)

From Pacllón, we start today's trek through the Cordillera Huayhuash. Here, we get to meet our mountain staff: the guides, cooks, muleteers and other trekkers if you're joining a group. For everyone, the trek starts from here, and the donkeys take the majority of the load and we start the slow climb on this first day. We will walk to Corral Pampa (4,200m / 13,779 ft) for 5 hours to install our camp, with views of the "mute Devil" in the background.

Day 5: Corralpampa - Jahuacocha (4,050m)

On the third day, we follow the trek ascending to Yaucha pass (4,800 m / 2982.58 ft) for 3 hours, from where we will have the most impressive and gratifying views of the Cordillera Huayhuash (Rondoy, Ninashanca, Hirishanca, Yerupaja Chico, Yerupaja grande, Rasac, Siula, Sacra, and other mountains).

Then we descend, approaching the beautiful lagoon of Jahuacocha where we will set up our camp for the night (4,050 m / 2516.55 ft), 2 hours. We will be surrounded by a pleasant environment with the beautiful lagoon of Jahuacocha and a lot of impressive mountains in the background.

Day 6: Jahuacocha (4,050m)

Using this as a free day, we will take you to rest enjoying the scenery and make a splendid hike to Solterococha lagoon and base camp of the Yerupaja near the glacier and then return to our camp in Jahuacoha. From Soltero Cocha, you can do a short side hike to Sambunya (4,750m) where you'll have a splendid view of the Cordillera Huayhuash before returning back to camp in Jahuacocha.

Day 7: Jahuacocha to Llamac (3,300m) to Chiquián (3,300m) to Huaraz (3,100m)

This is the last day of the trek through the Huayllan Gorge. We follow the river from Jahuacocha lagoon amidst colorful displays of nature and splendid views of Rondoy, Hirishanca, Yerupaja Chico, and Yerupaja Grande mountains.  

We descend by the new and well-watered channel with a slight slope, and then finally we will have only the view of the "mute Devil" to descend to Llamac in this last section by a steep and sloping path. We arrive at Llamac (3,300 m / 10826.77 ft) in 4 hours, where we will come to find our car to return us to the city of Huaraz. We will have a small stop in the city of Chiquián (2 hours) and then we continue to the city of Huaraz (3 hours).

Day 8: Huaraz, Transfer to Lima

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.

Day 9: Depart Lima

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!

Getting there & away

When you're coming to Peru, you'll likely be arriving in Lima, Peru's main port of entry. You will drive along decently paved roads for about 8 hours before arriving in Huaraz, which is a small town and the base for this region. From Huaraz, you have several options to make the 3-4 hour ride to the small town of Chiquian: by bus, by collectivo (group taxi), or by private transport.

Be sure to ask about these options when you get there because they vary in price and quality. Also be sure to come to Chiquian fully-prepared for your trek as this is a small village with limited resources. Next, you will travel 3 more hours to the small town of Llamac, which is the main starting point for most treks in this Cordillera. There are campsites and local accommodation here if you desire a good night’s rest before beginning your trek.

When to go

The dry season, which runs from June to the beginning of September, is generally the best time to visit the Cordillera Huayhuash. The rest of the year your experience will likely be quite damp. Because Peru is close to the equator, temperatures don’t fluctuate much year-round but the dry season does bring a bit cooler temperatures. Storms in the high mountain areas are always possible and can be very unpredictable, so being prepared is always a good idea.

Ready to start planning your trek? 

Get connected to a knowledgeable trekking specialist in Peru who can help you start organizing your trek. Click here to start planning.