Explore the Cordillera Huayhuash on this 9-day adventure through one of the most impressive regions of the Peruvian Andes. This is one of the lesser-known and uncrowded treks due to the remote location of this beautiful mountain range.

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Highlights

  • Hike through remote and unspoiled terrain
  • Ideal for an “off-the-beaten-path” experience
  • Challenging and full of beautiful scenery
  • Can be extended to a longer trek up to 14 days
  • Stunning views of the snow-capped mountains en route
  • Great alternative to hiking the busy and more frequented the Cordillera Blanca

Overview

Some of the most famous mountains in the Cordillera Huayhuash—Yerupajá, Rasac, Hirishanca, Ninashanca, and Rondoy—stand out against the rugged backdrop of the Andes. Beautiful meadows are surrounded by deep mountain gorges, with peaks that reach above 6,000 m (19,685 ft). This trek requires three days of walking, crossing a steep height (Yaucha 4,800m), plus a day’s drive in the car and a suggestive rest day. You'll also have time to explore the cities of Lima and Huaraz while in transit. 

Brief itinerary

Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1 Arrival in Lima, Transfer to Huaraz En route
Day 2 Arrival in Huaraz & City Tour Huaraz
Day 3 Huaraz (3100m) to Pacllón (3350m) Camp
Day 4 Pacllón to Corralpampa (4200m) Camp
Day 5 Corralpampa to Jahuacocha (4050m) Camp
Day 6 Jahuacocha (4050m) Camp
Day 7 Jahuacocha to Llamac to Chiquián to Huaraz (3100m) Huaraz
Day 8 Haurez, Transfer to Lima Lima
Day 9 Depart Lima  
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Detailed itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Lima, Transfer to Huaraz

Start and end the trip in Peru's lovely capital

¡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 

Colorful streets of Huaraz

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)

Views of the Cordillera Huayhuash Mountain Range

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)

Alpine landscape in Cordiliera Huayhuash
Alpine landscape in the Cordillera Huayhuash

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)

 Laguna Jahuacocha
Laguna Jahuacocha

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)

Camping in Cordiliera Huayhuash
Camp near Laguna Jahuacocha

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)

Yerupaja Peak in Cordiliera Huayhuash
Views of Yerupaja peak

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

Explore the city's beautiful architecture

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

Views from Lima's Miraflores district

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.

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Map

Map of Cordillera Huayhuash - 9 Days
Map of Cordillera Huayhuash - 9 Days