Huayhuash Trek

Overview of your experience

This 18-day journey begins in Lima before travelling inland to Huaraz, the gateway to the Cordillera Blanca. Acclimatisation hikes to Lake Churup and Laguna Llaca prepare you for the trek ahead, with nights spent at the Lazy Dog Inn. From Cuartelhuain, the Huayhuash Circuit unfolds, crossing high passes and linking remote valleys. Camps at Mitucocha and Carhuacocha sit beside alpine lakes beneath peaks like Rondoy, Jirishanca, and Yerupajá. 

Each day brings new highlights: panoramic views from Cuyoc and San Antonio passes, natural hot springs at Viconga, and an optional hike to Siula Grande base camp, known from Touching the Void. Villages such as Huayllapa offer glimpses of rural Andean life, while nights under star-filled skies provide time to rest and recover. The final stretch passes glacial lakes like Jahuacocha before descending to Llamac, then returning to Huaraz and Lima, completing an epic circuit through Peru’s high Andes.

This is a challenging trek with huge rewards and magnificent mountain views of Himalayan proportions, fabulous hospitality, culture, and expert, safety conscious guiding by our trusted local partners. The trek crosses 10 passes and covers about 150 kilometres over eleven days. A lot of time is spent altitudes over 4000 metres, so we take our time to acclimatize, including two nights at the charming “Lazy Dog Inn”, an eco-lodge in the Cordillera Blanca. From here we take two stunning day hikes before heading to the big mountains of the Cordillera Huayhuash.

Juanita Milne, guide for Active Earth Adventures, will be joining this trek.