Huayhuash Circuit Trek and Machu Picchu

24 Days/23 Nights April - September Moderate

Peru is the country that can completely satisfy all human tastes, preferences and energy! The people there are extremely earthy, humble and kind - a mentality too close to the senses of much of humanity. It is unique to Peru - Nature, mysticism and unparalleled world cultural and historical heritage!

Lima is the capital: of Peru located on the arid Pacific coast of the country. Although its colonial center is preserved, it is an overflowing metropolis and one of the largest cities in South America. The Larco Museum houses a collection of pre-Columbian art and the Museum of the Nation traces the history of the ancient civilizations of Peru. The Plaza de Armas and the 16th century cathedral are the core of the old center of Lima.

This trekking adventure is one of our favorite remote adventures anywhere in the world. Trekking in the Huayhuash region of Peru truly has amazing mountain viewing. The most reliable way to reach the region is via Lima, by an 8 hour bus journey to Huaraz which sits at 3,100m/ 10,170. The Huayhuash Region is filled with sweeping glaciers, picturesque and unique mountain scenery, it is inhabited by a wide range of animal and bird species including jaguars and condors. Huaraz is the gateway to the Cordillera Blanca, and Huayhuash mountain region of Peru.

Our Huayhuash Circuit trek is a wonderful and challenging high altitude trek, which should not be taken lightly. When going to these levels of altitude, your body’s acclimatization to the lack of oxygen is the real key to success, and because of this, we have added extra days to this trek at the critical point of the acclimatization process, which is giving us greater safety on our trips. We will also cover the daily distances on the trail at a very slow and steady pace, in order to aid the acclimatization process. Even though we are giving you the best chance of success with our acclimatization schedule, you still need to play your part and come physically prepared for this adventure, and we recommend 5 days a week training. We are your best resource for information on the trek and are available five days a week in support of your journey into the Huayhuash region of Peru.

The highlights:

Huayhuash trek
Sacred Valley
Inca Culture Cusco
Machu-Picchu

About Machu Picchu
Machu Picchu is located atop a steep, rugged mountain in the Andes of Peru. This lost city with massive ruins, perfect masonry, and strange architecture has baffled researchers for years. The Inca trail to this mysterious city, built in the 15th century by extraordinary craftsmen, is a remarkable journey.

Sacred Valley: The Sacred Valley of the Incas, in the Peruvian Andes, is made up of numerous rivers that descend through gorges and small valleys; It has numerous archaeological monuments and indigenous peoples. This valley was much appreciated by the Incas due to its special geographical and climatic qualities.

Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu or Red Road from Tahuantinsuyo to Machu Picchu consists of three overlapping trails: Mollepata, classic, and one day. Mollepata is the longest of the three routes with the highest mountain pass and intersects the classic route before crossing Warmiwañusqa.
Join an unforgettable trip with us "Peru Expeditions Tours"

Travel Program

Itinerary:

Day 1: Arrive in Lima – Airport transfer to your hotel Kamana 3***
Day 2: Private transport from Lima to Huaraz 3,100m/10,170 feet staying at Andino Hotel 3***
Day 3: Drive to Pitec 3,850m/12,631 feet hike to Churup 4,450m/ 14,600 feet back to Huaraz 3,100m/ 10,170 feet
Day 4: Drive to Cruze Cebollapampa 3,850m hike to Laguna 69 4,650m/ 15,256 feet back to Huaraz 3,100m/ 10,170 feet.
Day 5: Transfer to the Cordillera Huayhuash and Camp Matacancha 4,150m/ 13,615 feet
Day 6: Trek to Cacanampunta 4,700m/ 15,420 feet onto Mitucocha 4,300m/ 14,107 feet
Day 7: Trek over the Punta Carhuac pass 4,640m/ to Carhuacocha 4,200m/ 13,779 feet
Day 8: Trek over the Siula pass 4,950m/ 16,240 feet to Quesillococha Huayhuash 4,450m/ 14,600 feet
Day 9: Trek to the village of Portachuelo de Huayhuash and Viconga / Hot Springs 4,400m/ 14,435 feet
Day 10: Climb up to Nevado Pumarinri 5,465m/ 17,930 feet or trekking to Punta Cuyoc pass 5,020m/ 16,470 feet and trek down to Elefante Camp 4,450m/ 14,600 feet.
Day 11: Trek to the village of Huayllapa 3,600m/ continue to Huatiac camp 4,290m/
Day 12: Trek to Punta Tapush 4,800m/ finish at Cashapamapa camp 4,500m/
Day 13: Trek up to Llaucha Pass 4,750m/ down to Jahuacocha 4,066m/ with an optional climb of Diablo Mudo 5,350m/
Day 14: Trek to Jahuapunta Pass 4,650m/ down to the village of Pocpa 3,600m/ and transfer back to Huaraz 3,100m/
Day 15: Rest day in Huaraz: Optional Rock Climbing at the walls of Chancos Stay in the hotel in Huaraz 3,100m/
Day 16: Private bus from Huaraz back to Lima for a night at the hotel Kamana 3***
Day 17: LIMA - FLIGHT TO CUSCO/SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCA
Day 18: SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCA
Day 19: MACHU PICCHU
Day 20: MACHU PICCHU/CUSCO
Day 21: CUSCO
Day 22: CUSCO/LIMA
Day 23: Private bus from Huaraz back to Lima for a night at the hotel Kamana 3***
Day 24: Transfer to the airport for your return flight home.

Detailed Program

Day 1: Arrive in Lima – Airport transfer to your hotel Kamana 3***
Arrive in Lima. You will be pickup from the airport and transferred to the Kamana hotel. The rest of day will be spent relaxing or heading out sightseeing in Lima.

Day 2: Private transport from Lima to Huaraz 3,100m/10,170 feet staying at Andino Hotel 3***
Depart Lima to the mountain town of Huaraz 3,100m/ 10,170 feet, which is located north east of Lima. This 8 hour drive takes in spectacular views of the Callejón de Huaylas. Huaraz is the gateway to the Huayhuash Circuit Trek and the Cordillera Blanca and Huascaran National Park. There are public bus and private bus options for this journey. We use the Andino Club Hotel.

Day 3: Drive to Pitec 3,850m/12,631 feet hike to Churup 4,450m/ 14,600 feet back to Huaraz 3,100m/ 10,170 feet
Depart Lima to the mountain town of Huaraz 3,100m/ 10,170 feet, which is located north east of Lima. This 8 hour drive takes in spectacular views of the Callejón de Huaylas. Huaraz is the gateway to the Huayhuash Circuit Trek and the Cordillera Blanca and Huascaran National Park. There are public bus and private bus options for this journey. We use the Andino Club Hotel.

Day 4: Drive to Cruze Cebollapampa 3,850m hike to Laguna 69 4,650m/ 15,256 feet back to Huaraz 3,100m/ 10,170 feet.
Today is another acclimatization day. It is critical to acclimatize well at the beginning of the trip. This gives you a better experience and enjoyment going to higher altitudes. We will head out again from Huaraz. We will also take private transport towards the valley Santa River, pass the village of Yungay driving via Quebrada Llanganuco and Cruze Celbollapampa 3,850m/ 12,631 feet. From here we will hike up to Luguna 69 4,650m/ 15,256 feet for some amazing viewing before head back to Huaraz for another night in the hotel.

Day 5: Transfer to the Cordillera Huayhuash and Camp Matacancha 4,150m/ 13,615 feet
Today we start the amazing journey into the Huayhuash region. From Huaraz we transfer to the start of the trail. Although we do not trek today we have an easy day. We will drive 3 hours and 30 minutes to our camp. We will be staying at Camp Matacancha 4,150m/ 13,615 feet. This is where we will meet the rest of the expedition team, the donkey driver and his donkeys and horses who will carry our equipment for the remainder of the trip.

Day 6: Trek to Cacanampunta 4,700m/ 15,420 feet onto Mitucocha 4,300m/ 14,107 feet
We will be up early for breakfast and we will get packed up and ready as our Huayhuash Circuit trek is underway. The early morning mountain views from camp get you excited for the journey ahead. From Matacancha, we will trek up steeply to the stunning Cacanampunta pass at 4,700m/ 15,420 feet. before heading down to the Laguna Mitucocha 4,300m/ 14,107 feet to sleep for the night. Today is 4 hours of walking.

Day 7: Trek over the Punta Carhuac pass 4,640m/ to Carhuacocha 4,200m/ 13,779 feet
We will be up early for breakfast and start the day heading up to the Punta Carhuac Pass 4,640m/ 15,256 feet. Today we follow the Quebrada Caliente until we begin our climb up to the second pass, the Carhuac Pass 4650m/ 15,255ft. Our hard work is rewarded with fine views on the mountain peaks of Yerupaja 6634m/ 21,765ft. and Siula Grande 6344m/ 20,813ft. We walk on dirt trails to the top of the pass to enjoy great views of glaciers streaming down around stunning rock walls. The Siula Grande is renowned for the mountaineering story of Joe Simpson and Simon Yates told in the book and film ‘Touching the Void’. Descending the pass into a grassy valley allow for more views on high peaks of the Cordillera Huayhuash, each more spectacular than the other. We make camp at the turquoise green colored Lake Carhuacocha 4150m/ 13,615ft. with mountains Yerupaja and Jirishanca prominent at the background. This lake offers great photo opportunities when still conditions transform the lake into a mirror, sharply reflecting the snow-capped mountains. Walking time is 6-7 hours.

Day 8: Trek over the Siula pass 4,950m/ 16,240 feet to Quesillococha Huayhuash 4,450m/ 14,600 feet
Today we trek towards the majestic Siula Pass 4,950m/ 16,240 feet and one of our favorite days of the trip. You will be treated to beautifully colored lakes nestled in the front drop of these beautiful mountains. We will enjoy the views and continue on to Laguna Quesillococha Huayhuash at 4,450m/ 14,600 feet. Walking time is 6 hours today.

Day 9: Trek to the village of Portachuelo de Huayhuash and Viconga / Hot Springs 4,400m/ 14,435 feet
From the Huayhuash camp which is home to herders of Alpaca and Vicunia. Our early morning trek start as we head over the Portachuelo de Huayhuash Pass 4750m/ 15,583ft. This pass offers great views on the remote peaks such as Puscanturpa, Cuyoc and Millpo of the Cordillera Raura located to the southeast of the Cordillera Huayhuash. We will set up our camp and let our bodies soak in the well-deserved natural hot pools towards the village of Viconga 4,400m/ 14,436 feet and set up our camp for the night. Walking time is 4 hours today.

Day 10: Climb up to Nevado Pumarinri 5,465m/ 17,930 feet or trekking to Punta Cuyoc pass 5,020m/ 16,470 feet and trek down to Elefante Camp 4,450m/ 14,600 feet.
Today we leave this beautiful camp site and we have options. Our goal is to reach Elefante camp 4,450m/ 14,600 feet or Huanacpatay 4,350m/ 14,271 feet. We want you to experience Nevado Pumarinri 5,465m/ 17,930 feet. This is the highest point of the full Huayhuash circuit trek. From the pass we will have a spectacular panorama view on the Huayhuash peaks in the north and the Raura peaks in the south. Further a stunning view of the glacier of Puscanturpa 5650m/ 18,536ft. completes this awe-aspiring experience. We continue our hike by descending from the pass towards Quebrada Huanactapay and set up camp. This is a long day of walking and climbing and will be 9 to 11 hours.

Day 11: Trek to the village of Huayllapa 3,600m/ continue to Huatiac camp 4,290m/
After a great night’s rest and on a high from seeing some of the best mountain scenery anywhere in the world, we get up and go again. Today will be easy hiking through the valley downwards until reaching the village of Huayllapa 3,600m/ 11,811 feet. We continue the trek climbing gradually up a narrow valley to reach the pastures, trekking to up Huatiac camp 4,290m/ 14,075 feet. This is 4-5 hours of hiking today.

Day 12: Trek to Punta Tapush 4,800m/ finish at Cashapamapa camp 4,500m/
Another great day in store for you as you walk toward the glacier at the back of the valley. We leave Huatiac camp in the morning and continue our hike crossing the Tapush Pass 4,800m/ 15,748 feet. We set up camp at Gashgapampa 4,500m/ 14,763 feet. Walking time is 9 hours today.

Day 13: Trek up to Llaucha Pass 4,750m/ down to Jahuacocha 4,066m/ with an optional climb of Diablo Mudo 5,350m/
Today is another day of peaceful, beautiful walking. We trek up to the barron Llaucha Pass 4,750m/ 15,584 feet. and down to the beautiful Laguna Jahuacocha 4,066m/ 13,340 feet. There is the option of an early morning start and climb to the mountain summit of Diablo Mudo 5,350m/ 17,552 feet. This is a mountaineering day and equipment is required for a safe summit.

Day 14: Trek to Jahuapunta Pass 4,650m/ down to the village of Pocpa 3,600m/ and transfer back to Huaraz 3,100m/
Today we move from Jahuacocha 4,066m/ 13,340 feet. heading up over the Jahuapunta Pass 4,650m/ 15,256 feet. We then head down to the village of Pocpa 3,600m/ 11,811 feet. For one more time we can enjoy the awe inspiring mountain range of the Cordillera Huayhuash where we have walked through for the past two weeks and which has been become a part of us.

Day 15: Rest day in Huaraz: Optional Rock Climbing at the walls of Chancos Stay in the hotel in Huaraz 3,100m/
Today is a rest day in Huaraz and we have the option of going rock climbing at the walls of Chancos.

Day 16: Private bus from Huaraz back to Lima for a night at the hotel Kamana 3***
You will leave Huaraz for Lima: 8 Hour bus journey to Lima and arrive in the afternoon and transfer to hotel Kamana for one more night in Peru.

Day 17: LIMA - FLIGHT TO CUSCO/SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCA
Fly from Lima to Cusco this morning and drive to the Inca site of Moray—believed to have been an agricultural laboratory where priests would test soils and crops. After a private lunch near the site, stop at the colorful local market in Urubamba.

Day 18: SACRED VALLEY OF THE INCA
Spend the day exploring the archaeological sites and Andean culture of the Sacred Valley in the company of National Geographic grantee Peter Frost, who has lived and worked in Peru for decades. He (or occasionally a colleague, if he is in the field) joins us for a talk at the hotel and continues with us to Ollantaytambo, where massive stone walls stand sentry over a thriving Inca community. Stop at a family-owned hacienda for lunch and witness a presentation of traditional horsemanship. Later, meet National Geographic grantee Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez, founder of El Centro de Textiles Tradicionales de Cusco, who has helped preserve and revive traditional Inca textiles.

Day 19: MACHU PICCHU
An exhilarating morning train ride takes us along the Urubamba River, passing between steep slopes on the way to magnificent Machu Picchu. Isolated among mountain peaks, Machu Picchu is one of the world's most awe-inspiring sites. The sacred citadel was abandoned by the Inca, reclaimed by the jungle, and lost to history until it was rediscovered by Hiram Bingham in 1911 and excavated with support from the National Geographic Society. Discover the mysteries of the "lost city of the Inca" on a guided walk of the citadel and then check in to our incredible lodge overlooking the ruins—the only accommodation adjacent to Machu Picchu. This afternoon, return to the site to explore with a guide and see the Inca Bridge, built on a stone path that the Inca cut into a sheer cliff face. Watch twilight descend on Machu Picchu after the crowds have disappeared, and soak up the quiet enchantment of this legendary site.

Day 20: MACHU PICCHU/CUSCO
At sunrise, hike up to the Sun Gate, the final checkpoint of the Inca Trail, and watch day break over the timeless ruins of Machu Picchu. Spend the rest of this morning wandering through the site on your own. After lunch, board the train back to the Sacred Valley. Continue to Cusco, a city of astonishing charm and beauty that was once the capital of the Inca Empire. Our home here is an exquisite 16th-century monastery just steps from the city square. Take a stroll in the elegant arcaded courtyard and admire the 16th-century antiques and paintings decorating the halls before a special dinner with opera singers in the vaulted dining room.

Day 21: CUSCO
Delve into the legacy of the Inca and the Spanish during a full day of exploration in Cusco. Examine the massive stone boulders that make up the 15th-century Sacsayhuaman fortress, site of one of the bloodiest battles in the Spanish conquest. See the Coricancha, the “golden temple” of the Inca, built at the symbolic center of their empire. Then enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to stroll around this beautiful city or relax at our historic hotel.

Day 22: CUSCO/LIMA
After our flight back to Lima, visit the renowned Museo Larco to view the world's largest private collection of pre-Columbian art. Catch the changing of the guard at the Plaza Mayor before we gather for a farewell lunch at Casa Aliaga, a lovely colonial home. Later, check in to our hotel, perched on the waterfront in the elegant Miraflores district, and take the rest of the day to relax or explore on your own.

Day 23: Private bus from Huaraz back to Lima for a night at the hotel Kamana 3***
You will leave Huaraz for Lima: 8 Hour bus journey to Lima and arrive in the afternoon and transfer to hotel Kamana for one more night in Peru.

Day 24: Transfer to the airport for your return flight home.
Lima to the Airport: This will be your final day in Peru. You can go shopping, relax in the city. In the afternoon you will be transferred back to airport for your return flight home.

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