Santa Cruz – Llanganuco – Ulta

Day 01: Huaraz – Cashapampa (2,900 m) Bus 3h /  Cashapampa – Llamacorral (3,650 m) 4h

Leaving Huaraz city heading to the north of the Callejon de Huaylas we descend by a road to Caraz (2,300m), 1h then from this place we begin to ascend towards the Cordillera Blanca to the small town of Cashapampa (2,900m), 2h, where we meet up with our mountain personnel: guides, cooks, muleteers, etc. and begin the walk having loaded up our donkeys. We begin the trek heading up the Santa Cruz valley to set up our first camp in Llamacorral (3,650m) 3 h.

Day 02: Llamacorral – Taullipampa (4,000 m) 5h

We continue the trek up Santa Cruz’s wide valley, passing Ichiccocha and Jatuncocha lakes; we arrive at Quisuar where we can make a diversion towards Alpamayo base camp via the Arhuaycocha valley, with splendid views of the peaks of Quitaraju (6,040m), Alpamayo (5,947m), Artezonraju (6,025m) and others. Ton ight we camp in Taullipampa (4,000m) at the foot of the impressive Taulliraju peak (5,830m) and surrounded by snow peaks.

Day 03: Taullipampa – Huaripampa (3,600 m) 7h

This will be a long and tiring day ascending by a steep zig zag path at the foot of the impressive Taulliraju and overlooking the Taullicocha turquoise lake. We arrive at Punta Union (4,750m) 3h and see the peaks of Chacraraju (6,112m), Artezonraju (6,025m), Pyramid (5,885m), Huandoy (6,395m), Alpamayo (5,940m), Santa Cruz (6,259m), Rinrihirca (5,810m), Taulliraju (5,830m) and others; now on the east side of the Cordillera Blanca we begin to descend passing the Morococha lake and then into the long, broad Huaripampa valley, passing through red-barked quenual forests and pleasant Andean grasslands; we approach our camp in Huaripampa (3,600m) 4h.

Day 04: Huaripampa – Vaqueria (3,700 m) 4h

We continue descending to the small Andean town of Colcabamba (3,350m) 1h and then we begin to ascend towards Vaqueria (3,700 m) 3h to set up our camp.

Day 05: Vaqueria (3,700 m)

This day will be free to rest, a vehicle will pick us up to ascend to Portachuelo de LLanganuco (4,765m) 1½h, with splendid views of Huascarán Norte (6,768 m) Huascarán Sur (6,650 m), Chopicalqui (6,354 m), Huandoy (6,395 m), Pisco (5,752 m. We also have great views of the Llanganuco valley and the two lakes of Orkon-cocha and Chinan-cocha. Return to our camp in Vaqueria.

Day 06: Vaqueria – Yanayacu (4,400 m) 6h

We begin the trek ascending the Keshu valley coming closer to the impressive Contrahierbas (6,036m) peak, setting up camp (4,400m) near Punta Yanayacu.

Day 07: Yanayacu – Ocshapampa (4,400 m) 7h

This will be a tiring day, our objective will be to cross the Punta Yanayacu pass (4,900m) with impressive views of the Cordillera Blanca mountains: Huascarán (6,768 m), Chopicalqui, Ulta, Contrahierbas, Hualcan and others, also towards the north the mountain Taulliraju is in view (5,830m), as is Quitaraju (6,040m) and Rinrihirca (5,810m. Then we descend the Ulta valley to set up amp in Ocshapampa (4,400m), in front of Contrahierbas (6,036m), Ulta (5,875m), Hualcan (6,112 m), Chopicalqui (6,354m) and others.

Day 08: Ocshapampa – Broken Ulta (4,100 m) 3h / Broken Ulta – Huaraz (3,100 m) Bus 3h

This is the last day of trek descending toward the Ulta valley to take a vehicle back to Huaraz.