Santa Cruz – Llanganuco

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. This night 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 – Pacchapampa (4,300 m) 6h

We continue descending to the small Andean town of Colcabamba (3,350m) 1h, rest and then begin to ascend toward Vaqueria (3,700 m) 2h, to reach our camp in Pacchapampa (4,300m) at the foot of the Yanapaccha (5,460m).

Day 05: Pacchapampa – Portachuelo de LLanganuco (4,765 m) 3h  / Llanganuco – Huaraz (3,100 m) Bus 3h

This last day of the trek we will reach the highest point of our journey, beginning the ascent toward Portachuelo de LLanganuco (4,765m) 3h with splendid views of Huascarán Norte (6,768 m) Huascarán Sur (6,650 m), Chopicalqui (6,354 m), Huandoy (6,395 m), and Pisco (5,752 m. Then we descend the Llanganuco valley visiting the Llanganuco: Orkon-cocha and Chinan-cocha lakes. Return to Huaraz.