Cedros Alpamayo – 10 Days

Maximum altitude: 4,900 m. (Cullicocha pass).

Difficulty:  Moderate – Difficult.

Duration: 10 days / 9 nights.

Best Season: April – October.

Location: Cordillera Blanca.

Average temperature: Between 13°C – 23°C day/ at night -03°C to -1°C.

Distance: 95 Km

With spectacular views of many mountains, lakes, wildlife highlights including the north face of Alpamayo 5947 meters, considered the most beautiful mountain in the world, Pucajircas four peaks over 6000 meters, showing all its charm. And the condors is usual between Jancarurish see table leg and flying close to the high Andean peaks, the vegetation is unique in this area that gives a special feeling to this trek in the western Andes of Peru.

DAY 1: HUARAZ – LLANGANUCO – VAQUERIA – TUCTU 4200M

We will aboard the Bus to go along the Callejón de Huaylas in the north side of Huaraz. Passing different traditional Andean towns, first arriving and making the first stop in Anta 2750m, then we will continue with our travel to the next ancient town of Yungay, this city was buried by an Avalanche that fell down from Huascarán Mountain in 1970, the New Yungay 2500m, from here we have to start going up to the Llanganuco Valley, where we will find the Huascaran National Park entrance to the Llanganuco Valley we will register there, then we will find the two lakes of Llanganuco (Chinancocha and Orconcocha 3850m), then we will continue going up to Portachuelo Pass 4780m, where we will have a stop to take pictures the splendid views of different peaks like Huascarán, Chopicalqui, Pisco, Huandoys, and others, after that we will start going down to Vaqueria for about 1 hour 20 minutes approximately, where our donkey driver and donkeys will be waiting for us, here will be starting our trekking, from here we will climb up to Tuctu for about 5 hours approximately. Arriving our first camp around 3:00 or 4:00pm.

DAY 2: TUCTU – PUNTA UNION – TUCTU (4,200 – 4,750 mt)

This day, we will start walking up for 3 hours aprox.  to the pass punta union 4750m. in the trail we’ll see some many mountains and lakes as: Huascaran, chopicalqui, contrahierbas, chacraraju etc. this is the highest point in the trek santa cruz, from the top  the view is amazing  through two valleys showing vegetation lakes, rivers and mountains. Then we’ll be back to the same camp. Tuctu.

DAY 3: TUCTU – PUCAJIRCA PASS – QUISUAR (4,200 – 4,650 – 3,900 mt)

Today, we will start walking up to get the Pucaraju pass 4640m. We will get there at around 11:00am, and then go down zigzag path nice landscape surrounded by highlands straw and many trees. We will get the Huegroncocha Lake to have Lunch in the nice spot. Then after few minutes walking down we will get small village called Quisuar, where we will camp in the left side at 3900m.

DAY 4: QUISUAR – TUPA TUPA PASS – JANCAPAMPA(3,900 – 4,400 – 3,600 mt)

We will start our hiking going up moderate path enjoying field of sheep, after 2.5 hours we will get the Tupatupa pass at 4,400 mt, the view to taulliraju mountain, pucajircas and far distance contrahierbas and chopicallqui, then way down by the base of the Pucajirca Mountain and then we will arrive to the next camp place of Jancapampa and pisgopampa village in the hour we will meet several local people doing their daily life.

DAY 5: JANCAPAMPA – JANACON PASS – TAYAPAMPA (3,600 – 4,600 – 4,100 mt)

We will start walking uphill early just after breakfast the forest and vegetation are amazing 03 hours to get to the Jacanacon pass 4600m, as always we will be surprised by nice different landscapes, after the pass we will go down to the place called Huillca where a couple family live and see a lot of alpacas, and llamas, after crossing the river we will keep walking till our campsite tayapampa with beautiful escenaries.

DAY 6: TAYAPAMPA – MESAPATA PASS – CARA-CARA PASS- JANCARURISH (4,100 – 4,460 – 4,800 – 4,200 mt)

Moderate walking first 1,5 hours to get the Mesapata pass at 4460m. we will walk flat area to the water stream in Moyobamba valley direction to cara cara pass for 03 hours finally we will have the view to santa cruz mountain, alpamayo, Quitaraju, tayapampa etc. lunch after the pass, and then we will continue walking down untill Jancarurish from where the view to the most knowed picture Alpamayo’s west face.

DAY 07: JANCARURISH – ALPAMAYO’S BASE CAMP – RUINAPAMPA (4,200 – 4,650 – 4,025 mt)

This day we will visit the lake jancarurish walking close to the glacier and behind the mountain santa cruz (6,256 mt) around 2.5 Hours till the base camp then return by the same trail till Jancarurish last camp. after we will continue to Ruinapampa, along this valley we can see the west face of Alpamayo, in 02 hours will be arriving to Ruinapampa where we will appreciate the pre-inkas – Terrazes, and few local keeping animals.

DAY 8: RUINAPAMPA – JATUNVIENTONA PASS – OSORURI (4,025 – 4,750 – 4,500 mt)

After the breakfast in Ruinapampa we will start walking uphill on zigzags until Jatunvientona pass 4750m it will take approx 04 hours, where we will enjoy the nice views of Santa Cruz and Milluaraju mount, and the cordillera negra at the left side. we will have lunch at the pass then 01 hour to the Camp Osoruri will be arriving around 3:00 pm free afternoon the place is perfect to take sun set pictures..

DAY 9: OSORURI – CULLICOCHA PASS – CALAMINA (4,500 – 4,900 – 3,650 mt)

After breakfast we will walk up for about one hour to get the Toropishtanan pass then we will walk down a few meters and we will be surprised by a nice spot, a beautiful blue lake of Cullicocha one of the most beautiful and large lakes in the cordillera blanca located in the base of Santa Cruz massive mountain, we’ll get offshore the lake to have lunch. Then after rest in the lunch time we will continue our way down to the camp place of Calamina, from this camp place we will appreciate nice sunset over the cordillera negra facing us.

DAY 10: CALAMINA – HUALCAYAN – HUARAZ (3,650 – 3,100mt)

Last day, Easy hike for around 03 hours to the small village of Hualcayan where we will find very basic shop, and National Park entrance control to check out, then we will drive for 03- 04 hours to Huaraz, arriving at 3 or 4 pm. Aproximately and transfer to the hotel then at the evening we will have a meeting dinner at home in Huaraz.