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PERU · HUAYHUASH MOUNTAIN RANGE · JUNE–JULY 2027
Huayhuash Trekking: 12 Days on One of the Best Trails in the Andes
Eight-step elevation gain, turquoise lakes, and camps at the foot of Mount Yerupajá, with a certified guide, cook, and pack animals. All meals during the trek are included.
Twelve days between Lima, Huaraz, and the Huayhuash Range, considered one of the ten best trekking routes in the world. We’ll spend two days acclimatizing in Huaraz and take our first hike to Llaca Lake before starting the circuit. Then we’ll spend six days trekking with pack animals and camping, crossing eight high mountain passes (up to Paso Trapecio, 5,050 m) around Yerupajá (6,636 m), Siulá Grande, and Jirishanca, passing through turquoise lakes and Andean villages such as Huayllapa. We’ll wrap up with Laguna 69 and a night at the Pisco Refuge in the Cordillera Blanca. This is pure trekking—no technical sections—but challenging due to the sustained high altitude. Groups are limited to a maximum of 12 people and include certified guides, a cook, and pack animals.
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Why this hike?
Yerupajá (6,636 m)
Peru's second-highest mountain, which serves as the backdrop for much of the circuit.
8 steps high
All the way to Paso Trapecio (5,050 m), with high-mountain landscapes unlike any other in the world.
Laguna 69 and Refugio Pisco
A Grand Finale: The Most Famous Turquoise Lagoon in the Cordillera Blanca and a Night in a High-Mountain Shelter.
Is this hike right for you?
- Would you like to hike one of the best trekking trails in the world, surrounded by peaks over 6,000 m high?
- Are you looking for an all-inclusive expedition experience: cook, pack animals, tents, and meals included during the trek?
- Are you up for the challenge of climbing eight steps high, with prior acclimatization in Huaraz to ensure you start off on the right foot?
- Would you like to unwind for twelve days in a secluded corner of the Peruvian Andes, camping next to turquoise lakes?
- You'll enjoy a small group of no more than 12 people, accompanied at all times by certified guides.
The Trip in Pictures
Day-by-Day Itinerary
We’ll travel by bus from Lima to Huaraz (3,100 m), the gateway to the Cordillera Blanca and Huayhuash. The trip takes about 8 hours, following the coast and then heading up into the central highlands.
Elevation: sea level → 3,100 m
Accommodations: Hotel Santa Cruz 3*, Huaraz
A free day in Huaraz to acclimate before starting the trek: a walk around town, a gear check, and time to adjust to the altitude.
Elevation: 3,100 m
Accommodations: Hotel Santa Cruz 3*, Huaraz
First acclimatization hike at high altitude: We’ll hike up to Laguna Llaca, at the foot of the snow-capped Ranrapalca, and return to Huaraz for the night.
Elevation: 3,100 → 4,472 m
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Santa Cruz 3*, Huaraz
We’ll travel by car to Matacancha (4,150 m), the starting point of the trek, and cross the first pass: Cacananpunta (4,700 m), with views of Rondoy and Ninashanca. We’ll camp at 4,250 m and visit Mitucocha Lake.
Elevation: 4,150 → 4,700 → 4,250 m
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: camp
We will cross the Carhuac Pass (4,650 m), with spectacular views of Yerupajá (6,636 m) and Siulá Grande (6,354 m), and camp next to Lake Carhuacocha.
Elevation: 4,250 → 4,650 → 4,150 m
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: camp
We will cross the Siulá Pass (4,800 m) and hike up to the viewpoint overlooking the Gangrajanca, Siulá, and Quesillococha lakes, with views of Yerupajá, Siulá, and Jirishanca. We will camp in Huayhuash.
Elevation: 4,150 → 4,800 → 4,455 m
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: camp
The most challenging day of the trek: we’ll cross Pampa Elefante and the Trapecio Pass (5,050 m), and camp in San Antonio or Santa Rosa (5,150 m), surrounded by unique high-mountain scenery.
Elevation: 4,455 → 5,050 → 5,150 m
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: camp
We’ll descend to the Andean village of Huayllapa (3,500 m) and climb up to the Huatiac camp (4,250 m), leaving the heart of the circuit behind us.
Elevation: 5,150 → 3,500 → 4,250 m
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: camp
The final leg of the trek and a drive back to Huaraz to complete the Huayhuash Range circuit.
Elevation: 4,250 → 3,100 m
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: Hotel Santa Cruz 3*, Huaraz
Full-day excursion to Laguna 69 (4,600 m), one of the most photographed lakes in the Cordillera Blanca, and an ascent to the Pisco Refuge (4,670 m) to spend the night in the heart of the mountains.
Elevation: 3,100 → 4,600 → 4,670 m
Meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: Pisco Refuge
Descent from the Pisco Refuge to Huaraz. Free afternoon to rest and explore the city.
Elevation: 4,670 → 3,100 m
Meals: breakfast
Lodging: Hotel Santa Cruz 3*, Huaraz
Bus transfer back to Lima. End of the expedition to the Huayhuash Mountain Range.
Includes: transportation from Huaraz to Lima
Still have questions about the day-to-day itinerary?
Download the complete brochure, which includes schedules, descriptions of each accommodation, and a list of required equipment.
We'll send you the complete itinerary as a PDF and, while we're at it, add you to our expedition newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Meet Your Guides
Sebastián Aldana
An Argentine mountaineer from Jujuy and a high-altitude mountain guide with more than 30 years of experience. On September 30, 2016, he reached the summit of Manaslu (8,163 m, the eighth-highest mountain in the world) without supplemental oxygen, becoming one of the first Argentines to do so. In addition to leading international expeditions, he teaches training workshops for mountain guides in Jujuy.
Fede Lombardi
Founder & mountain guide, Vertidissim
Born in Córdoba and raised in Buenos Aires, Fede left a career spanning more than 15 years at a technology company to devote himself to what he’s truly passionate about: taking people to the mountains. He settled in Girona in 2022 and has since led more than 30 expeditions to 10 different destinations, including the Pyrenees, the Alps, the Aosta Valley, and the Costa Brava. He is a certified low- and mid-mountain guide, a certified cycling guide, and an ultradistance trail runner with over 15 years of experience. He is also a triathlete and an open-water swimming specialist on the Costa Brava. More than 100 verified reviews on Google attest to the quality of his work, with an average rating of 4.9/5.
“Happiness is only real when it’s shared” — Chris McCandless.
What Our Customers Say
Things to Know
What's Included
- Transportation: Lima – Huaraz – Lima
- 3 nights at a hotel in Huaraz (Hotel Santa Cruz 3*) and one night at the Pisco Refuge
- 8 nights of camping during the trek: tents, dining tent, kitchen tent, and sleeping pads
- Full board during the trek (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
- Certified high-mountain guide and cook
- Muleteers, pack mules, and an emergency horse
- Tickets to the Huayhuash Reserved Area
What is NOT included
- Accommodations in Lima (optional hotel available, 55 €)
- Meals in Lima and Huaraz, except as indicated in the itinerary
- Personal gear (clothing, sleeping bag; can be rented in Huaraz)
- International travel and accident insurance (required, not included)
- Flights to Lima
- Personal Expenses and Tips
Additional Services
- One night's hotel stay in Lima before or after the trip: 55 € (not included in the package)
- Single room at the hotel in Huaraz or single tent on the trek, with a supplement (contact us)
Physical Fitness Level and Required Experience
What do I need to bring?
Required equipment:
- Sleeping bag (minimum -10 °C)
- Waterproof hiking boots and/or sturdy sneakers
- Comfortable hiking clothes (T-shirts, pants, socks)
- Waterproof jacket and down jacket
- Small Daypack
- 70-liter duffel bag (max. 15 kg) for carrying on mules
- Sunscreen (skin and lips)
- Trekking poles
- Personal First Aid Kit
- International Travel and Accident Insurance (required)
Recommended equipment:
- Spare thermal clothing
- Sandals or lightweight footwear for camping
- Power bank or spare batteries for the headlamp
- Wet wipes and toilet paper
- Personal medication and medication for altitude sickness (as prescribed by a doctor)
- Binoculars (optional, for wildlife and scenery)
Lodging and Camping
In Huaraz , we’ll stay at the 3-star Hotel Santa Cruz. During the trek, we’ll camp at an expedition campsite: single or double tents, a dining tent, and a kitchen tent, with sleeping pads included. The team of packers and pack mules will transport all the gear, and an emergency horse will accompany the group just in case. The team’s cook will prepare three meals a day. On the night of the 10th, we’ll spend the night at the Pisco Refuge (4,670 m), already in the Cordillera Blanca.
Optional: one night’s hotel stay in Lima before or after the trip, 55 € (not included in the package).
Dates for 2027 and price
Huayhuash Trek · 12 days / 11 nights · Maximum of 12 people per group
€1,950 per person
Pre-sale price through December 31. After that, €2,300.
June 28 – July 9
What's Included
How to Make a Reservation
What's Not Included
Before reviewing the terms and conditions
Get all the trip details in a PDF: itinerary, required gear, and conditions. We’ll send it to you right away.
We'll send you the complete itinerary as a PDF and, while we're at it, add you to our expedition newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Terms and Conditions
Climate and Security Clause
This decision rests solely with the guide at the time; it is made based on the information available that day and is not subject to negotiation. The group’s safety always takes precedence over the itinerary. Whenever possible, an equivalent alternative activity will be proposed, or the itinerary will be rearranged to take advantage of better weather windows on other days. This may involve changing the order of activities from the original program.
Days or activities canceled due to weather or safety concerns are not eligible for a refund, as they result from a safety decision and not from a cancellation of service by Vertidissim.
At the Paso Trapecio pass (5,050 m) and on the hike to Laguna 69 and the Pisco Refuge—which may include sections of snow or ice depending on the time of year—the decision to continue or take an alternate route also depends on the conditions at the pass, in addition to the weather.
Reservation and Cancellation Policies
Cancellation by the participant:
More than 60 days before departure: 100% refund of the amount paid, minus the deposit.
Between 60 and 30 days before departure: 50% refund of the amount paid, minus the deposit.
Between 29 and 15 days before: 25% refund of the amount paid, minus the deposit.
Less than 15 days before or no-show: no refund.
Cancellation by Vertidissim: If the trip is canceled for reasons beyond the participant’s control (not to be confused with the weather clause, which applies to specific activities during a trip that has already begun), 100% of the amount paid will be refunded, or the trip will be rescheduled for another available date.
Insurance: International travel and accident insurance is required but not included. It must cover high-altitude trekking (up to 5,200 m). We recommend that it also cover trip cancellation, as Vertidissim cannot be held responsible for unforeseen personal circumstances (accidents, illness, flights, etc.).
Name Changes: You may transfer your spot to another person up to 15 days before departure, subject to a €50 administrative fee.
