SANTA CRUZ TREK – HUARAZ, PERU
EXPLORE THE CORDILLERA BLANCA – 45 km | 4,750 masl / 15,000 ft.
Would you like to tour the most imposing valleys and hills of the Cordillera Blanca?
We invite you to be the protagonist of this high altitude trekking and mountaineering experience in one of the most beautiful circuits of the Cordillera Blanca. The Santa Cruz Trek covers approximately 45km visiting gorges and lagoons formed by glaciers, with views of the Alpamayo among other giants. We will explore the typical Quenual and Quishuar forests of the Peruvian Andes, and we will ascend to the 4750 meters of the Punta Union pass, the highest point of the trek.
In this 5 days and 4 nights trip, you will have the chance to explore the Cordillera Blanca, walking through its valleys surrounded by snow-capped mountains and glaciers.
We will trek with small backpacks walking an average of 6 hours per day.
All this, accompanied by quality food, nutritious, healthy and adapted to the needs of each participant, with a team of professional guides and muleteers that will provide the necessary assistance and safety at all times.
PROPOSAL DETAILS
MEETING PLACE |
Bus Terminal – Huaraz, Peru |
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| SCHEDULES | Starts at 4:00 p.m. and ends at 10:00 a.m. | ||||||||
| INCLUDES |
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| NOT INCLUDED |
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This trip is rated Moderate (3+) ( see Huka Difficulty Table).
JOIN THE SANTA CRUZ TREK TODAY!
You can make your reservation 100% online, do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. Ask us for special discounts and installments!
Your itinerary for the adventure
Although we make every effort to adhere to the itinerary described below, the itinerary is subject to change for numerous reasons beyond our control, including weather and terrain conditions.
Day 1: Reception in Huaraz and acclimatization trekking.
We meet early in Huaraz at 3100 meters above sea level, we will make an equipment check and then we move in private transfer to the Wilcacocha lagoon, where we will enjoy an unbeatable panoramic view of the Cordillera Blanca. We will make a soft trekking of 2 to 3 hours, where we overcome the 4000 meters to acclimatize to the altitude.
Day 2: Huaraz 3100 m - Cashapampa 2900 m - Llamacorral 3760 m
Beginning of the trekking. We leave early in private transport from Huaraz to Cashapampa, where the muleteers will be waiting for us to prepare the loads. We start ascending a slope through the narrow Quebrada Santa Cruz until we reach our first camp Llamaccorral. This day will probably be the hottest. Estimated walking time 4 to 5 hours.
Day 3: Llamaccorral 3650 m - Taullipampa 4200 m
After spending the night under the stars, we nourish ourselves with a delicious breakfast. This day we continue gaining altitude accompanied by great snow-capped mountains such as Quitaraju, Caraz, Rinrijrca, Artesonraju and the legendary Taullraju. We camp in Taullipampa surrounded by these great snow-capped mountains. Estimated time 4 to 5 hours.
Day 4: Taullipampa 4200 m - Punta Unión 4750 m - Huaripampa 3700 m
With a lot of calm and decision we undertake towards the famous high pass, Punta Union 4750 m.a.s.l., from where we can enjoy a panoramic view of 360 degrees. From here we can see the great snow-capped mountains, the lagoons that we left behind and the Santa Cruz and Huaripampa gorges. Finally after leaving the high pass, we begin to descend towards our last camp Cachipampa. Estimated time 7 to 9 hours.
Day 5: Huaripampa 3700 m - Vaqueria 3700 m - Huaraz
We continue descending, now more relaxed, passing through the control of the Huascaran National Park and then through the villages of Huaripampa and Coullur where we can observe a bit of village life. A last climb to reach the end of our adventure will make us sweat until we reach the village of Vaqueria. Here the transport will be waiting for us to take us back to the city of Huaraz. When we think we have finished our adventure we cross another high pass, Portachuelo 4770 meters above sea level, but this time we will be sitting comfortably in the vehicle. We make a stop to get intoxicated once again with the beauty of the Cordillera Blanca. We have near the Huascaran south and north (the highest mountain in Peru 6768 m.), the Huandoys group, the Pisco, the Chacraraju and the beautiful ravine of Llanganuco. We continue with the trip because there are still a few hours left before arriving in Huaraz, where the service ends. Estimated walking time 2 to 3 hours.
Estimated travel time by vehicle 4 hours.
List of required equipment
The key to your comfort during active travel is to wear layers (see Layering Clothing Basics). For maximum comfort at minimum weight, you need versatile layers that combine insulation, ventilation and weather protection. That’s why we created this list to help you choose gear and bring only what you need. Weather and other conditions on the ground will dictate what clothing and gear you should wear each day.
TREKKING AND CAMPING
- Trekking
- Large backpack (+60 liters)
- Trekking poles.
- Large plastic bag (to store all equipment inside the backpack)
- Water bottles (at least 3 lts total capacity)
- Camp
- Sleeping bag -10°c comfort (see All you need to know about Sleeping Bags)
- Insulation
- Headlamp (with spare batteries)
- Cutlery
- Medium Tupper
- Personal mug for infusions/drinks
CLOTHING
- Head
- Warm hat
- Multifunction thermal collar (buff type)
- Sun hat
- Sunglasses (ideally category 3)
- Upper body
- Synthetic long sleeve t-shirt
- Synthetic short sleeve t-shirt
- Coat (ideally fleece)
- Waterproof jacket
- Warm jacket
- Hands
- Warm gloves
- Waterproof gloves
- Undercarriage
- Inner long term or shim
- Long trekking pants
- Shorts
- Underwear
- Feet
- Trekking boots or shoes
- Pair of warm socks (for the evening)
- Pair of trekking socks
- Sport shoes for stream fording
PERSONAL CARE
- Sunscreen (minimum factor 50)
- Lip balm
- Wet wipes
- Small personal garbage bag
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Personal medication
DOCUMENTATION
- Valid National Identity Card / Valid Passport
- Social security/health insurance card
- Complete medical record (provided by Huka)
DO YOU NEED EQUIPMENT FOR THE OUTING?
Rent something great! We offer competitive rates and quality equipment for our outings.
Explore the colors of the world
Do you want an exclusive adventure for you and/or your own group? Book a closed departure on the date that suits you best (tailor-made quotation).
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