How does this differ from the full Alpamayo Circuit?

It is a shorter, more intense version of the classic 11 to 13 day Complete Circuit of Alpamayo, designed for those who want the majesty of the range and a close view of Alpamayo but do not have time for the longer trek.

How does the trek support local people?

Starting from Vaquería gives work to donkey drivers from Colcabamba and Vaquería, who by local rules may only work on treks beginning there. This income is vital to these families and helps them educate their children.

What is the highest point of the trek?

The Paso Osoruri (also called Cullicocha) at 4860m, reached on day seven, with views of Santa Cruz and Laguna Cullicocha.

Expedition Dossier

Alpamayo Base Camp Trek: Vaquería to Hualcayán — 8 Days

Q: Why is this trek graded Very Hard?

You cross several high passes with long hard days and no rest days, condensing into eight days what most trekkers take nine or ten to complete. You need very good fitness, full acclimatisation and the ability to hike 8 to 10 hours.

The Cordillera Blanca holds the greatest concentration of tropical-zone glaciers on earth — more than fifty peaks above 5700m, twenty of them over 6000m. This trek weaves through its heart from Vaquería to Hualcayán, crossing a series of high passes into wildly varied valleys.

The focal point is the famous Alpamayo pyramid, once voted the most beautiful mountain in the world, seen in close-up from Laguna Jancarurish. It is a condensed, exciting version of our classic 11–13 day Alpamayo Circuit.

Duration

8 Days trekking

Grade

Very Hard — good fitness required

Highest Point

4860m

Heart of the Cordillera Blanca

Seven high passes to Alpamayo

Grade: Very Hard
Duration: 8 days (a condensed 9–10 day route)
Highest point: 4860m
Long days up to 8–10 hours, no rest days
Supports the villages of Colcabamba & Vaquería

This route condenses into eight days what most trekkers take nine or ten to complete: several high passes, some long hard days and no rest days. By starting from Vaquería you also support local donkey drivers from Colcabamba and Vaquería — men like the brothers Víctor and Cirillo Méndez — for whom this work is a vital source of income to educate their children.

Expedition Logistics

Essential Trekking Notes & Rules

Grading

We grade this trek Very Hard: you cross several high passes, with long hard days mixed with shorter ones and no rest days. You must be well acclimatised, have very good fitness, be able to hike up to 8 to 10 hours, and manage steep climbs and descents. Trails are unmaintained dirt paths, also used by animals, and uneven underfoot.

Special Interest — Supporting Local Communities

By choosing this trek you help the local people of Colcabamba and Vaquería. Because of local politics, donkey drivers from these villages may only work on treks starting from Vaquería; this work is a vital source of cash income that helps them educate their children.

Hiking Hours & Kms

Hiking hours include rest breaks and the lunch stop and are estimates for our average groups; some hikers are faster, others slower. Distances are estimated. Access roads are unpaved and bumpy, so road travel is slower than the distance suggests.

Route Progression

High Altitude Tactical Itinerary

Review the route day by day: altitudes, distances and acclimatisation.

Day 1 of 8

Drive Huaraz to Vaquería via Portachuelo pass, hike to Paria

Distance

7 km

Walking time

4 to 5 hours hiking

Highest point

4767m

Ascent / descent

We drive down the Callejón de Huaylas to Yungay, then up into the Huascarán National Park past the Llanganuco lakes to the Portachuelo pass (4767m), with views of Huascarán, Huandoy and Chopicalqui. Descending to Vaquería (3600m), we load donkeys and hike gently up the Quebrada Huaripampa to camp at Paria (3900m).

Bespoke Cross Selling

Related routes

More routes in the same spirit — the same range or the same kind of trip. Tap any one for the full itinerary, or write to us and we will tailor your own.