Inti Raymi Inca Sun Festival
Combination of Cultural Experience with Fantastic Mountain Hiking!
Jahuacocha Lake – Huayhuash Trek
Timing: 9 days
Grade: Moderate
In July we have a special trek to coincide with the exciting and colourful Inti Raymi Inca Sun Festival held at the ruins of the Inca staging post of Huanuco Viejo.
This trek offers a combination of an unforgettable cultural experience with a trek into the Cordillera Huayhuash, classified in some guidebooks as one of the “classic” trekking circuits in the world.
Not many tourists or trekking agencies know of the Inti Raymi festival in Huanuco Viejo, and unlike the crowed Inti Raymi festival in Cuzco, the Huanuco Viejo event is frequented by very few tourists, giving visitors a relaxed day in the company of the local people who make us very welcome.
Huanuco Viejo was an important Inca settlement and was a major stopover point on the Inca route that runs from Cuzco through the north of Peru. The Inti Raymi was the most important festival in the Inca empire to worship the Sun God, the Source of life. Thanks are given for the year’s harvest and prayers made for good weather and harvests for the coming year.
The festival is celebrated each year on 27 July, and involves some 600 dancers and actors dressed in traditional Inca costumes.
23 July: Arrive Huaraz 3090m.
24 & 25 July: Huaraz acclimatisation days. We can organise day hikes to help with acclimatisation.
26 July: Drive in our private bus for approximately 6 hours from Huaraz to Huanuco Pampa 3736m. We set up camp near the Inca Ruins of Huanuco Viejo Ruins on a large flat “pampa” and spend the afternoon visiting the ruins.
27 July: We stay another day at Huanuco Pampa to enjoy the sights and sounds of the colourful Inta Raymi Sun Festival.
28 July: Drive for 3 to 4 hours from Huanuco Viejo to Queropalca village at 3800m. In Queropalca we start the trekking with a relaxing 4 hour walk up to the lake Laguna Carhuacocha 4200m.
Hiking to Laguna Carhuacocha
29 July: We stay another night at Carhuacocha to enjoy the mountain surroundings. We take a day hike up close to the base of Yerupaja and Siula Grande where there are 3 high mountain glacial lakes. In the afternoon or evening – try fishing for trout !!
Siula Lakes
30 July: A steady climb up on a good path to cross our first pass Paso de Carhuac (4650m) and then descend to our next camp at another large Laguna Mitucocha (4250m) 4 to 5 hours.
31 July: In the morning we cross the pass Punta Cacanan (4700m) and descend to the valley Quebrada Cuncush with wide expanses of rolling grassy hills, passing through Quartelhuain and Matacanca before turning into the Rondoy Valley to camp (4350m). 6 to 7 hours.
1 Aug: A fairly steep path up to the Rondoy Pass (4750m) from where we have yet more amazing views of the surrounding peaks. Descend to beautiful Laguna Jahuacocha where we camp (4150m). A harder day – 7 hours
2 Aug: An extra day at Laguna Jahuacocha. We can take a day hike up to the Yaucha pass 4847m to have views of the other side of the Cordillera Huayhuash Range. Or have a rest day and go fishing for trout!
3 Aug: We leave early, starting with a gradual climb to our final pass Pampa Llamac (4300m) from where we have our final views of the Huayhuash range. Then it is a long descent back to Llamac. 5 ½ hours. In Llamac the bus will be waiting to take us back to Huaraz for hot showers!!
Like to enjoy the spectacular of the Inti Raymi Festival, but don’t have the time or don’t wish to go trekking? We offer a 3 day Camping Holiday to the Inti Raymi Festival.
Map – trek route
Download PDF for climb description & notes
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Contact us for more information and prices.
If you know, tell us the approximate dates that you would like to be trekking and the number of people in your group, as well as if you prefer a private trek or would be happy to join with other people.