Will we visit Siula Grande Base Camp?

That is the plan, but access to the Calinca Valley is controlled by the local community and decided when groups arrive. If refused, we day-hike to the Cerro San Antonio pass for views of Siula Grande and its Base Camp instead.

Graded Hard: eight high passes and two weeks continuously above 4000m. Good fitness and comfort with sustained climbs and long descents are needed.

Expedition Dossier

Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit with Siula Grande Base Camp — 15 Days

Q: Why is the trek 15 days?

It is the complete circuit at an unhurried pace, with rest days at Carhuacocha and Jahuacocha and a side trip to Siula Grande Base Camp. The route can also be done in 13 or 14 days.

Repeatedly named one of the classic trekking circuits of the world, the Cordillera Huayhuash is a compact, rugged range of jagged, vertical summits — among them Yerupajá Grande (6634m), the second highest peak in Peru, and half a dozen others above 6000m.

Every day brings towering snow peaks, hanging glaciers and turquoise, trout-filled lakes.

There are 8 passes to cross, the highest at Cuyoc (5000m). This full 15-day circuit features a visit to the Base Camp of Siula Grande, made famous by Joe Simpson’s “Touching the Void”.

Duration

15 Days trekking (options for 13 or 14)

Grade

Hard

Highest Point

5000m

Full circuit · Cordillera Huayhuash

The complete circuit and Siula Base Camp

Grade: Hard
Duration: 15 days (options 13/14)
Highest point: Cuyoc 5000m
Passes: 8
Highlight: Siula Grande Base Camp
Above 4000m throughout

A complete, unhurried circuit with rest days at Carhuacocha and Jahuacocha and a side trip to Siula Grande Base Camp. Graded Hard for its length, the high passes and two weeks continuously above 4000m. You need good fitness and to be comfortable with sustained climbs, long descents and short sections on loose ground.

Expedition Logistics

Essential Trekking Notes & Rules

Calinca Valley Access

Since 2009 the Huayllapa community controls access to the Calinca Valley and Siula Grande Base Camp to protect grazing; access is not guaranteed and is decided when groups arrive, with an extra community fee. If refused, we camp at Huanacpatay and day-hike to the San Antonio pass for views of Siula Grande and its Base Camp.

Grading

Graded Hard for the length, the number of high passes and two weeks continuously above 4000m. You need good fitness, comfort with sustained two-to-three hour climbs, prolonged descents and short sections on loose, uneven ground.

Community-Owned Land

The entire Huayhuash circuit crosses privately owned community farmland, not a national park. Communities allow groups to pass and camp and charge access and camping fees (included in the trek fee), providing toilets at campsites. Please leave no rubbish and respect the local people and their animals.

Trails & Terrain

Trails are unformed, unmaintained dirt paths also used by animals and uneven underfoot, often steep both ascending and descending and slippery or rocky in places.

Hiking Hours & Kms

Hiking hours are estimates including breaks and the lunch stop, for our average groups; the altitude affects people differently, so some are faster and others much 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.

Technical Timeline // Day 01

Huaraz to Llamac via Chiquián by road

Distance

Time Window

4 to 5 hours drive

Max Altitude

3300m

Delta Profile

We drive from Huaraz to Chiquián with distant views of the Huayhuash, then descend through cactus-and-scrub country to the village of Llamac (3300m) for our first camp.

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.