Breakfast
Porridge, quinoa or cereal, with eggs, pancakes or toast and marmalade.
Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit via Viconga & Cuyoc — 10 or 11 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 (5017m), and the route passes the open-air thermal baths of Viconga for a well-earned hot soak.
The classic circuit, hot springs and Cuyoc
- Grade: Hard
- Duration: 10 or 11 days
- Highest point: Cuyoc 5017m
- Passes: 8
- Highlight: Viconga hot springs
- Above 4000m throughout
Not technical, but the length and the number of high passes make it Hard: you need above average fitness and to be comfortable with sustained two-to-three hour climbs and long descents. There are two start points (Llamac or Quartelhuain) and rest days at Laguna Carhuacocha to enjoy the Siula lakes.
High Altitude Tactical Itinerary
Review the route day by day: altitudes, distances and acclimatisation.
Huaraz to Quartelhuain via Chiquián and Llamac by road
Distance
174 km driveWalking time
6 hours driveHighest point
4200mWe drive from Huaraz to Chiquián, then past Llamac (3300m) into a wide U-shaped grassy valley flanked by quenual forest to camp at Quartelhuain (4200m).
How your Huayhuash trek runs
A private trek with your own crew, from the drive out of Huaraz to the day you walk back into Llamac. The community access and camping fees are included.
Included in your trek
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A licensed trekking guide, a cook and an assistant (one for 3 or 4 clients, two for 5 or more)
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Donkeys and donkey drivers to carry your bag, the tents and the food
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Five meals a day, from fresh produce; vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and lactose-free on request
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Twin-share tents, dining tent with table and chairs, foam mat and inflatable Thermarest
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Private transport to the trailhead and back
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Community access and camping fees
Not included
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Hotels in Lima and Huaraz, and meals in town
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Getting from Lima to Huaraz and back
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Sleeping bag (we can arrange hire)
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Acclimatisation day hikes before the trek
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Travel, rescue and cancellation insurance
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Tips for the crew
Plan your trek
Ask about this trek
Tell us your dates and how many of you there are. You will hear back from the family that runs the trip, with honest advice on acclimatisation and the route, and a full price for your group.
How we price this trek. It depends on how many of you there are and how many days you trek, and the price per person comes down as the group grows. The community fees are included, and our quote is valid for 31 days.
When I started inquiring about trips many companies either didn’t respond or took a week or more, but right from the first prompt email Peruvian Andes Adventures was professional and thorough.
Essential Trekking Notes & Rules
Trek Start Point & Acclimatisation
There are two start points. Starting at Quartelhuain (4168m) means a 1100m road gain in a day and a 4680m pass on day one, so three days of acclimatisation hikes in Huaraz are strongly recommended. Starting lower at Llamac (3300m) adds a valuable acclimatisation day hiking up to Quartelhuain.
Siula Pass or Carnicero Pass
From Laguna Carhuacocha to Huayhuash you can cross the spectacular alpine Siula pass (4800m, good weather only and unsupported by donkeys/rescue horse) or the easier Carnicero pass (4686m). Your guide decides on the day with you.
10 or 11 Day Option
The 10-day trek has one rest day and the 11-day two; the extra rest day is taken at Carhuacocha or Jahuacocha with spectacular optional day hikes.
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.
Five meals a day, at 4,000 metres
Good food is how your body keeps going at altitude. Every year, before the season starts, our cooks spend a course learning new trekking dishes, and on the trail they cook from fresh vegetables, fruit, chicken and meat. All drinking water is boiled. Menus change with each cook's favourite dishes; this is a typical day.
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten-free
Lactose-free
Trail snack box
Nuts and dried fruit, biscuits, chocolate or sweets, a piece of fruit and a small fruit juice.
Cooked lunch
Protein, carbohydrate and vegetables — say a tuna and tomato salad with carrot, cauliflower, broccoli and rice — with herbal tea.
Afternoon tea
Popcorn, crackers, cheese, spreads and nuts, with extra treats like wontons and guacamole.
Dinner
A fresh soup (never from a packet), a main of chicken, fish, meat or a vegetarian dish with pasta, rice or potatoes and vegetables, and dessert.
What our Huayhuash trekkers say
"We were very particular about the itinerary and they work with us to make our specific desires happen… Our cook made the most amazing Peruvian food, and it may be the only trek where I gained weight."
Brian (USA) — Cordillera Huayhuash Trek, May 2018
"Our guide David is very knowledgeable in the history, flora, fauna and peaks. It’s amazing how he remembered the exact elevations of all the peaks we saw!"
Carolyn (Canada) — Cordillera Huayhuash Trek, June 2018
"Giovanni always making sure that I had protein at every meal! … I have been vegan for 16 years… I can’t believe that over 10 days I didn’t touch my emergency supply!"
Tamsin (UK) — Cordillera Huayhuash Trek, September 2017
What to pack for the cold
On a clear night in the Huayhuash the air can drop to between −5 and −12°C, and the sheltered campsites are the coldest. The ground is colder still, so bring a good four-season sleeping bag rated to at least −20 to −25°C, and a down jacket for the evenings.
- Your trek bag travels by donkey: a soft duffel or backpack, never a hard suitcase, up to 15kg.
- Line it with a waterproof bag so your sleeping bag stays dry if it rains.
- We provide the tent, a foam mat and an inflatable Thermarest. If you have a good Thermarest of your own, it is worth bringing.
- No sleeping bag? We can arrange one for hire in Huaraz.
Getting there & when to go
From Lima there is one LATAM flight a day, leaving at 7am and landing in Huaraz at 8.10am, or an eight-hour tourist-class bus with Cruz del Sur or Movil Tours, by day or overnight.
The best months are May to September. June and July are the busiest. May and September are quieter, and May is green and full of wild flowers after the rains. Weather in the Andes is changing, so come ready for cloud and rain in any month.
Ready for the Huayhuash?
Tell us your dates and group size, and we will send you a full price and everything it includes.
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May - SeptFrequently Asked Questions: Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit via Viconga & Cuyoc — 10 or 11 Days
Essential answers about this high-altitude route.
Either at Quartelhuain (4168m), reached by road, or lower at Llamac (3300m) with an extra acclimatisation day hiking up to Quartelhuain. Good acclimatisation is essential given the early high pass.
Open-air thermal hot springs beside Laguna Viconga, a welcome hot soak midway through the circuit. Bring a swimsuit and a small entrance fee.
The Siula pass (4800m) is a spectacular good-weather alpine route on scree, unsupported by the donkeys and rescue horse. Carnicero (4686m) is easier and the bad-weather choice. Your guide decides with you at Carhuacocha.
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