What is the Viconga highlight?

Open-air thermal hot springs beside Laguna Viconga, a welcome hot soak midway through the circuit. Bring a swimsuit and a small entrance fee.

This itinerary is the continuous nine-day version; if you would like rest days at Carhuacocha or Jahuacocha, our 10 or 11 day Viconga & Cuyoc circuit includes them.

Expedition Dossier

Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit via Viconga & Cuyoc — 9 Days

Q: Why is this version graded Very Hard?

It has no rest days — nine consecutive days of demanding high-altitude hiking, crossing a high pass most days. You must be fit and well acclimatised.

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), and the route passes the open-air thermal baths of Viconga. This is the continuous, no-rest-day version: nine days of demanding high-altitude hiking.

Duration

9 Days trekking (no rest days)

Grade

Very Hard

Highest Point

5000m

Cordillera Huayhuash · Viconga & Cuyoc

The classic circuit, continuous and no rest days

Grade: Very Hard
Duration: 9 days, no rest days
Highest point: Cuyoc 5000m
Passes: 8
Highlight: Viconga hot springs
Above 4000m throughout

A condensed circuit with no rest days — nine consecutive days of physically demanding high-altitude hiking, crossing a high pass most days. You must be well acclimatised and fit, able to climb up to two hours to a pass each day. The reward is the full classic circuit and a hot soak at Viconga.

Expedition Logistics

Essential Trekking Notes & Rules

Acclimatisation & Fitness

A very hard trek with no rest days — nine days of continuous, physically demanding high-altitude hiking. From Huaraz you gain about 1130m by road to Quartelhuain (4200m) and cross a 4700m pass on day one, so three days of acclimatisation hikes in Huaraz are strongly recommended.

Siula or Carnicero Pass

From Laguna Carhuacocha to Huayhuash you can take the spectacular alpine Siula lakes route to a 4800m pass (good weather, more demanding) or the easier Carnicero pass (4600m).

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 Quartelhuain via Chiquián and Llamac by road

Distance

174 km drive

Time Window

6 hours drive

Max Altitude

4200m

Delta Profile

We 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).

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.