4850m
Hard
Santa Cruz & Quebrada Ulta Trek — 6 Days
Duration
6 Days trekking (with 7-day option)Best Season
May - Sept
Olleros – Carhuascancha – Chavín Trek — 6 Days
A magical journey into a remote, unspoilt corner of the Cordillera Blanca, far from the busier circuits, following an ancient pre-Inca route past waterfalls, crystal-blue lakes and traditional Andean villages with no roads and little contact with tourism.
The trek ends with a visit to the enigmatic archaeological site of Chavín de Huántar — the religious and administrative centre of Peru’s oldest major culture (around 1000–300 BC) — and its modern museum.
Remote valleys to the ruins of Chavín
- Grade: Medium
- Duration: 6 days (5 or 7 options)
- Highest point: 4850m
- Highlight: Chavín de Huántar & museum
- Remote: away from the busy circuits
Graded medium, with some longer days mixed with shorter, easier ones for recovery — a great option for those not ready for the tougher Cordillera Blanca routes. The altitude still makes it demanding, so good acclimatisation and reasonable fitness are needed. The reward is genuine remoteness, living Andean culture and ancient history.
Essential Trekking Notes & Rules
Grading
Graded medium: the high altitude makes the hiking harder than a similar lower trek. You need to be well acclimatised, reasonably fit and comfortable on large hills. Some longer days are mixed with shorter, easier ones for recovery.
Visiting Chavín — Closed Mondays
The Chavín ruins do not open on Mondays. Plan your trek dates so you do not finish at Chavín on a Monday. A 5-day option exists for very fit, fast and well-acclimatised trekkers, and a 7-day option for a more relaxed pace.
Access Roads
Access roads to and from the trek are generally unpaved mountain roads and can be bumpy, so road travel times are slower than the distance suggests.
High Altitude Tactical Itinerary
Review the route day by day: altitudes, distances and acclimatisation.
Huaraz to Olleros and Quisuar, hike to Sacracancha
Distance
9 kmWalking time
5½ hoursHighest point
4120mAscent
+434mA 45-minute drive past Olleros to the trailhead at Quisuar (3686m), where gear is loaded onto donkeys and horses. An easy pre-Inca path climbs the wide Quebrada Uquian through eucalyptus and open puna, with first views of Shaqsha (5632m) and Cashan (5716m), to camp at Sacracancha (4120m).
Plan Your Journey
Ready to Conquer the Andes?
Contact our operations base in Huaraz: we sort out the prerequisites and secure your place on the expedition.
You'll talk directly to the people who run the trip.
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May - SeptFrequently Asked Questions: Olleros – Carhuascancha – Chavín Trek — 6 Days
Essential answers about this high-altitude route.
It follows a remote pre-Inca route through an unspoilt corner of the Cordillera Blanca with little tourism, traditional villages and beautiful lakes, ending at the ancient ruins of Chavín de Huántar.
Yes. The Chavín ruins are closed on Mondays, so plan your dates so the trek does not finish there on a Monday.
Graded medium, with some longer days balanced by shorter, easier recovery days. The altitude makes it harder than a lower trek, so good acclimatisation and reasonable fitness are needed.
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