Santa Cruz Trekking – Pisco Climbing

Day 01: Huaraz – Cashapampa –  Llamacorral (3,760m/12,335ft)

After breakfast in the hotel, you will board our private bus, and drive along the Callejon de Huaylas, north of Huaraz. Passing by different traditional Andean villages, we will make our first stop at Carhuas (2650m), to enjoy a delicious homemade ice-cream and authentic ecological handcrafts (in el abuelo handcrafts shop). We will continue our travel up to the Cashapampa, where our donkey drivers will be waiting for us. From there, we will start hiking for 5 to 6 hours to reach our first camp, Llamacorral. Overnight camping at 3760m.

Day 02: Llamacorral – Jatuncocha – Taullipampa (4,250m/13,943ft)

After breakfast, we will begin a 2h hike, that will take us to the turquoise lakes of Ichiccocha and Jatuncocha. Then we will head to the beautiful site of Quisuar, and from here we will continue hiking for about 1 hour to reach the viewpoint of Alpamayo. From there we will enjoy great views of the mountains of Alpamayo, Quitaraju, Artesonraju, Paron and Aguja. We will hike another 1h to get to our second campsite, Taullipampa. Overnight camping at 4250m.

Day 03: Taullipampa – Punta Union Pass (4,750m/15,583ft) – Cachinapampa (3,800m/12,467ft)

After breakfast, at 8am, we will hike for 3h to reach the Punta Union Pass (4750m). We will have lunch at a site with breathtaking views. Then we will hike down for about 4-5h to the camp of Cachinapampa. Overnight camping at 3800m.

Day 04: Cachinapampa – Vaqueria – Paccharuri (4,100m/13,451ft)

After breakfast, we will hike for about 2h30 to Vaqueria. From there, we will start our ascent passing by a beautiful Quenual trees forest, where we may get to see the condor of the Cordillera Blanca. It will take us about 3h to reach the camp of Paccharuri, where we will enjoy a great view of the mount Chopicalqui. Overnight camping at 4100m. 

Day 05: Paccharuri – Portachuelo Pass (4,770m/15,645ft) – Cebollapampa (3,900m/12,795ft)

After breakfast, at 8am, we will start a 3h hike to Portachuelo Pass (4770m). We will take our lunch break there and enjoy great views of the mountains around: Huascaran, Huandoys, Pisco, and Chacraraju, among others. We will then hike down for about 2 hours to reach our next camp, Cebollapampa. Overnight camping at 3900m.

Day 06: Cebollapampa – Pisco Base Camp – Moraine Camp (4,850m/15,912ft)

After breakfast, at 8am, we will hike for about 3h30 and reach Base Camp. There we will have lunch and enjoy great views over: Huandoys, Chacraraju, Pisco and Chopicalqui. We will prepare our equipments to carry up to Moraine camp. We will leave around 1pm, and walk over the moraine for about 3h. We will reach the Moraine camp around 4pm, have an early dinner and get some good rest for the next day. Overnight camping at 4850m.

Day 07: Moraine Camp – Pisco summit (5,750m/18,864) – Base Camp (4,400m/14,435ft)

We will have an early breakfast, and start our ascent at 4am. We will reach the glacier after about 1h, and get ourselves equip with our climbing gear. We will start climbing up to the Pisco Summit (5750m). After 1 hour, we will get to a quite difficult 40m section (50°). Then we will have another 2h30 climb up to the summit. We will be rewarded at the top with breathtaking views of lake 69, as well as of the mountains of: Artesonraju, Alpamayo, Caraz, Huascaran, Chopicalqui, Yanapaccha, Chacraraju, Brogui, and Huandoys (among others). We will then head back down to the Moraine Camp, where the porters will be waiting for us. We will continue to hike down to base Camp, arriving around 4pm. Overnight Camping at 4400m.

Day 08: Base Camp – Llanganuco – Huaraz

After our last breakfast, we will hike back down to Cebollapampa, where our bus driver will be waiting for us. We will drive back to Huaraz, passing again by Llanganuco lake, the Huascaran national Park control, then Yungay, and the route along the Callejon de Huaylas on the south side. Estimated arrival time in Huaraz: 5pm. Transfer to your hotel.