Grade
Trek
variation A is graded “C”, and
we have classified it as moderate to strenuous. It features several
long steep ascents and descents with, typically, 8 hours walking per
day.
Consequently,
a good standard of walking fitness is required.
Trek variation B, featuring the ascent of the Pisco
snow peak, is graded “D”, and we have classified it as strenuous
because the summit day is long and physically demanding.
In
order to get the most out of either trek variation, you
should
be in good physical condition. We recommend you prepare for this
tour with regular and appropriate exercise. Experience of hill
walking in rugged terrain would be useful, particularly for
variation B. On the fully supported trek
(variations
A & B), all personal belongings other than a daypack are carried
for you.
Climate
Peru
is located entirely within the tropics, but the climate varies
significantly according to season and geography.
Coast:
May to October, damp
and misty but very little rain. Average day/night temperature in Lima
20°C /13°C. December to March, warm and sunny.
Highlands:
May to October, generally sunny days and chilly evenings. Best time
for walking in the mountains. (Average day/night temperatures in
Huaraz are approximately 21°C I 4-7°C, but in camp at higher
altitudes, night temperatures can drop well below freezing at night.
During the day, the sun is very strong. December to
March rainy season.
Included
Return
flights to Lima, experienced mountain guide on trek and climb,
services of a tour leader throughout, all transport while in Peru, all
meals while on trek, accommodation and pack animals to transport
luggage and equipment while trekking.
Not Included
Passport,
visa, insurance, immunization fees, meals when not camping, other than
breakfasts (budget £5 per meal without drinks), any personal
spending, airport taxes. Any optional excursions such as rafting or
mountain biking. Climbing equipment rental, if required (budget
approximately £40 for hire of crampons, plastic boots, ice axe and
harness).
Accommodation
Hotel
accommodation in large towns is usually in twin rooms with private
facilities. When camping on trek, we use two-person mountain tents.
Meals are prepared by our local cook.
Altitude
Shortness
of breath is normal when first arriving at altitude.
Acclimatisation time is built into this tour programme. The
highest point on the trek is 4,900 metres (trek variation A)
and
5,750
metres (trek variation B). Camps are located between 3,750m and
4,650m.
Visas
A
visa is not currently required by UK citizens visiting Peru, however
your passport should be valid for at least six months after your date
of travel. Non-British passport holders should check their visa
requirements with the Peruvian Consulate.
All
requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before
departure.
Vaccinations
We
recommend up to date diphtheria, polio and tetanus
or tetanus booster. These three are effective for ten years.
Yellow
fever if
you are going to lowland jungle areas (not effective until ten days
after inoculation; not recommended for pregnant women). This is also
effective for ten years.
Anti-malarial
protection
(if going on a jungle trip below 1,500 metres; not needed for
high-altitude treks). Peru has chloroquine-resistant strains of
malaria and it is important that you follow the prophylactic regime
carefully. In the UK phone the Malaria Reference Laboratory (tel: 0891
600 350) for the latest information. North Americans should contact
the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta (tel: 404 332 4559). Ensure
that you consider avoidance of bites too and pack repellent and long
loose clothes.
‘Havrix’
for Hepatitis A. The course of two injections protects you for
ten years. Gamma globulin is cheaper but less effective.
Typhoid
vaccine is recommended by some doctors although it will not provide
total protection and being careful about what you eat and drink is
your best defence. It is given in two shots, four weeks apart and
lasts for three years. Unless at exceptional risk, people over the age
of 35 who have received four or more courses of typhoid immunisation
need no more.
A
pre-exposure rabies vaccination is worth considering if you are
going to be in contact with animals or more than 24 hours away from a
reliable source of vaccine. Hikers are at some risk from rural dogs,
certain of which carry rabies, and those visiting coastal or
rainforest areas could be exposed to rabid bats.
Personal Expenses
For
your own personal expenses we recommend you carry funds in US dollars
cash (mixed denomination, unmarked and undamaged bank notes) to change
into local currency. We also recommend you carry a cash card, as a
variety of ATM (‘hole-in-the-wall’)
machines are available in Lima and Huaraz. Credit card
purchases often incur a fee.
Regarding
US dollar travellers cheques: These can be changed in larger towns -
typically incurring commission rates of between 2 or 3% - but note
that in Huaraz, they can only be changed in banks and that bank
opening hours are limited.
The
cost of the tour includes all meals while on the trek and breakfasts
in towns. You will need money to cover: other meals, snacks and drinks
(approximately 30-50% cheaper than Europe), airport tax ($28 departure
tax from Peru), optional excursions (rafting $30, mountain biking
$30), hire of climbing equipment (see Luggage below), entrance
fees, tips, laundry, handicrafts etc.
Tipping
is a normal part of life in Latin America. Local staff on trekking and
jungle expeditions often look to group members for recognition of
their services. For this tour, we recommend you allow approx US$40 for
tipping.
Flights
We
use scheduled flights to Lima, usually Iberia (via Madrid), or KLM
(via Amsterdam). You will notice that the departure days differ
depending on the tour date. The reason departure days vary is that the
moon’s phase often has a
pronounced influence on climate in the Peruvian Andes;
departures have been timed to optimize the chances of good weather.
We
can also quote “Land Only” prices for those who will be travelling
independently to Peru, or will be out there already.
Insurance
You
must have insurance to cover you against medical expenses and
repatriation. Please ensure your insurance covers all the activities
you will be participating in, including trekking, mountain biking,
climbing and white-water rafting, if applicable. Please send us a copy
of your policy as soon as possible if you are not taking our
insurance.
Luggage
You
will need to bring a main piece of lockable luggage, which will be
left in the hotel in Huaraz while you are trekking. For your trek you
should re-pack into a kit bag, holdall or rucksack (a soft bag). This
will contain your sleeping bag, changes of clothes, spare footwear,
toiletries etc and will be transported by horse or donkey. You will
also require a daypack of at least thirty-litre capacity, for carrying
your camera, water, waterproofs and spare clothes, sun protection,
first aid kit, and other items you may need during the day. NB. A
camping mat is provided.
Trekking
variation B: For the ascent of Pisco you will need:
Plastic boots or four-season leather boots suitable for step-in or
strap-on crampons, crampons, harness and ice axe. These can be hired
in Huaraz, for approximately £40 (5 days hire). Advise us as early as
possible so that items can be reserved. Also essential are gaiters,
head torch, gloves/mittens and ‘goggle’ sunglasses.
Books
Of
all the guide books, the Footprint Peru Handbook is one of the
best all-round guides, Bradt’s Trekking in Peru and Bolivia
is the best for descriptions of treks, while the Insight Guide:
Peru provides perhaps the best insight into what makes the country
tick (excellent features on cultural issues, current affairs, Peruvian
society etc). For a great Peru-related adventure story, we recommend
the award winning Touching the Void by Joe Simpson, in which he
describes his epic retreat from Mount Siula Grande in the Cordillera
Huayhuash. Cut
Stones and Crossroads
by Ronald Wright is an excellent travel book with fascinating
archaeological and contemporary insights. Peru, The Ecotravellers
Wildlife Guide by David L Pearson and Les Beletsky is a very good
wildlife guidebook, and especially useful if going into the Amazon.
Famous contemporary Peruvian novelists with highly recommended work
(available in English): Mario Vargas Llosa and Alfredo Bryce Echenique.
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Outline
Itinerary
The
following itinerary is intended as a working guide only and is subject
to
variation as a result of local conditions, weather and government
restrictions.
We
reserve the right to alter (lengthen or shorten) the trek at any time
if necessary.
l000m
= 3281ft. 1km = 0.62
miles
q
Day
1:
Fly from
London to Lima. You will be met from your group flight at the airport
and taken to the Lima hotel. (1 night hotel)
q
Day
2:
We leave Lima early by public bus for a fascinating journey of
contrasts ending amid the high Andes at the highland city of Huaraz.
We begin by heading north through the coastal desert as far as
Pativilca, then turn inland and climb northeast into the Andes. We
follow the Fortaleza valley, its cultivated riverbanks contrasting
dramatically with the barren mountainsides. Cactus scrub gives way to
denser vegetation and then puna grassland
as we ascend to the highest point on our drive, Conococha (4,050
metres). We turn north into the Callejon de Huaylas and enter a world
of snow peaks as the Cordillera Blanca begins to dominate the
landscape. We reach Huaraz (3,090 metres) late in the afternoon and
check into our hotel. (3 nights hotel)
q
Day
3-4:
A bustling town of 80,000 inhabitants, Huaraz is surrounded by the
imposing scenery of the Callejón de Huaylas. It is also an ideal base
for exploration of the region. Callejon de Huaylas is the name given
to the main Santa Valley, which is flanked by the Cordillera Blanca to
the east and the Cordillera Negra to the west. It rates as one of the
finest ranges for mountain scenery anywhere in the Andes, with the
Cordillera Blanca boasting the greatest concentration of
6,000-metre-plus peaks anywhere outside the Himalayas. From Huaraz
itself there are great vistas of nearby Mounts Vallunaraju (5,686m)
and Ranrapalca (6,162m) and, to the north, the imposing forms of
Huascarán
(6,768m) and Huandoy (6,395m).
Over the next two days, while acclimatising to the altitude before our
trek, we have the opportunity to explore this fascinating region.
Besides its magnificent scenery, the Callejon offers towns and
villages with lively produce markets, thermal springs and pre-lnca
archaeology. One of the oldest and most remarkable sites in South
America, the remote 3,000-year-old cult centre of Chavin de Huántar,
can be reached by bus (a long day’s excursion from Huaraz), and the
nearby Huari-Tiahuanaco site of Wilkawain is a walk away from Huaraz.
White-water rafting on the Santa River or a half-day’s mountain
biking in the Cordillera Negra are also options.
We also plan an acclimatisation hike to the sapphire-coloured Lake
Churup, set in a beautiful amphitheatre below the snowpeak Churup
(5,495m), near Huaraz.
q
Day
5:
Today we embark on our eight-day trek. The drive to the trailhead
takes us north through some magnificent landscapes. Leaving the Santa
Valley at Caraz (2,290m) we continue to Cashapampa (2,900m) where we
start the trek. We begin with a gradual ascent of the Santa Cruz
valley. By mid-afternoon the valley levels out and, at Llamacorral, we
set up our camp. (8 nights camping, all meals)
q
Day
6: Today
we pass the lakes of Laguna Chica and Laguna Grande as we gradually
ascend the Santa Cruz valley, the magnificent peak of Taulliraju
looming large up ahead. We can take a detour to the Arhuaycocha
valley for views of, among
others, Artesonraju (6,025m) and Alpamayo (5,947m); the latter was
voted the world’s most beautiful mountain in a 1960s magazine poll.
We descend to Taullipamapa, where we camp surrounded by spectacular
snow peaks.
q
Day
7:
This morning the ascent becomes steeper as we zigzag across morainic
screes beneath the glaciers of Taulliraju. An awesome panorama unfolds
as we approach the pass of Punta Union (4,750m). We take in an array
of peaks, including Artesonraju (6,025m), and Pucajirca (6050m). We
descend to a plateau, past several tarns and descend the Huaripampa
Valley on a long approach to tonight’s camp.
q
Day
8:
Today we resume our descent via the small village of Colcabamba, then
late morning we ascend to the road head at Vaqueria, where trekking itineraries A and B diverge
Variation
A (May and August 2006 departures):
From
the Vaqueria road head, we continue on Day 8 to the Ichic Ulta
valley and camp at Molinopampa, at the base of Contrahierbas.
q
Day
9:
Today is free for further exploration or relaxation. You may fancy
heading in our re-supply vehicle to the pass at Portachuelo de
Llanganuco (4,767m) for outstanding views of Huascarán (at 6,768m
Peru’s highest peak), Huandoy and the Llanganuco lakes. From the
pass there are also spectacular views of the peaks of Chacraraju,
Chopicalqui (6,354m) and others. Alternatively, you may wish to
explore the Shantoq valley, which can be reached by foot from the
Ichic Ulta camp.
q
Day
10:
Today we ascend the dramatic Ichic Ulta Valley, with fine views of the
impressive Mount Contrahierbas (6,036m). Tonight’s high camp (Valancha,
4,500m) is on a small plateau high above the lchik Ulta Valley and
lake Yanacocha. Our camp provides a great vantage point as seracs come
crashing off the glaciated flanks of Contrahierbas.
q
Day
11:
We ascend a
series of zigzags on an ancient trading path, sometimes in the company
of condors which nest nearby. Our target, a distant nick in the
seemingly insurmountable rock face up ahead, is Punta Yanayacu pass
(4,900m), the highest point on the trek. We get there by means of a
path cut into the mountainside. From the pass the immense forms of
Chopicalqui’s south face (6,354m) and Huascarán
dominate the view to the west. We descend to our camp at Oxapampa, set
amid impressive scenery, with Huascarán dominating the landscape to
the west and the sharp spires of Mount Ulta (5,875m), and Hualcan
(6,122m) to the south. To the east and north Contrahierbas looms
large.
q
Day
12:
Today is
dedicated to a rewarding trip into the Quebrada Matara, a remote side
valley at the foot of Chopicalqui and Huascarán,
which provides some dramatic close-up views of the peaks. Tonight’s
Camp is in the Ulta valley.
Variation
B (July and Sept 06 departures):
From
the Vaqueria road head, on Day 8 we ascend the Morococha valley
and camp at some 4,200m in the shadow of the Yanapaqcha and
Chopicalqui snow peaks.
q
Day
9:
Today’s walk is long but very rewarding. We resume our ascent,
gaining the Portachuelo de Llanganuco pass (4,767m). The awesome
backdrop here and during the long descent to the Quebrada Demanda
comprises several of the Cordillera Blancas highest peaks. These
include Chacraraju (6,00lm), Huandoy (6,395m), and Huascarán.
We descend to the Demanda valley before ascending once more to our
camp near Laguna 69, beneath the towering west face of Chacraraju.
q
Day
10:
Our approach to and ascent of Mount Pisco (5,752m) is made over the
next two days, and hopefully our acclimatisation has served us well.
First we descend to Cebollapampa, then ascend to the Pisco Base Camp
(4,650m).
q
Day
11:
Summit day. Setting off in the wee small hours of the morning, we
cross a broad moranic ‘moonscape’, reach the snow line at about
4,800m and don crampons for the ascent of the glacier. At the col
separating Pisco from Huandoy, we start to negotiate the northern
slopes of Pisco. Late morning should see us on the summit for some of
the most spectacular panoramas in the range. The going is tough, but
effort is amply rewarded by the summit views. Our descent takes us
back to Base Camp for a well-deserved rest.
q
Day
12:
Buffer/Rest day. Camp.
Day
13:
Final day, morning rendezvous with our vehicle in the Ulta valley (Variation
A) or at Cebollapampa (Variation B).
Return
to Huaraz.
Day
14:
We return to the Pacific coast and Lima, by bus. (1
night hotel)
Day
15:
Depart Lima and return flight to London.
Why
not extend your trip with a five-day extension to Cuzco
(archaeological capital of South America), the Sacred
Valley and Machu Picchu. Information in dossier code LAC. Or how about
a five-day Amazon rainforest trip to the Tambopata jungle reserve.
Information in dossier code LAR.
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