13-day Trek from Santa Cruz to Ulta in the Andes, Peru
Join IFMGA-certified mountain guide Cesar Vargas for an unforgettable 13 days trekking in the wild beauty of the Peruvian Andes
Private
Andes
13 Days
Apr - Nov
High
Intermediate
Highlights
- Traverse vast wild landscapes of the Andes at altitudes reaching 4860m
- Visit glacial mountain lakes, hot springs, lush valleys and more
- Leave modernity behind explore untamed lands through Cesar's intimate knowledge
Description
This trek from Santa Cruz to Ulta is based in and around Huascaran National Park in the spectacular Andes of Peru. The trek begins in Huaripampa valley and terminates in the Ulta Valley within the national park. On route you will pass Punta Union located at 4700m and also Punta Yanayacu at 4860m. Our final camp is close to an old avalanche site and along the trek will we visit glacial lakes, hot springs and enjoy some of the most breathtaking mountain vistas on the planet.
Cordillera Blanca is the mountain range that comprises the Huascaran National Park, well known for its high altitude hiking. The national park contains Peru’s highest peak, Herado Huascaran Sur (6768m), which we will dominate the horizon during our trek. Our hike will encompass many flat valleys perfect of hiking that allow one to take in the surroundings.
I can’t wait to share this stunning landscape with you, I have an intimate knowledge of the region and it is my privilege to guide you through its wild and majestic lands. Our trekking route goes through almost pristine terrain with hardly any settlements or other people along the way so we can leave modernity behind!
At this altitude one needs to be quite fit and with an adequate level of endurance. You will spend some time acclimitising to the conditions, however it’s not recommended that you join this trip as a beginner. To get here you will take a 50 minute flight from Lima and arrive in Huaraz.
Sign up now and I’ll be waiting to guide you on this unforgettable journey across some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world.
If you have less time available, join me instead on a dramatic 7 day trek in the nearby Cordillera Huayhuash . Or if you are looking to summit the highest peak in Peru then consider this adventure of a 7 day ascent on mount Huascaran.
Price includes
- Guiding fee
Itinerary
Day 1: Lima - Huaraz
This day will involve your transfer flight from Lima to Huaraz
Day 2: Acclimitisation Day
This day will be spent in Huaraz (3050m) to acclimitise to the altitude before trekking begins
Day 3: Huaraz - Caraz - Hualcayan
Our first day of trekking sees us depart Huaraz, pass through Caraz and reach Hualcayan at 3250m
Day 4: Hualcayan - Huishcash
From Hualcayan we will climb higher to Huishcash at 4400
Day 5: Huishcash - Cullicocha
On day 5 we will move from Huishcash to Cullicocha lake, then onto the Pass at 4780m, finally we’ll descend a few hundred meters to Osoruri at 4430m.
Day 6: Osoruri - Oso ruri Pass - Jankarurish
From Osoruri we head to Osoruri pass at 4670m and then down to Jankarurish at 4200m.
Day 7: Jankarurish - Alpamayo - Jankarurish
This day we will move up the our highest altitude of 4850m at Moraine camp of Alpamayo. We can then head back to Jankarurish or hav the day off to relax.
Day 8: Jankarurish - Kara Kara pass - Huillca
After Jankarurish we will visit Kara Kara Pass at 4830m and then descend to Huillca at 4200m.
Day 9: Huillca - Yanajanka Pass - Jankapampa
Day 9 will see us head from Huillca to Yanajanka at 4560m and then onto Yankapampa at 4250m
Day 10: Jankapampa - Huecrococha
From Jankapampa we will head to Tupa Tupa pass at 4400m and thenn on to Huecrococha at 4200m.
Day 11: Huecrococha - Paria
Next up we will leave Huecrococha for Puka Raju pass at 4650m and then descend to Paria at 3950m.
Day 12: Paria - Huaraz
Our last day of hiking will have us descend from Paria down to Huaraz stopping at Vaqueria on route.
Day 13: Huaraz - Lima
Your final day of the trip will see you take your transfer flight from Huaraz back to Lima.
About the guide
Cesar
Mountain Guide
IFMGA/UIAGM Mountain Guide from Perú
I started working on the mountains when I was still a college student, working in climbing and trekking tours.
This early passion quickly developed into a profession, for climbing and trekking in the Andes. I learned with experienced German, Canadian and Swiss guides, among others.
I like to share my experience and expertise acquired in expeditions around the world, and show visitors the beauty of the Peruvian Andes in the Cordillera Blanca, and all along my country.
I am a certified IFMGA-UIAGM mountain guide and member of the Association of Mountain Guides of Peru (AGMP).
I speak Spanish, English and Quechua.
Languages
| English
Certificates
AGMP
What people are saying about Explore-Share
Man
Climbing with guide Guillaume was absolutely a highlight of my 2-week Europe vacation. Originally, we were planning on climbing in the Calanques, but the park was closed due to wind and fire danger. Guillaume chose another amazing location (Pic de Bretagne) based on my climbing abilities and preferences and kindly offered train station pick-up and hotel drop off, which I appreciated very much. The multi-pitch route we did was not only fun but also the right amount of challenge, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The communication from the team (Gauthier) was prompt and clear—highly recommend!
Maxine
Luis Silva was a great climbing guide and belayer! He taught me how to do moves that were difficult and encouraged me to try routes that were challenging for me! Because of his encouragement, I managed to complete these routes! I really enjoyed the climbs and completed 8 routes in the Sesimbra/Azoia area. The weather was perfect, no direct sun and cool enough to enjoy the climbs. Explore-Share made booking an outdoor climbing experience in Lisbon extremely easy. Luis, our guide, was fantastic, and the platform’s organization was flawless.
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Joshua
We had Léo as a guide for our day climb in Fonty. We were blessed with a knowledgeable, warm, and instructive guide. Communication with Léo and Ivan was smooth and swift. Explore-Share was excellent in arranging everything for our day climb. The communication was quick, and the platform was easy to use, making our adventure stress-free.
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4.8
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