High Sierra Topix

We've done the Inca trail to Machu Picchu, and loved it. Now we're interested in going back to Peru for more hiking/trekking.


Does anyone have any suggested trips, regions or companies we should consider? Looking at Huaraz, Arequipa...

A friend Who is finishing two years in the Peace Corps down there highly recommended the Santa Cruz trek as being more enjoyable (for her) than Machu Picchu.


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A friend of mine, and her husband, went on 2 REI trips to Peru, one to the Amazon
and the other to Machu Picchu, and they loved both.

This is an easy one. Read the book, Touching the Void, about a mountaineering accident that occurred in the Cordillera Huayhuash a few decades ago. Then, rent the movie of the same name. It's the best mountaineering movie ever made, probably. Very true to the book, with breathtaking cinematography.

In an editorial note to the latest edition of Touching the Void, one of the two authors/mountaineers states that after all these years of mountaineering all over the world - Europe, Himalayas, North America, everywhere - he still considers the Cordilerra Huayhuash the most beautiful mountain range he has ever been to.

- Elizabeth

Thanks Elizabeth. I think "Touching the Void" would be the perfect prescription for something that would convince my wife to immediately go somewhere else! grin.

Have you been to the Huayhaush? Can you recommend a particular route or guide service?

We're also looking at the nearby Cordillera Blanca...

There is one main trekking route in the Huayhuash, which is basically a circumnavigation of the range. That loop is about 100 km (if I remember correctly) depending on where you start and end and usually people take about 10 days to do it. Due to that and the fact that it is more remote than the Cordillera Blanca (it's about a 4 hour drive from Huaraz), it is more of a commitment to do a Huayhuash trek. However, it is an extremely beautiful and impressive mountain range.

This is one of the campsites along the trek:


This is the view from another place you might camp:


You might even see a sunset like this:


I would highly recommend going with a guide. During the trek, men from the local villages will approach you and in some cases require payment for camping in various areas. If you go with a guide, he will deal with all of that. I arranged my trip through Adventures Within Reach, who just basically arrange for a local guide to meet you in Huaraz. I wouldn't particularly recommend them, but there are multiple potential options you can find on the Internet.

Hi Dschmierer,

Welcome to HST! Thank you for chiming in and helping a fellow HST member!
We would love to see a full trip report with pictures, if you have the time to post
one here.

Hey there you might want to contact Jan at http://www.salcantay.com/english/contact.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, hes a world class old school mountaineer that started this hostel a while back. He has several trips you might be interested including trips to around Salcantay and a one of a kind trip from Choquequirao to Machu Pichu. Had lots of fun out there about 8 years ago, lots to do put there.

Hello,

assuming you're not reluctant to French (both the language and the people), here's a link to a small guide company created by Peru enthusiasts : http://www.treks-perou.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.
Worst case you may just scroll around for ideas, they have some nice "off-the-beaten-path" trails.

Have a nice trip!