Full Program

SANTA CRUZ – CORDILLERA BLANCA 4 DAY TREK
Peru’s Cordillera Blanca or ‘White Mountains’ are a range aptly named. A chain of towering glacial
teeth, this range, together with the Cordillera Huayhuash just to the South constitute not only Peru’s Highest Mountains but also the highest mountains and the largest area of permanent glaciers
within the World’s Tropical Zone. The Cordillera Blanca boasts more than 20 peaks over 6000m in
altitude, including the vast bulk of Huascaran, at 6786m the highest peak in the country. For trekkers who are relatively new to walking in the Andes or have limited time, but nevertheless wish to
fully experience one of world’s most impressive mountain environments this classic Santa Cruz
Trekking Tour is difficult to better.
In the heart of the mountain range the steep sided walls of the massive Santa Cruz valley lead
upwards to the treks high point, the Punta Union Pass at 4750m. Views of spectacular peaks are
a constant on this trek – and we’ll have time to have a close look at Alpamayo, its perfect 5947m
form considered to be one of the world’s most beautiful mountains, Artesonraju (6025m) and Santa
Cruz (6259m) among many others. On our return trip from the hike we travel by bus from the village Vaqueria, stopping at the spectacular luminous blue Llanganuco Lakes nestled in a valley in
the shadow of Huascaran itself.
Day 1 – Huaraz to Llamacorral (L,D).
The city of Huaraz, within sight of the mountains and easily accessible from Lima is our
base for hiking in the region. At around 7am
you will be picked up from your hotel by representatives of Machete Tours and our adventure in the mountains will begin. Using a private
bus we travel for around 3 hours to our trailhead located near the village of Cashapampa.
On the way we stop to take in the remains of Yungay town, a community that was completely buried by a huge mudslide following an earthquake
in 1970. This tragedy cost more than 20000 lives
and is a sobering reminder of the power of nature and these great mountains that dominate the
landscape below. Arriving in Cashapampa we our
met our Santa Cruz Trekking Tour team of muleteers and their animals. While our camping equipment and food is being loaded onto the mules
we prepare and begin hiking up the huge Santa
Cruz valley. Walking for 4 to 5 hours we come
to our campsite around 2 – 3pm. Camp should
already to set up by our team, and after having
lunch we’re free to rest and enjoy the stunning
scenery and tranquillity of the Cordillera Blanca!
Dinner will be served and we will camp beneath
the stars.
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Day 2 – Llamacorral to Taullipampa (B,L,D).
Waking to magnificent landscapes surrounding
us we have breakfast between 8.30 – 9.30 am,
pack our gear and begin our hike towards our
next campsite of Taullipampa. Walking along the
shores of the spectacular glacier lakes of Ichi Cochal and Jatun Cocha we divert our route for a
short but spectacular side trek up the Arhuaycocha Valley. This spectacular valley allows us to
get up close and personal with South America’s
most beautiful mountains, the stunning peak of
Alpamayo – the Matterhorn of the western hemisphere! Views of Quitaraju are also impressive.
Continuing our hike we arrive on a flat plain and
our camp at around 3 or 4 pm. This camp is at
high altitude, around 4200m, and our tasty dinner
will be appreciated. Camping relatively high on
the mountain will help in the accent of the Punta
Union pass the following day – a coming challenge and highlight!
Day 3 – Taulipampa to Cachinapampa (B,L,D).
Daybreak brings our assault on the incredible
Punta Union Pass at 4750m. Hiking steadily upwards we should reach the Santa Cruz Trekking
Tour highest summit crest after around 2 – 3 hours.
Views are stunning in all directions and we stop to
rest, take photos and take in a vista that is breathtaking, both physically and spiritually. Views of
5830m peak of Taulliraju are particularly impressive, rising as it does directly above Punta Union.
On the far side of the pass we gradually descend
past lovely glacial lakes into another great mountain valley and our final campsite Cachinapampa.
We arrive at our 3800m campsite at 2 or 3 pm.
Day 4 – Cachinapampa to Huaraz (B).
Walking through this remote mountain valley we
pass many small homesteads of the local indigenous people. These families survive in the harsh
environment of mountains much as they have
done for centuries. We may cross paths with locals herding animals up the valley and in such
circumstances it’s the animals that always have
right of way! Reaching the small community of Vaqueria we meet with our bus and begin our road
journey back to Huaraz – but not before crossing
the magnificent 4760m Portachuelo de Llanganuco Pass and getting some more cracking photos
of the Llanganuco Lakes and mighty Huascaran
towering over the valley floor! In the late afternoon
we will arrive in Huaraz with some great photos
and memories to match!. End of our:
Santa Cruz Trekking Tour Service.
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Prices:
Price per person sharing a double room accommodation: US$: 560.Single room supplement: US$: 90.
What is included
Staff/Crew
• Bilingual certified guide. Mules and friendly local mule drivers transport our camping and trekking gear,
plus a small of personal gear per client (10kg). Our professional trail cook provides excellent nutritious
meals throughout our trip. Our guides carry first aid kits, a satellite phone and an oxygen bottle in case
of any medical emergencies. A well rested horse is provided to ensure transport of clients in the case of
emergencies.
Accommodation
• Good quality tents, self inflating sleeping mattresses, sleeping bags rated down to -10̊ C, dining tent
with camping table and chairs.
Local Tours and Activities
• As specified in the description above. Entrance to Huascaran National Park is included.
Transport
• Private bus transport to the trail head and back to Huaraz as specified in the itinerary.
Meals
Excellent nutritious meals will be provided by the cook while on the trek (if you have specific dietary
requirements or would prefer vegetarian options please specify this when booking the tour). While on the
trek is very important to maintain a balanced diet due to physical effort involved. A good balance of proteins and carbohydrates are provided in all our meals, for example a normal breakfast would include oats
or cereal, milk, eggs, bread, butter, jam and hot chocolate. Breakfast on the first day and dinner on the
last day after returning to Huaraz are not provided. See itinerary for additional details:
• B = Breakfast,
• L = Lunch,
• D = Dinner.
Things to Bring
Note: On this trek mules will carry up to 10 kg of personal gear per client, so please try and keep baggage
to a minimum.
• A good strong day back (around 30 litres is a reasonable size)
• Good hiking boots.
• Sandals for relaxing around camp at night. Wind and water proof jacket (Gore-Tex is good)
• Water bottle. Water purifying tablets
• Camera (water proof case is useful)
• Extra batteries for camera
• Extra money for your own expenses – dollars are easily exchanged, there are ATM’s in major cities and
travelers checks are a secure method of carrying funds
• A photocopy of your passport/travel documents
• A copy of your travel insurance
• Mosquito repellent (DEET is good)
• Sun block. Sunglasses
• Sunhat
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Binoculars (good for wildlife watching!)
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What is not Included
• Travel Insurance is not included – a good policy covering all tour activities and possible health emergencies is highly recommended and should be considered a priority.
• Some money for staff tips (generally expected in Peru, although not essential).
• Alcoholic beverages
Regional/Country Information
Weather/Altitude/Geography/Temperature.
Weather: May to October is generally considered the dry season (best time to visit) in the Peruvian Mountains and Jungle; however it can be cool and misty on the Peruvian coast at this time of year. Altitude
means that even within the tropics it can be very cold high up (above 2000m) – bring warm cloths and light
clothes for lower, more tropical parts of the tour. Temperatures can range from below freezing in the highlands to around 35 ̊C in the tropical lowlands. On arrival in high altitude areas clients should drink plenty of
water and relax for the first couple of days until fully acclimatized.
Culture/language.
Peru possesses a mix of both Colonial European and Indigenous Cultures. Indigenous groups generally
form the poorer part of society, and there is sometimes tension regarding these inequalities. Spanish is
almost universally spoken, with the Indigenous Languages of Quechua, Aymara and other languages used
within ethnic groups.
Food.
A wide range of interesting dishes are available throughout Peru. One of Peru’s most famous dishes is ceviche, a raw fish dish marinated in Lemon Juice. Fish dishes in the Amazon basin can be equally excellent.
Peru is the home of the potato – so just remember that when munching some chips at your local restaurant!
In the mountains an excellent potato based dish to try is papa a la huancaina, potatoes topped with a spicy
milk and cheese sauce. A wide variety of soaps are also available, and you can also try an Alpaca steak at
a top Peruvian grill. A wide range of international dishes are also available in larger cities.
Health/precautions.
Walks undertaken on this rainforest trip are generally easy, although hot conditions can make walks tiring.
This tour should be well within the abilities of anyone in reasonable physical health. Don’t drink tap water –
purify or buy bottled water. Consult your doctor for the latest advice regarding regional health risks/immunisations. Although a generally safe country, always be aware of the possibilities of theft/robbery – consult
local staff for further information.
Machete Tours Contact details/emergency phone number.
Cusco office phone: +51 84 224829
Lima office phone: +51 96415 0238
24 Hour emergency numbers:
Europe phone: +46 760461860 (Sweden)
Peru phone: +51 984226912 (Cusco)
ronald@machetetours.com www.machetetours.com
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