Santa Cruz Trek is the classic and popular trekking circuit in the Cordillera Blanca and one of the most beautiful in the Andes. This short 4-day trek features spectacular mountain views, clear turquoise lakes, native flora and fauna, and the challenging Punta Union Pass (4,750m high) with its magnificent view.
Along the trail of the Santa Cruz Trek, you can enjoy the views of Chacraraju peak, Taulliraju peak also called «The cathedral of the world» for its shape, also the Artesonraju peak known for the famous cinematographic logo «Paramount Picture», and the Alpamayo peak known as the most beautiful mountain in the world.
Santa Cruz Trek, is a beautiful and accessible hike for anyone with a basic physical condition. It is an excellent trek to acclimatize before climbing five thousand mountains in the Cordillera Blanca.
Huaraz (Google Map)
5:00 am (pick up at your hotel)
Participants must be in good physical condition to join this trek. Andean Raju Expeditions recommends previous and constant preparation as a crucial factor to take on this challenge, then, the physical stress caused by the trekking days will be minimized.
We strongly advise all participants to have an adequate outdoor training plan and short hikes with gradual demands.
If you would like our advice, we can provide you a training plan after evaluation of your experience in hiking and sporting activity.
Participants should have experience in altitude the last 2 to 3 days prior to the start of this trek, which ensures adequate acclimatization and conditioning of the body to the altitude. It is recommended to stay above 3,000 meters above sea level.
We suggest acclimatizing in Wilcacocha or Churup lakes before starting the trek.
Our expedition starts in Huaraz, we will pick you up at your hotel with private transportation. We will go north through the Huaylas valley to Yungay then continue to Huascaran National Park to check in and pass through Llanganuco canyon while visualizing the turquoise lakes Orconcocha and Chinancocha. Then we will go up the road until we reach the beautiful viewpoint Portachuelo Pass, where we will stop to enjoy the visual domain of Huascaran, Chopicalqui, Huandoys, Pisco, and all the turquoise lakes that compose the far Llanganuco valley. Finally, we will continue to Vaquería village, this is the place where we will begin Santa Cruz Trek. Vaqueria village is where the donkey drivers and donkeys are waiting to assist us with the transportation of logistical equipment to the camp. Finally, 3 hours after walking from Vaqueria village, we will arrive at Paria Camp.
Lodging: Mountain tents.
Meals: Box lunch, lunch, tea time and dinner.
Transfer by car: 3 hours
Estimated trekking time: 4 to 5 hours
Elevation gain: +770 m (3,100 masl to 3,870 masl)
On the second day, we will hike uphill to Punta Union Pass (4750 m). From this pass we will have an awesome viewpoint of the snowy mountains: Taulliraju (known as the Cathedral of the World), Artesonraju (known as the mountain of the Paramount Picture), Rinrijirca, Paria and Quitaraju. We will go down for approximately 2 hours to Taullipampa camp, this is the highest camp of the whole circuit. In the afternoon, you can rest or take pictures of the landscape. When dinner time arrives, we will eat and rest to continue with the next day’s journey.
Lodging: Mountain tents.
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, lunch, tea time and dinner.
Estimated trekking time: 7 to 8 hours
Elevation gain: +880/-500 (3,870 masl to 4,750 masl)
On our third trekking day we will hike to the Alpamayo mountain viewpoint and to the Arhuaycocha lake, after 1 hour of hiking we will enjoy the view of the Alpamayo peak and the silhouette of the Artesonraju peak, the famous «Paramount Picture». At this point, if you do not feel in good condition you may choose to descend and continue to the next camp, one of our assistants will be responsible for guiding you. Those who feel well and in good condition will continue for another 2 hours to the Arhuaycocha lake, the road is through a plain to the base camp of Nevado Alpamayo, at this place there is a change of slope in the form of zigzag until you reach the lake where we will stay for a time to rest, hydrate and take pictures.
Finally we go back down the same ravine until we reach the viewpoint of Alpamayo, continue to the Quebrada Santa Cruz, surround the lake Hatuncocha (large lake) and is in this place we will have lunch.
After a short rest we continue our hike until we reach our campsite in Llamacorral, in the afternoon you will have time to rest or take pictures of the surrounding landscape and the beautiful sunset that can be seen in the Taulliraju peak.
Lodging: Mountain tents.
Meals: Breakfast, box lunch, tea time, lunch and dinner.
Estimated trekking time: 7 to 8 hours
Elevation gain: +500 m (4,250 masl to 3,750 masl)
The end of our trek has arrived, we will wake you up in the early hours of the morning. As every day, we wake you up with a hot drink and we will provide you warm water for your personal cleanliness. At 7:00 a.m. we will begin our day’s trek to the Cashapampa village.
On the way down the Quebrada Santa Cruz you will see a constant change in the vegetation. Finally, we will arrive at the Cashapampa village, the transport will be waiting for us at this place to transport us to the city of Huaraz.
Lodging: Mountain tents.
Meals: Breakfast
Hiking time: 4 hours
Transportation by car: 2 hours back to Huaraz.
Elevation gain: -650 (3,750 masl to 3,100 masl)
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