Joining the tour On booking, you will be sent the following information: name and
address of Lima hotel, advice on how to get there, time of
rendezvous with tour leader.
Itinerary Details
Note: If circumstances dictate, certain details, such as overnight
stops, may vary from those shown in the day-by-day itinerary below.
Day 1
Join tour in Lima. (1 night hotel)
Day 2
We leave Lima early by public bus for a fascinating journey of
contrasts that will end amid the towering high Andes at the small
highland city of Huaraz. We head north through the coastal desert as
far as Pativilca, then turn inland and begin our climb northeastward
into the Andes.
We follow the Fortaleza valley, the fertile cultivated river banks
contrasting dramatically with the barren mountain sides. Cacti
gradually give way to denser vegetation and then puna grassland as
we ascend to the highest point on our journey, Conococha (4050
metres).
We turn north into the Callejon de Huaylas and enter a different
world, the huge snowpeaks of the Cordillera Blanca dominating the
landscape. We arrive in Huaraz (3090 metres) late afternoon and
check into our hotel. (3 nights hotel)
Day 3-4
A bustling town of 80,000 inhabitants, Huaraz lies amid the
scenic splendour of the Callejon de Huaylas and is the ideal base
from which to explore the region. Callejon de Huaylas is the name
given to the Santa valley, which separates the Cordillera Blanca
from the Cordillera Negra, and rates as one of the finest areas of
South America for its superb mountain panoramas. The Callejon is
bordered to the east by the Cordillera Blanca, the mountain range
with the greatest number of peaks over 6000 metres outside the
Himalayas.
From Huaraz itself one is awestruck by the breathtaking vista of
Mounts Vallunaraju (5686m), Tocllaraju (6034 metres) and Ranrapalca
(6162 metres) towering over the city and, to the north, the gigantic
forms of Huascarán (6768 metres) and Huandoy (6395 metres).
Over the next two days, while acclimatising to the altitude before
our trek, we will have the opportunity to discover the wonders of
this fascinating region. Besides its magnificent scenery, the area
is renowned for its traditional villages with their lively markets
(easily reached by public bus or mountain bike), its thermal
springs, and pre-Inca history. One of the oldest and most remarkable
archaeological sites in all the Andes, the remote 3000 year old cult
centre of Chavin de Huantar, can be reached by bus. The Huari-Tiahuanaco
(pre-Inca) site of Wilkawain is not far from Huaraz.
Day 5-8 Today we embark on our trek and climb. The drive to the trailhead
takes us north through some magical landscapes. Leaving the Santa
valley at Caraz (2290 metres) we continue to Cashapampa (2900
metres) 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.
The second day we pass the lakes of Laguna Chica and Laguna Grande
and begin our ascent towards the first pass, the magnificent peak of
Taulliraju (5830 metres) looming large up ahead. We camp at
Taullipampa surrounded by spectacular mountain views.
We continue the ascent, with a steep zig-zagging climb
across moranic screes, fringing the shores of the turquoise lake of
Taullicocha. The panorama that unfolds as we approach the pass at
Punta Union (4750 metres) is magnificent; the nearby peaks of
Chacraraju (6112 metres), Artesonraju (6025 metres) and Piramide
(5885 metres) as well as Alpamayo (5947 metres), Santa Cruz (6259
metres) and Huandoy (6395 metres) fill the view. We descend into the
Huaripampa valley passing many tarns, to camp at Huaripampa.
Today we continue our descent towards Vaqueria (3700 metres),
with the possibility of a side trip up the Quebrada Paria to the
remote glacial lakes of the surrounding high peaks.
Pisco
We take a vehicle up to the Portachuelo then drop to the Llanganuco valley, a thousand metres. We spend the night in a broad grassy valley with superb views up to Pisco.
Day 9
Today we trek up to our night stop at Pisco morriane camp (4900m).
Day 10
Today sees us continuing to the summit of Pisco (5750m). Setting
off early, we reach the snow line and don crampons for the ascent of the glacier. At the col
separating Pisco from Huandoy to the north, 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. Our
descent takes us back to the base camp and a deserved rest.
Day 11
We descend to the main valley and rendezvous with our vehicle
for the return to Huaraz.
Day 12
We return to the Pacific coast and Lima, by bus.
Cusco Extension
Today we fly to Cuzco (3400 metres). According to legend, Cuzco was founded by Manco Capac, sent to earth
by his father, Inti (the Sun God) to civilize humanity. The absence
of a written language makes it difficult to separate myth from
history, but it is likely that Manco arrived from the south about
800 years ago and founded what would become the capital of the Inca
Empire. Major expansion began several centuries later with
Pachacutec. Under his successors the Empire reached its zenith,
stretching from Colombia in the north to central Chile in the south.
Cuzco (Q'osqo) became a very important city. But in 1532, a band of
Spaniards arrived and within a year the largest empire in the
Western Hemisphere was theirs. These were Pizarro's Conquistadores,
and under their auspices Cuzco's transformation began.
Today, the blend of finely engineered Inca walls and Spanish
colonial architecture give Cuzco its special character. It's a great
city to wander around. Beyond its whitewashed streets are some
outstanding examples of sacred Inca architecture; notably, the
monumental temple-fortress of Sacsayhuaman (accessible on foot),
made up of precisely interlocking stones, many weighing 200 tons
plus. A little further afield is the stunning Sacred Valley. Well
worth visiting are Pisac, with its craft and produce market and
mountain-top citadel, and the indian town of Chincheros. At night
Cuzco offers a superb selection of live Andean folk music.
Day 14
Free in Cuzco, for shopping, exploring or simply relaxing.
Alternatively, you may fancy white-water rafting on the Urubamba
(optional).
Day 15
Early this morning, we take a train to Machu Picchu, Lost
City of the Incas. A short bus journey, amid these beautiful
forested mountains, takes us to the site, perched dramatically on a
ridge 400 metres above the Urubamba river.
Machu Picchu's remoteness protected it from the plundering Spanish
colony and when, early this century, it was rediscovered and cleared
from encroaching forest, its structures were in surprisingly good
condition. Since then, the enigmatic site has posed many questions
and provided few answers. The ruins are extensive and we have all
day to explore the temples and palaces whose purpose still baffles
archaeologists. Late in the afternoon, we descend to our night stop, Aguas Calientes.(1
night hotel)
Day 16
Today you can return to Machu Picchu (optional) and enjoy the
morning tranquillity, while further exploring the site, or climb
Huayna Picchu mountain. In the afternoon, we take the train back to
Cuzco.(1 night hotel)
Day 17
We take an early flight down to Lima, the City of Kings. Tour
ends Lima.
You could extend your trip by trekking the Inca Trail or visiting the Amazon.
Check out our Peru group trips, or our many tailor made Peru options. You can always contact the office for more information on tailor made and group options.
Check our Books and Maps section where you will find a range of literature to help you get the most out of your South American adventure.
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