The Cordillera Huayhuash trek is a 12-day, high-altitude circuit through one of the most dramatic mountain ranges in the Peruvian Andes, widely rated as the toughest multi-day trek in Peru: roughly 130 kilometers (80 miles), a high point of about 5,050 meters (16,568 feet), and turquoise lakes set beneath some of the country's tallest peaks. Below is the real day-by-day route, what it actually costs to do safely, and honest answers to the questions worth asking before you book it.
- Classic circuit: about 12 days for the full route (shorter 8 to 10 day variants exist and cover less ground), roughly 130 km / 80 mi, with a high point around 5,050 m / 16,568 ft on Day 4.
- Rated among the most physically demanding treks in Peru: most days involve a pass above 4,600 m / 15,090 ft, and several days cross two.
- Best season is May through September, the dry season; the first rains typically arrive in early October.
- The route had a real history of safety incidents through the mid-2000s. Since local communities took over managing trail and campsite fees, no serious incidents have been reported; opportunistic theft of unattended gear is the main practical risk today.
Table of contents
Is the Huayhuash Trek Safe?
It's a fair question to ask before committing to a remote, multi-day route. The honest answer: the Huayhuash Circuit had a real safety problem through the mid-2000s, including robbery and at least one violent incident involving trekkers. That changed once the local communities along the route took over organizing and charging for trail and campsite access themselves, giving them a direct stake in keeping the area safe for visitors. Since then, no serious incidents have been reported; the main practical risk today is opportunistic theft of gear left unattended outside a tent overnight, not violence.
Standard precautions still apply: don't leave valuables outside your tent, keep an eye on your belongings in camp, and if you're hiking independently rather than with a guide, travel in pairs so there's someone to get help if you're injured on a narrow viewpoint trail.
The 12-Day Itinerary
This is TLP's classic 12-day route, departing from and returning to Huaraz.
Day 1: Huaraz to Cuartelwain (4,170 m / 13,681 ft)
Pickup from your hotel and transfer to Cuartelwain, arriving after about 5 hours. This is the first camp.
Day 2: Cuartelwain, Qaqanan Pass (4,700 m / 15,419 ft), Mitucocha (4,230 m / 13,878 ft)
After breakfast, climb to Qaqanan Pass, about 3 hours up, then descend roughly 2 hours to camp on the shores of Mitucocha Lake, below the Jirishanca and Rondoy peaks.
Day 3: Mitucocha, Carhuac Pass (4,650 m / 15,256 ft), Carhuacocha (4,150 m / 13,615 ft)
Around 2.5 hours up to Carhuac Pass, with views of Yerupajá Chico, Yerupajá, and Siula. Then about 2 hours down to camp at Carhuacocha Lake.
Day 4: Carhuacocha, Siula Pass (5,050 m / 16,568 ft), Huayhuash campsite (4,300 m / 14,108 ft)
The high point of the trek. An early departure along Carhuacocha's shore past three lakes (Qanrajancacocha, Siulacocha, and Quesillococha), then about 4 hours up to Siula Pass, with views of Hirishanca Chico, Yerupajá, and Siula. From the pass, roughly 3 hours down to camp.
Day 5: Huayhuash, Portachuelo Pass (4,750 m / 15,584 ft), Viconga (4,400 m / 14,436 ft)
About 2 hours to Portachuelo Pass, the boundary between the Cordillera Huayhuash and the Cordillera Raura. The trail descends through high-altitude ichu grassland where llamas and alpacas graze, passing Viconga Lake before reaching camp near natural hot springs, a good spot to soak out the day's climb.
Day 6: Viconga, Cuyoc Pass (5,000 m / 16,404 ft), Guanacpatay (4,400 m / 14,436 ft)
About 3 hours up to Cuyoc Pass, between the Cuyoc and Pumarinri peaks, with views over both the Raura and Huayhuash ranges. Roughly 1.5 hours down into Guanacpatay Valley to camp.
Day 7: Guanacpatay, San Antonio Pass (4,990 m / 16,371 ft), Cutatambo (4,250 m / 13,944 ft)
About 2.5 hours to San Antonio, a viewpoint over Carnicero, Jirishanca, Siula Grande, and Yerupajá, then roughly 2 hours down to camp at Cutatambo.
Day 8: Cutatambo, Siula Grande base camp, Gran Vista Viewpoint (5,000 m / 16,404 ft)
A roughly 4-hour walk to the Gran Vista viewpoint, passing the base camp and glacier of Siula Grande, the mountain made famous by Joe Simpson's Touching the Void, later adapted into the film of the same name. Return by the same route to camp.
Day 9: Cutatambo to Huayllapa (3,500 m / 11,483 ft)
An easier day: about 3.5 hours down through the valley to Huayllapa village, the first real settlement on the route and a chance to buy a cold drink.
Day 10: Huayllapa, Tapush Pass (4,800 m / 15,748 ft), Qashpapampa (4,500 m / 14,764 ft)
About 3.5 hours up to Tapush Pass, with views toward the Cordillera Blanca and Tuco peak, then roughly 2 hours down to camp at Qashpapampa, near the base of Diablo Mudo, a popular objective for climbers with an extra day to spare.
Day 11: Qashpapampa, Yaucha Pass (4,800 m / 15,748 ft), Jahuacocha (4,070 m / 13,353 ft)
About 2.5 hours up to Yaucha Pass for the trek's best view of the range's west side, including Yerupajá at 6,635 m / 21,768 ft, Peru's second-highest peak after Huascarán (6,768 m / 22,205 ft). Roughly 2.5 hours down to camp at Jahuacocha Lake.
Day 12: Jahuacocha, Pampa Llámac Pass (4,300 m / 14,108 ft), Llámac, Huaraz
A final climb of about 3 hours to Pampa Llámac Pass for a last full view of the range, then roughly 2 hours down to Llámac village, where a vehicle takes you back to Huaraz.
Optional extras: rest days at Carhuacocha or Jahuacocha for lake walks and fishing, or a technical climb of Pumarinri (5,465 m) or Diablo Mudo (5,350 m) with a qualified mountain guide and proper equipment (crampons, ice axe, harness, rope).
Preparing for the Trek
Acclimatization
Spend at least 2 days somewhere above 3,000 m / 9,843 ft before starting, easy to do around Huaraz itself with day hikes to Laguna 69 or Laguna Parón. If Cusco or Machu Picchu is also on your trip, do Huayhuash first: it works well as acclimatization for altitudes you'll encounter later.
What it costs
A full-service guided trek costs meaningfully more per day than budget backpacking-only options, and that gap is mostly the ethical baseline: fair wages and proper care for the staff and pack animals who carry your gear over these passes, quality food, and a safety margin if something goes wrong. Rates vary by group size, season, and inclusions, so contact us for current pricing rather than relying on a number that may be out of date by the time you read this.
Booking a guided trek
Departures for Huayhuash are far less frequent than for shorter, more popular routes like the Santa Cruz trek, so it takes more planning to put a trip together. We organize private Huayhuash treks with a cook, camping crew, and pack animals, and can tailor the pace or add rest days and side climbs. Start planning your trek or see our guide to hiking activity levels for how Huayhuash compares to other treks in difficulty.
Permits and community fees
The classic circuit crosses land managed by several different communities along the range, each charging its own access and campsite fee, typically 15 to 50 soles per community; budget roughly 220 soles total for the full 12-day route.
Food and water
On a guided trek, a dedicated cook prepares meals throughout: hearty breakfasts, lunch on the trail, and a full dinner at camp, generally Peruvian home-style cooking. Hiking independently, you'll need to carry your own food; Huayllapa (Day 9) is the only real resupply point, with a limited selection, so plan for lightweight, high-calorie options like dehydrated meals, energy bars, and nuts.
Bathrooms and phone service
Facilities are rustic: no toilets on the trail, and only basic designated areas at most campsites. Bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer, and if hiking independently, a small trowel to bury waste well away from water sources and campsites, packing out your paper. Cell signal is largely absent for most of the route; some guided trips carry a satellite phone for emergencies.
What to bring
Layer well: a synthetic or wool baselayer, a warm midlayer, and a waterproof shell, plus a warm hat, gloves, and a neck gaiter for the passes, where temperatures drop well below freezing at night. Bring your own basic first-aid kit and any altitude-sickness medication your doctor recommends (talk to a travel doctor before you go, ideally a few weeks ahead, about options like acetazolamide). Renting a sleeping bag, liner, and trekking poles locally in Huaraz is easy and saves checked-bag weight if you're not hiking elsewhere in the Andes afterward.
How Difficult Is It, and Which Day Is Hardest?
The Huayhuash Circuit is widely considered the hardest standard trek in Peru, and our own hiking activity levels guide rates it as very demanding. Most days involve 5 to 8 hours of walking with a pass above 4,600 m / 15,090 ft, and the route stays above 4,000 m / 13,123 ft for nearly its entire length, so oxygen is noticeably thinner throughout, not just at the passes. Good physical conditioning and altitude acclimatization beforehand make a real difference.
By elevation gained, Day 4 is the hardest single day: it reaches the trek's highest point at Siula Pass (5,050 m / 16,568 ft) after a long, steady climb. Some trekkers instead find Days 6 and 7 tougher overall, since by then fatigue has built up over a stretch with two more passes close together. Either way, the trek doesn't have an easy middle third: pace yourself accordingly rather than banking on a rest day that isn't there.
When to Go
May through September is the dry season and the best window, though even then a few rainy days are normal across a 12-day trek. The first rains of the wet season typically arrive in early October, so trips booked right at the shoulder should carry waterproof layers regardless.
Plan Your Cordillera Huayhuash Trek
A private guided trek with a cook, camping crew, and pack animals, paced and priced to your group.
Start Planning →Cordillera Huayhuash Trek: FAQs
How difficult is the Huayhuash trek?
Very demanding, widely rated the hardest standard multi-day trek in Peru. Most days cross a pass above 4,600 m / 15,090 ft, the route stays above 4,000 m / 13,123 ft almost the entire way, and there's no true rest day built into the classic itinerary. Good physical conditioning and prior altitude acclimatization matter more here than on shorter treks like Santa Cruz.
How much does the Cordillera Huayhuash trek cost?
It costs more per day than budget backpacking-only trips, largely because a responsible operator is paying fair wages to staff and pack-animal handlers, running quality food, and carrying a safety margin. Rates depend on group size, season, and inclusions, so contact us directly for current pricing rather than a fixed number.
How long is the Huayhuash trek?
The classic circuit is typically 12 days, roughly 130 km / 80 mi. Shorter 8 to 10 day variants exist and cover less of the range; ask your operator exactly which route and days a given itinerary includes, since naming varies.
Can you do the Huayhuash trek without a guide?
Yes, independent trekking is possible and some hikers do it, but it demands real backcountry experience: carrying all your own food and camping gear, navigating largely unmarked trail sections and viewpoint shortcuts, and being self-sufficient with no cell signal for most of the route. Most trekkers, including first-timers to high-altitude multi-day trekking, are better served by a guided trek with a cook and pack animals.
Recommended reading
Touching the Void by Joe Simpson, the firsthand account of the Siula Grande climb this trek passes beneath, and Peru's Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash: The Hiking and Biking Guide, a dedicated guidebook covering the wider region in more depth than any single blog post can.
Source: Touching the Void, Joe Simpson.
Related Guides: Hiking Activity Levels Explained, Huaraz Treks: The Ultimate Guide, Best Trails and Hikes in Ancash, Inca Trail to Machu Picchu: How Long Does It Take?.
