Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
ing, although you may experience at least one 10- to 12-hour day. Most trekkers take extra
rest days along the way, partly because the length and altitude make the entire circuit very
demanding and partly to allow for the sensational sights to sink in. Others prefer a shorter
version and can hike for as few as five days along the remote eastern side of the Huay-
huash. Described here is the classic Huayhuash Circuit trek, but many side trips and al-
ternate routes along the way can add a day or two to your trekking time.
The trek starts in
Llamac
(
Click here
)
, the last town for several days as the trail leaves
'civilization,' passing a small pre-Inca platform with excellent mountainscapes and 4m-
high
cholla
cacti. The
Pampa Llamac Pass
bursts out on a fabulous view of glaciated
peaks: Rondoy (5870m), the double-fanged Jirishanca (6094m), Yerupajá Chico, Yerupajá
(6634m) and others - not bad for the first day!
The second and third days take you across three passes over 4500m until you reach the
tiny community of
Janca
(4200m), getting nice views of Laguna Mitacocha (4230m). On
day four, southeast of the Carhuac Pass (4650m), you'll see more excellent mountain pan-
oramas and eventually reach a cliff that overlooks Laguna Carhuacocha (4138m) and the
glaciated mountains behind Siula Grande (6344m) and Yerupajá looming in the distance.
Midway through the trek, parties hit a short section of paved Inca trail, about 1.5m wide
and 50m long, the remnants of an Inca road heading south from the archaeological site of
Huánuco Viejo near La Unión. Over the next couple of days work your way toward
La-
guna Carnicero
(4430m),
Laguna Mitucocha
, the top of
Portachuelo de Huayhuash
(4750m), and
Laguna Viconga
(4407m). After several glaciated mountain crowns come
into view, including the double-peaked Cuyoc (5550m), you can either camp and continue
the main circuit, or you can head southwest along the Río Pumarinri Valley toward
Ca-
jatambo
, leaving the circuit early. If you keep going, get ready for the challenging
5000m-plus Punta Cuyoc Pass.
On day seven the trail crests a small ridge on Pumarinri (5465m), giving trekkers face-
on views of
Cuyoc
. Look out for the hardy
Stangea henricii,
a grayish-green, flat,
rosette-shaped plant of overlapping tongue-like leaves that only grows above 4700m. The
highest point on the trek is soon reached, marked by a rather inglorious single pile of
stones.
On the eighth day you can continue the direct circuit by hiking past the village of
Huayllapa; exit the circuit through Huayllapa and the town of Uramaza to Cajatambo; or
make a side trip up the Río Calinca Valley to Lagunas Jurau, Santa Rosa and Sarapococha,
where there are some of the best mountain panoramas of the entire trek. The traditional
circuit will take you past the glacier-clad pyramid of Jullutahuarco (5449m) and a stu-
pendous 100m-high
waterfall
. Push on to a small lake near Punta Tapuish (4800m) for
good high-altitude camping.
