Great Peaks of Peru Itinerary

Day 1 – Arrive in Lima

Your flight arrives in Lima, the Peruvian capital. Private transfer to our hotel which is in the San Isidro district.

Day 2 – Travel to Huaraz

We’ll meet our fellow group members. We’ll be taken in a comfortable first class bus ride to Huaraz, the capital of the Department of Ancash, and Base Camp for the Cordillera Blanca (White Andean Range), which is the second-highest mountain range in the world outside the Himalaya. Huaraz is situated some 400 kilometers north of Lima at 10,137 feet (3,090m) above sea level, with a population of 147.000 residents. This journey will take approximately seven to eight hours. From Conococha (13,287 ft./4,050m), just a short distance from today’s final destination, we’ll enjoy our first view over the impressive Cordillera Blanca, and further south on the horizon we’ll also glimpse the Huayhuash Range, famous for its snow-peaked Yerupaja and Siula Grande mountains. Upon our arrival in Huaraz, we’ll stay at the Andino Hotel, widely considered to be the best accommodation in the area.

Day 3 – Gear Check & City Tour

After waking up to a spectacular panoramic view of the Cordillera Blanca from the balconies of our rooms and enjoying breakfast, we will review the expedition itinerary. We’ll also have a Leave No Trace discussion and an equipment check. In the afternoon, we will tour the city and visit the nearby Wilcahuain ruins. Overnight at the Andino Hotel.

Day 4 – Acclimatization Hike

Hike to Laguna Churup (14,714 feet/4.485m), Hotel Andino. We’ll take an acclimatization walk to Churup Lake (14,714 ft./ 4,485m). This short hike will give our bodies a chance to begin the process of adapting to altitude while relishing the landscape of Churup Gorge, and its azure glacial lake at the foot of the snow-capped mountain of the same name. We’ll return to the Andino Hotel for the night.

Day 5 – Acclimatization Hike

Our priority will be to progressively acclimatize to the altitude, so we’ll continue with another hike to the foot of the Huarapasca glacier (16,283ft./ 4,963 m) where we will review climbing skills. Return to Huaraz to prepare our bags for the move up to the Ishinca hut the next day.

Day 6 – Huaraz – Pashpa – Ishinca Hut

After an early breakfast, we’ll drive about 10 miles north to the turning that takes us to the village of Pashpa (11,689 ft./3,563m). Once in the village, our equipment and provisions will be loaded onto donkeys. We’ll begin the eight-mile trek toward Base Camp. This walk lasts about five hours and takes us through dense forests of native trees (polilepis), keeping the beautiful Ishinca River on our right. From the control station at the halfway point, we can admire the remarkable rock formations known as the Ishinca Towers. The Ishinca Hut is located in the wide upper valley at 14,455 feet (4,406m). From here, you can take in spectacular views over the snowy Urus, Palcaraju and Tocllaraju peaks, especially at sundown.

Day 7 – Hike to Milluacocha Moraine

We’ll hike to the top of the Milluacocha moraine (15,338 ft. /4,675 m) to further acclimate, enjoy a fantastic view of the surrounding mountains and check the route up Urus peak. In the afternoon, we’ll have a climbing school session and prepare our summit packs for our first climb the next day: Urus Este. We’ll overnight at the Ishinca Hut.

Day 8 – Climb Urus Este

Today we’ll climb Urus Este (17,782 ft./5,420m). This peak is great for acclimatization as well as for refreshing and/or learning the skills you need for glacier travel. The route follows the east ridge of the mountain and is relatively short and straightforward. An alpine start will be needed, and we’ll leave the Ishinca hut by 4 a.m. We will ascend the steep moraine to the toe of the glacier (17,185 ft / 5,238m). As we move up closer to the summit we begin to scramble up 3rd and 4th class rock weaving our way to the summit pyramid. The climb to the top of Urus Este takes about seven hours. We’ll then return to the Ishinca Hut.

Day 9 – Rest Day

Rest day, and preparation for the Ishinca climb.

Day 10 – Climb Ishinca

Ishinca summit day. This mountain is an excellent climb for polishing up on glacier travel skills as well as achieving a better acclimatization level before we’ll continue to the highest mountain on our expedition: Chopicalqui. After another 4 a.m. alpine start. Our walk up to where the Ishinca glacier begins will take approximately three hours. The climb from the toe of the glacier to the top takes between three and four more hours, following the northeastern slopes of the mountain towards the northern arête and the pyramid summit. There are a few crevasses at about 17,060 feet (5,200m), which we’ll negotiate before entering the upper glacier. The pyramidal summit consists of a 250-foot (76m), 45° sloped snow field. From the top (18,138 ft./ 5,530m), the views to the south over the Cojup gorge lakes below and the surrounding mountains are exceptional. We return to the Ishinca Hut by the same route.

Day 11 – Return to Huaraz

We’ll begin our return trek early, making the most of this day by carrying only day packs as the rest of our equipment is transported on donkeys to the village of Pashpa. There, we’ll be driven back to Huaraz. Overnight at the Andino Hotel.

Day 12 – Travel to Chopicalqui Base Camp

We’ll depart Huaraz and head north. From the village of Yungay, we’ll turn off towards the Llanganuco gulley. Driving through this narrow canyon, we can see the striking north face of Huascaran Norte and the south face of Huandoy Sur, as well as the pretty turquoise lakes of Chinancocha and Orconcocha. Our vehicle will drop us off at a spot From the trailhead we have to port our things to base camp close by. Base camp: 4430 m / 14,534 ft

Day 13 – Move to Moraine Camp

Today, with help from our porters, we’ll move on to the Chopicalqui moraine camp, nestled on the edge of the glacier at 16,476 feet (5,021m) above sea level.

Day 14 – Move to High Camp

We’ll climb the glacier to High Camp (17,904 ft./5,457m), located on a flat part of the glacier on the southwestern ridge. We can also count on our mountain porters’ help today. We will dedicate the afternoon to rest and summit-day preparation.

Day 15 – Summit Day Chopicalqui

Summit day on Chopicalqui. From High Camp, the usual route climbs steeply along the length of crevassed ground up to the elevated tapering southwestern arête, which is made up of long traverses and short, steep sections. A little before the summit, we’ll meet two steep sections (50 to 55 degrees) linked by a traverse, although the actual difficulty varies season to season. A final aesthetic traverse following the crest of the ridge will take us to the incredibly beautiful summit (20,848 ft./6,354m) with fantastic views. After summiting, we’ll descend to High Camp.

Day 16 – Descend and Return to Huaraz

We’ll descend to Base Camp, from which our vehicle will take us back to Huaraz and the comforts of our hotel. We will enjoy a celebration meal in the evening.

Day 17 – Travel to Lima

After breakfast, we’ll take a bus to Lima expecting to arrive to the Peruvian capital at about 7:00pm.

Day 18 – Depart Lima

Return to home country