The Santa Cruz Trek in Peru is widely considered one of the best short treks in the world. Over 4 to 5 days, this classic Huaraz trekking tour takes you through the heart of the Cordillera Blanca. You will hike past towering Andean peaks and turquoise glacial lakes in the Huascarán National Park, experiencing the high-altitude landscapes that make trekking in the Peruvian Andes a true hiker’s paradise.
This is an awesome, medium-length trek in the Cordillera Blanca range, its popularity is due to several spectacular mountain panoramas, views of crystal-blue lakes and the challenge posed by two high passes: Punta Union (4750m) and Punta Yanayacu (4850m), not to mention our last, breathtaking high camp on the Avalancha plateau. This trek offers an amazing variety of scenery and hiking.
Santa Cruz Classic Trek:
4 days trekking (with 5 day option)
Moderate to Hard
4750m
From Huaraz we drive along the broad Callejón de Huaylas valley to Caraz, then up to the village of Cashapampa (2900m). 97kms & 3 hours driving. Approaching Cashapampa we have our first view of Nevado Santa Cruz, an imposing pyramidal snow peak that gives the trekking circuit its name. We begin our trek with a steady ascent through the lower Santa Cruz valley, following a tumbling river as we go. The first 2 hours are through a steep-sided gorge, with the going occasionally tough as the continuous ascent and usually hot conditions take their toll. By early afternoon, however, the gradient begins to level out and the valley to open out onto cooler puna grasslands as we approach our first camp, close to the river at Llamacorral (3750m).
Approx. 9kms
5 hours
Highest point 3750m
Altitude at camp 3750m
Ascent for the day 850m
Today we enjoy an easier day’s walk up the open valley to our camp at Taullipampa (4250m). The direct route takes about 4 hours. The going is mostly flat with only a gentle incline and just the final hour to Taullipampa camp mostly uphill.
We cross an area of barren washout where in the year 2014 an avalanche coming off Artesonraju caused a flash flood that washed out the upper part of the Santa Cruz Valley, destroying the trail and also completely burying the shallow lake named Ichicocha. Now only the larger lake Jatuncocha remains and we make a pleasant traverse around the side of this lake before crossing another sandy washout area to the other side of the valley.
During the day’s hike, the neighbouring peaks of Quitaraju (6,040m) and the famous Alpamayo South Face (5,947m) come briefly into view. An optional, and recommended, side trip from Quisuar up a zigzagging trail takes you to the hanging Arhuaycocha valley and beyond to Alpamayo Base Camp and Laguna Arhuaycocha. This optional detour allows closer views of Alpamayo (once voted the world’s most beautiful mountain), Artesonraju (6,025m) and Quitaraju, before traversing via a little-used track to our Taullipamapa camp.
Our camp is situated almost at the base of the beautiful Taulliraju snow peak, and is surrounded by others, including Paria, Artesonraju and Rinrijirca (5,810m).
Approx 10 kms direct Llamacorral to Taullipampa
4 hours hiking
or add 1 to 3 hours extra if hike towards Alpamayo Base Camp
Highest point 4250m
Altitude at camp 4250m
Ascent for the day 500m
OPTIONAL EXTRA DAY (to make 5 day trek)
We can add an extra day here and stay on at the beautiful Taullipampa Camp. Options would include either
*a hike up Centillo Peak (5000m – approx 4 hours); a mixed climb on an uneven path and rock, but not technical (rope not needed)
* beautiful hike up to the Alpamayo Base Camp & Laguna Arhuaycocha glacial lake (4350m – approx 4 hours there & back), with its awesome backdrop of the Rinrijirca peak (5,810m)
*or alternatively, you could enjoy a rest day surrounded by awesome scenery.
From Taullipampa camp we ascend steadily on a good path for some 2½ to 3 hours, gradually nearing the continental divide at Punta Union pass (4750m). Most will feel some shortness of breath on the approach as the altitude takes its effect; consequently we aim to take our time. From the pass we enjoy stunning views of several snow peaks, including Rinrijirca, Pucajirca (6050m), Artesonraju and the nearby Nevado Taulliraju (5830m), a towering, jagged presence. Looking back down the Santa Cruz Valley we see Lake Jutuncocha in the distance. From the pass it is a long descent into the beautiful Quebrada Huaripampa valley past two small lakes and several patches of red-barked quenual (polylepis sp.) forest. Tonight’s camp will be on a plateau, away from the main trail, in the secluded Quebrada Paria valley (3900m).
Approx. 13kms
7 hours
Highest point 4750m
Altitude at camp 3900m
Ascent for the day 500m
An easy, relaxing walk through the lower Quebrada Huaripampa valley takes us through the scattered hamlet of Huaripampa. Here we pass several farm houses and encounter a lot of local people, including children. Sheep, goats and donkeys also abound. We then climb for an hour to the settlement of Vaquería (3600m).
Approx. 11 kms hiking.
4 to 5 hours walk
500m descent followed by 150m climb to Vaqueria
Our private vehicle will be waiting at Vaqueria and will take us over the Portachuelo de Llanganuco pass (4767m), from which we enjoy an awesome panorama featuring several of the giant peaks of the Cordillera Blanca range. These include Huascarán (at 6768 metres, Peru’s highest mountain), Huandoy (6395m) and Chopicalqui (6354m). The stunning, turquoise Llanganuco lakes can also be seen lying almost a kilometre below. We descend a steep zig zag road to the lakes and continue to Huaraz 135kms road trip, around 5 hours driving. Arrive in Huaraz at around 4 or 5 in the afternoon.
Private Trekking Experts We specialize in organising private treks throughout the Cordillera Blanca. While we can arrange the Santa Cruz Trek for any date from January to December, we highly recommend the “Andean Dry Season” from April to October for the best weather and mountain views.
If you would like to join with other people, we can advertise your treks dates on our website and there may be others who would like to join with you. We can co-ordinate between you to form a group.
We do have good success at forming small groups in this way, although we can never guarantee that we can find others to join with you on the same dates
At the moment we do not have a group that you can join with. We will be happy to organise a PRIVATE TREK for youOur prices for the trek in 2026 are:
Trek prices per person are based on the number of people that there are in the group
*4 day Santa Cruz Llanganuco trek: (Cashapampa to Vaqueria)
2 people $295 per day each x 4 days = US$1180 each
3 people $245 per day each x 4 days = US$980 each
4 people $220 per day each x 4 days = US$880 each
5 people $210 per day each x 4 days = US$840 each
6 people $190 per day each x 4 days = US$760 each
7 people $180 per day each x 4 days = US$720 each
8 people $170 per day each x 4 days = US$680 each
* All our treks are priced in US Dollar.
Our treks and guided expeditions are operated by our family-owned company, Peruvian Andes Adventures. Our trekking company has been leading expeditions in the Cordillera Blanca and Huayhuash since 1965. As pioneers of trekking in Peru, we combine decades of local knowledge with modern safety standards.
To provide our guests with the best possible service, we operate in direct partnership with Hotel Morales in Huaraz. By staying with us and trekking with us, you enjoy a fully integrated service, including pre-trek briefings, gear checks, and a comfortable place to relax before and after your mountain adventure.
Trek grading and walking times are average estimates only for people of average to good fitness and who are well acclimatised to the altitude.
Some people will be faster and others will find it more difficult and be slower. The effects of altitude do make the trekking & climbing much harder than a similar trek closer to sea level and different people adjust to the altitude in a different timeframe.
You need to have average to good fitness and be able to hike a sustained uphill (sometimes steep) for 2 to 3 hours without distress to be able to enjoy this trek.
In the classic Santa Cruz Trek, there is a long descent of around 950m down from the final pass on the final day of trekking. The descent is steep on shingle scree for the first 30m from the pass which can be slippery for those not accustomed to this type of trail. The rest of the descent is long (can take two to 2.5 hours to get down) and is at times on an uneven trail with some stepping down required. Good knees and / or trekking poles are needed
NOTE that most trekking options in the Cordillera Blanca should be considered to be physically demanding owing to the altitude (you are above 4000m for the duration of the treks) and the mountainous nature of the terrain. Trails are often steep – both ascending and descending and can be slippery & rocky in places. If you do not think you can enjoy this type of trekking, let us know and we can suggest some easier options
All trekking in the Huaraz area is demanding on the body because you are the whole time above 4000m and you go up to high altitudes quickly after you depart from Huaraz. It is important to be well acclimatised to avoid possible altitude related illness.
Altitude symptoms vary but can include headache, nausea or vomiting, breathlessness, lack of appetite, stomach problems, extreme lethargy and lack of energy, inability to sleep from mild to severe in extent. In extreme cases pulmonary or cerebral oedema are possible
We do recommend that you arrive in Huaraz MINIMUM two full days (three nights) before the trek departs to help you become acclimatised to the altitude. It is advisable to do minimum two day hikes to higher altitude to help with acclimatisation before departing for the trek.
You will be accompanied by a qualified trekking guide, a cook, a donkey driver and donkeys, and assistants for larger groups.
Donkeys carry your main luggage and all the food, tents and equipment. You only carry a day pack with raincoat, warm jacket, hat and gloves, water bottle, snack, camera, sunscreen etc.
For groups of 3 or 4 clients, there is one assistant and with 5 or more clients there are two assistants with the group. If anyone becomes unwell or needs extra assistance there are sufficient staff to manage this while the others in the group can continue to enjoy the trek
We do not have fixed departure dates for our treks but instead we will organise an independent trek for you for any dates that suit your travel plans.
If you would like to join with other people, we can advertise your treks dates on our website and there may be others who would like to join with you. We can co-ordinate between you to form a group.
We do have good success at forming small groups in this way, although we can never guarantee that we can find others to join with you on the same dates
MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE
When we join people together to form a group, our normal maximum group size is 6 to 8 people.
You are also welcome to request a SMALLER GROUP.
We are also very happy to organise a PRIVATE TREK for you for any group size
The best months for trekking are May to September. This is the period when the weather is generally more settled (although we can never guarantee good weather in the mountains & weather can change rapidly).
June to August are the “usual” drier months
May and September are shoulder months with fewer other trekkers on the trails than the period June to August. May is at the end of the rainy season and spring conditions with some spring rains still possible, the weather is often improving with often clear skies, everything is fresh and green following the rains and there are lots of wildflowers. September is at the end of the season and approaching the start of the rainy season, there can still be periods of good weather for trekking, and it can be more relaxing with fewer large groups around.
The less busy times tend to be May and from mid-August into September. Peak times are usually June & July
NOTE: That weather conditions in the Andes are changing. Whereas in the past there was a defined wet & dry season, this is no not so much situation. There can be periods of unsettled weather with cloud and rain at any time, even in the months so-called the “dry months” of June to August and you do need to be prepared that there may be some bad weather at any time
Do you speak any Spanish and would you like an English-speaking guide? It is advisable to reserve your trek dates early if you need a guide who speaks a good standard of English as there is high demand for their services.
Alternatively, we have some excellent guides who speak just some few basic English words and phrases or only Spanish. If you speak a little Spanish you may enjoy the great company of one of these guides.
NOTE: That although guides speak English, it is their second language and they will not speak English fluently as a native English speaker would. The English-speaking guides speak strong solid basic English.
LEGALITY
*Peruvian Andes Adventures is an official Registered Tourist Agency (Ancash region) and is a legal operating company registered with SUNAT (Peruvian Taxation Dept)
As an official registered tourist agency we pay all required taxes and levies. Many tourist operators in Huaraz offering treks and climbing trips are not officially registered, pay no taxes and are operating illegally.
OUR COMMITMENT TO CLIENTS is to provide a caring, friendly, professional and above all SAFE trekking and climbing service at a fair price. We specialise in providing exceptional personalised individual service to all our clients with attention to detail and emphasis on quality in all aspects: professional guides and crew, food, equipment, safety, information and logistics.
Following our commitment to provide quality customer focused service, on 4 March 2010 we were successful in complying with all the rigorous requirements of the exhaustive external audit and were successful and proud to be one of only two companies in the entire Ancash region of Peru to be granted ISO 9001:2008 certification.
We provide a complete catered and guided service of the highest quality. We have many years experience organizing and guiding groups in the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Huayhuash and only employ quality & responsible staff who you can trust.
All the guides we use are licensed by the House of Guides and cooks, porters and donkey drivers are accredited by their own respective associations. We do not employ unlicensed or unaccredited guides and staff.
Each year prior to the commencement of the trekking season, we have training days and instruction for our key guides, cooks and assistants to ensure quality of client service.
We reinvest profits each year into upgrading our tents and equipment to ensure maximum client comfort and safety.
We operate trek with a high staff to client ratio to ensure top quality service and also to enable us to safely evacuate any injured or ill client back to Huaraz with one of our staff in the shortest possible time, without affecting the trekking enjoyment of the other clients in the group.
There will be a rescue horse for two or more people group
EVACUATION: Our staff take every precaution possible to ensure that clients stay well and safe during their trek. Unfortunately, in some rare instances a client may become unwell or suffer an injury and require to be evacuated back to Huaraz.
We have a company Evacuation Procedure which the guides carry which outlines to the guides the actions to be taken, the contact telephone numbers to request help and the nearest evacuation point from different sectors of the various trek routes.
If a client is unwell or injured, they will be taken out of the trek route by horse to the nearest point where there is telephone contact and a road. Our office is called and evacuation organised. Either the client will be taken back to Huaraz by one of our staff either by public transport (If there is suitable transport available) or we send a car to collect them. In extreme cases a rescue team would be sent to the area to collect the client. The guide and trek staff would carry out mountain first aid treatment until rescue arrives.
There is limited police-operated helicopter rescue service in Huaraz during “high season” – BUT strict pre-payment conditions apply before helicopter rescue is initiated
AGENCY
When selecting your agency in Huaraz it is important to check:
*The agency is an official registered agency
*Guides are licensed
Trekking tents are top quality international brands in good condition / roomy tents / twin share basis
Single tents available on request (extra fee may apply)
Our guides are trained in mountain first aid and carry a first aid kit.
The guide has an oxygen saturation meter and will check oxygen levels & monitor any client who shows indication of altitude related illness
Each year prior to the commencement of the trekking season, we have training days and instruction for our key guides, cooks and assistants to ensure quality of client service.
We reinvest profits each year into upgrading our tents and equipment to ensure maximum client comfort and safety.
We operate trek with a high staff to client ratio to ensure top quality service and also to enable us to safely evacuate any injured or ill client back to Huaraz with one of our staff in the shortest possible time, without affecting the trekking enjoyment of the other clients in the group.
There will be a rescue horse for two or more people group
The guide carries a walkie talkie radio for communication with the rest of the crew
We are a professional agency, and take care for our environment when we are working with groups. We only use gas for cooking, no fires, remove all our rubbish and waste, use a toilet tent and bury toilet waste.
We only use fresh food - vegetables, fruit, chicken and meat and great care is taken with hygiene in order to minimise the risk of illnesses.
We also cater for vegetarian food, gluten or dairy free and other special diet requests.
Our standard safe food and hygiene practises include:
*drinking water is boiled on full boil for 5 minutes
*vegetables & fruit are washed only in cold boiled water
*dishes are washed twice in boiled water & completely dried
*we provide a hand washing station in camp for both clients and our staff – boiled water in wash station, soap and hand sanitizer
*hand sanitizer is provided on the dining table
*staff involved in food preparation must wash & sanitize hands
*campsite is cleared of animal “poo” (as much as possible) & clients trek bags are put on plastic ground sheets when unloading & packing up at camp to minimise animal contamination
At Peruvian Andes Adventures, your health is our priority. We provide purified, boiled water at every meal during your trek. To ensure it is safe for consumption at high altitudes, our team boils all water for at least 10 minutes and allows it to cool before distribution.
Important: Please bring 2–3 liters of your own water for the first morning of your expedition. We will provide our first refill of purified water starting at lunch on Day 1. Please ensure your water bottles or hydration bladders (Camelbak) have sufficient capacity for the day's hike.
Trekking and Climbing
Huaraz is a privileged destination for trekking and adventure lovers. From the imposing Laguna 69 to the trails of the Cordillera Blanca, every corner offers unique opportunities to explore. Our staff is ready to help you plan your excursions and provide personalized recommendations.
Huaraz is a privileged destination for trekking and adventure lovers. From the imposing Laguna 69 to the trails of the Cordillera Blanca, every corner offers unique opportunities to explore. Our staff is ready to help you plan your excursions and provide personalized recommendations.
Laguna 69 is a beautiful mountain high lake nestled under the mountains in the Demanda Valley
This is one of the most popular and well known day hikes and it conveniently located only a short drive out
The tour begins in the Llaca Valley, from where you hike to the base of the glacier that descends from Mount
A pleasant and easy hike and offering fantastic views of the Cordillera Blanca mountains
The tour begins in the Llaca Valley, from where you hike to the base of the glacier that descends from Mount
