Ulta – Santa Cruz Trek

DAY 1: Huaraz at (3100m) – Caraz at (2200m) – Cashapampa village at (2970m) - camp Llamacoral at (3760m). (Trek time: 4 hours (walk up) / driving time: 3 hours).

Departure from Huaraz at 7.00 am, we will drive to the north side of Huaraz along Callejon de Huaylas on paved road until Caraz at 2200m, then we will deviate to the north – east on dirt road until Cashapampa village at 2970m. From this point we will start walking up along narrow Santa Cruz valley with sparkling waterfalls, groves & high land bushes and trees until reach a wide meadow, where is located our campsite with spectacular view to the background about mount Taulliraju. Overnight camp at Llamacoral.

DAY 2: Llamacoral at (3760m) – Arhueycocha Lake at (4450m) – Taullipampa camp at (4250m). (time: 8 hours (walk up &walk down).

After breakfast, we will start walking up on grass meadow, passing beautiful mountain lakes of Ichiccocha and Jatuncocha , continue hiking up on the Santa Cruz valley until Quisuar, after that we will walk up on steep hill, but the trail winds up on sig sag until Alpamayo viewpoint above Arhuaycocha gorge, and Arhuaycocha lake at 4450m, where we will relax and enjoy the splendid summit views of the majestic mountains of Alpamayo, and another peaks, after a break we will come back on the same route up until Alpamayo view point, from it the route bring us to isolated Taullipampa campsite, where we will enjoy lovely sunset. Overnight camp at Taullipampa

DAY 3: Taullipampa at (4250m) – Punta Union pass at (4750m) - Cachinapampa camp at (3700m). (Trek time: 7 hours (walk up & walk down).

After our breakfast we will start walking up toward Punta union, which is the highest point of this trek, on pass we will enjoy berth taken & panoramic views surrounded by huge mountains as: mount Taulliraju, Artezonraju, Pucajircas and other peaks, turquoise lakes, we after crossing the pass we will descend on slope and rocky trail toward huaripampa valley, watching small glacier lakes, waterfalls & high land groves and trees, mount Huascaran, which are garnishing our trail until our campsite at Cachinapampa on Huaripampa valley.Overnight camp at cachinapampa

DAY 4: Cachinapampa at (3700m) ––  Molinopampa camp at (3550m.

After our breakfast at 7:00 am, we will start walking down on pleasant flat valley with some sections of Quenual & Quisuar forest, the trail is almost easy until reach Huaripampa village, croussing colcabamba village all along the valley easy walk will enjoy amazing view about, deep valleys, huge peaks, contrahiervas, chopicallqui. Our next camp would be Molinopampa. 3,550 Mt.

Day 5: Molinopampa – Avalancha. (3,550 to 4,500 mt) 05hrs.

From Molinopampa we head to Avalancha 4500m/14763 ft, the trail is between crops and grasslands of the inhabitants of this part of the Cordillera in the Keshu valley, we always walk this day having the view in front of Contrahierbas mounts, later we reach the camp located below Contrahierbas mounts, after walking approximately 5 hours.

Day 6: Avalancha – Yanayacu pass - Ulta Valley - Huaraz

This day we have breakfast early and then we start our hike to Yanayacu pass 4830m/15846 ft, the last and highest point of the circuit, where we arrive after of 3.5 hours, this is a lookout point, from where can be seen snowy covered peaks such as: Huascaran, Chopicalqui, Contrahierbas, Ulta among others. After a break and corresponding photos, we descend into the Ulta valley 4300m/14107 ft, where we arrive after 3 hours more, where a private car will waint for us to take us to Huaraz, on the way we make a stop to see the typical village of Shilla.