The crackling fire created a warm glow in the room. I was cuddled up on the couch talking to hostel guests and absorbing the fascinating stories of other’s travels. I remember asking people for Peru travel tips, and a Dutch guy began showing me videos of this epic hike he had completed in Peru, and I became obsessed.
I knew I wanted to do Santa Cruz, a four day Huaraz trek in northern Peru, but once I saw a few photos of Huayhuash, I was absolutely infatuated with the idea of doing it. My travel clock was ticking and while I was having an incredible time in Ecuador, passing the days eating banana bread and climbing up waterfalls, I knew rainy season would be approaching Peru very soon.
I began searching for some friends to accomplish this crazy trek with. While on the Quilotoa loop, I met a friendly Kiwi couple, and essentially forced them to adopt me as their traveling daughter, and we began planning for Huayhuash. After 30 plus hours on busses, we finally reached Huaraz, which is a bustling high altitude city, and the ultimate mecca for some of the most amazing Peruvian hikes.
Huayhuash is absolutely no joke and is an 8 day trek (it can actually range from 7-13 days), that winds up and down Cordillia Huayhuash at extreme elevation. Prepping for this trek is essential and takes a few acclimation hikes, along with gathering layers for every type of weather. Because rainy season was beginning, we were pretty worried with what the outcome would be, but we braced ourselves for the worst and signed up to do the trek with a company called Huayhuash Adventures. After doing Santa Cruz without a guide, we decided carrying 8 days worth of food up and down multiple passes a day would not be in our cards.
Although doing a trek on your own gives you an immense feeling of pride on completion, there is no shame in hiring a guide, especially if you’re not qualified for high altitude camping. Huayhuash Adventures was ultimately the most amazing choice. The team of guides are not only so knowledgeable about the area, super friendly, cook amazing food, but have also been living in these mountains for 30+ years. These guys are the Huayhuash experts and have ancestors who have climbed the same mountains for years. I additionally am super hesitant and intentional when spending money abroad, and I love companies like this one where I can directly see where my dollar is going to end up.
For this trek, I think we paid around $300, this including transportation to and from, donkeys to carry all of our gear, tents, sleeping bags, and all camping supplies, incredible guides, an insane amount of food and snacks each day, and a rescue horse in case of emergency. I cannot recommend this company enough and absolutely encourage you to look into them if you decide to approach this crazy hike.
As stated, the hike route I chose was 8 days. My group was a fun bunch of international travelers and our daily schedule looked like waking up at 5:30 AM, eating a delicious breakfast, hiking 8-10 miles, including some tough passes, and arriving to camp around 3 PM to play hours of cards and drink coca tea.
This hike ranges from elevations of 13,000 feet up to 18,000 and includes the most epic landscapes of various mountain ranges. Because of our choice to go in November, weather definitely affected our day to day. We experienced lots of rain, some snow, hail, and foggy views. Despite this affecting our ability to see the mountains, it was absolutely magical. Going in an off season meant we were essentially the only people in the mountain range making for an etherial and secluded experience.
All the days mesh a little together for me, but I loved our routine of getting some miles in, chatting with people from all different countries, and soaking up the insane surroundings. I was in decent shape at this point and didn’t find the trek impossible, but the altitude definitely affected sleep, the stomach, and overall feeling of wellness.
Day by day:
Day 1 offered immediately epic views, a pretty tricky pass, and an incredible campsite.
Day 2 we got to experience some of the insanely colored lakes in Peru that are all a rich turquoise blue.
Day 3 we experienced some weather but landed upon a magical turquoise lake.
Day 4 offered some of the highest altitudes at 16,000 feet and never ending rain.
Day 5 offered some more gorgeous views and we got to experience a crazy hail storm at our campsite.
Day 6 the weather was perfect and the sun was shining at one of our most beautiful campsites yet.
Day 7 was completely magical and the mountains had never looked more like we were in Narnia.
We finished our 8 days off with the most enormous burgers found in Peru.
Overall, this was the most magical backpacking trip of my life and I cannot emphasize enough how beautiful it was. The experience was challenging, exhilarating, and life changing.
Have you ever done a backpacking trip that totally shifts your perspective? And have you ever considered doing a multi day trip like Huayhuash?
Hailee Boyle Social Media Management 
Hey! Love reading your stories – would you like to write or submit a story on our short collection series? We’d love to hear more of your travels!
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Yes, definitely! Let me know what the process looks like 🙂
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Of course! Here’s the details of the process: https://badassfemaletravelers.com/1164-2/
Let me know if you have any questions or need any help!
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