Published on Dec, 2019
Overall the trip organized by Andean Summit was a memorable one. The only hiccup was when one of the parties cancelled and had to pay additional to continue with just a party of 2. Mila was the person I interacted with from Andean Summit and she was readily approachable through whatsapp at all times. This review is meant to give you some of the key takeaways as you think about going on a Santa Cruz trek.
Going to Huaraz: I flew in from US to Lima and then took a bus to Huaraz. I booked the bus in advance online and used the Cruz Del Sur bus service. This is one of the premium bus services and didnt dissapoint. I chose the sleeper/executive class at 120 sol where you can recline the seat to sleep and also get served food on the way. There are other options as well. I chose the day trip but probably a night one would have been even better as that way you wont waste a day. It takes 7 hours to get from Lima (Paza Del Norte bus station) to Huaraz. Just on a side note I paid 25 sol for taxi from airport to Plaza Del Norte.
Staying in Huaraz: I would suggest staying close to Plaza De Armas as thats where all the action is. Lots of options to eat and explore. I lived at Hostal Campo Base and it worked out well as the staff was welcoming, served breakfast, right in city center, and was close to western style restaurants, and places if you want to exchange money. Not to mention there were lounges on each floor where you could just chill, read a book etc.
Main Trek: The first day was mostly driving to the Vaqueria village which was mostly through rough roads and a real challenge for your back. Once there we hiked for about 3-4 hours to the camp. Second day is when the real challenge started as you go from 3750M to 4750M elevation. I would not do that stretch without a donkey or horse carrying your load, unless you are a real pro. Again, make sure you have porters to carry your load if you are a casual backpacker like me - just for that 3 hour stretch to Punta Union peak. The porter dropped our backpacks and we carried out onwards after crossing the peak. After that it was mostly down hill that day and the next day. Some of the terrain was tough and rough on your knees, and so if you are concerned about that, keep things like KT tape etc. with you. We did encounter mosquitos once it got sunny so would also recommend insect spray. The water we used whereever we stopped at came from nearby streams. We saw cows and horses all over so would strongly recommend a water pump that can filter out virus/bacteria, or water treatment drops etc. The 3rd night we basically camped in someones backyard in a village and next day was about 3 hours drive back to Huaraz. We had the option to complete the trek in 3 days.
You can contact me for any other things you are interested in knowing about. Defintely a great trek to do if you are thinking about it.
Free Cancellation
