Trekking in the Cordillera Blanca

Trip Start Jun 07, 2008

Trip End Sep 14, 2008

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Where I stayed

Hostal Gyula Huaraz

(Huaraz hotels)

Flag of Peru Huaraz, Peru
Sunday, July 20, 2008

Another night bus; another groggy sunrise arrival. This one quite a bit chillier than the last. Huaraz is the outdoor adventure capital of the Cordillera Blanca, so-named because of all the snow-covered peaks nearby. My first day in town was a lazy one. I walked around, ate some good food at California Cafe, and looked into my options for excursions for the following day. I also tried to track down the local microcinema, Huaraz Satyricon, which unfortunately closed not too long ago.

The next morning I took a day-trip to Chavin de Huantar, a pre-Incan archaeological ruin first constructed almost 3000 years ago. The Chavin religious cult was apparently heavily influenced by the use of hallucinogens, which helps to explain the abstract appearance of their artwork. They are apparently one of the most influential cultures in Peruvian history. The site itself has very few original carvings, but does provide ample opportunity to explore the numerous underground chambers

1) The climb to the pass

. As with most day trips, it involved too many hours on the tour bus and not enough time for independent exploration.

Inspired by some gorgeous photos and stories from fellow travelers, I decided to look into a multi-day trek into the mountains. I was worried I might not be fit enough to handle it, especially with the altitude, and also hesitant to go significantly over-budget, but decided to give it a go anyway, thanks in part to a generous early birthday present from a great friend. It was the right choice as this was easily the best experience of my entire trip.

I chose the Santa Cruz trek, which takes 4 days/3 nights. It was pretty luxurious by my standards, as there was a team of donkeys to carry our gear, and 3 guides who cooked our meals and set-up/broke camp. All I had to do was heft my small backpack with water, change of clothes, book, etc. There were a total of 13 gringos on the trip, from England, France, Holland, Denmark, Belgium, and Israel. The guy from France managed to alienate everyone within the first 24 hours, but the rest of us got along well. The altitude ranged from 9,500' to 15,500', but the pace was relaxed enough that I was never very exhausted. The food wasn't exactly gourmet, but was at least as good as what I'd cook for myself and just enough to keep me going. My primary recommendation to anyone considering this trek would be bring plenty of warm clothing. It was bitterly cold at night and we all felt underprepared for it. We coped by cramming a dozen people into a 4-person tent after dinner and passing the hours playing Taki (an Israeli version of Uno).

The scenery was stunning on this trip so I took a ton of photos. Be sure to check 'em out on Flickr.