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of the Cordilleras include sections of the Cordillera Blanca, which is mostly encompassed by Parque Nacional Huascarán and the Cordillera Huayhuash, to the south of Huaraz. There’s something here for scramblers of all skill and fitness levels: from short, easy hikes of a day or two, to multiweek adventures requiring technical mountain-climbing skills. Foreigners flock here yearly and favorite hikes like the Santa Cruz trek can see a lot of hiking-boot traffic in the high season. While the more remote 10-day Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit doesn’t see half as many visitors as the Santa Cruz trek, savvy travelers are rapidly discovering its rugged beauty and appreciating the friendly highland culture. Dozens of shorter routes crisscross the Cordillera Blanca and can provide an appetizing taste of the province’s vistas, or can be combined with longer treks to keep you walking in the hills for months on end.

See the boxed text, Click here, for advice and information about responsible trekking in Peru.

Trekking & Mountaineering

INFORMATION

To get the lowdown on trekking and the latest conditions, your first port of call should be Casa de Guías (Click here), which has information on weather, trail conditions, guides and mule hire. Some IGN and Alpenvereinskarte topographic maps are sold here.

Trekking and equipment-rental agencies are also good sources of local knowledge and can also advise on day hikes. For more impartial advice, be sure to visit popular Huaraz haunts such as California Café (Click here) and Café Andino (Click here), whose foreign owners keep abreast of local developments, sell hiking maps and guides and freely dole out advice alongside tasty treats. While you’re there, be sure to check out their noticeboards and talk to other travelers and mountaineers – recently returned climbers will have the best advice on what to expect.

WHEN TO GO

People hike year-round, but the dry season of mid-May to mid-September is the most popular time to visit, with good weather and the clearest views. It’s still advisable to check out the latest weather forecasts, however, as random heavy snowfalls, winds and electrical storms are not uncommon during this period. December to April is the wettest time, when it is often overcast and wet in the afternoons and trails become boggy. With the appropriate gear and some preparation, hiking is still possible and some trekkers find hiking then more rewarding, as many of the most popular trails are empty. For serious mountaineering, climbers pretty much stick to the dry season.

TRAIL GUIDEBOOKS & MAPS

Lonely Planet’s Trekking in the Central Andes covers the best hikes in the Cordillera Blanca and the Cordillera Huayhuash. A great resource for the Huayhuash region is the detailed Climbs and Treks of the Cordillera Huayhuash of Peru (2005) by Jeremy Frimer, though it’s only available locally in Huaraz. The best overview of climbing in the Cordillera Blanca is Brad Johnson’s Classic Climbs of the Cordillera Blanca Peru (2003).

Felipe Díaz’s 1:286,000 Cordilleras Blanca & Huayhuash is a popular and excellent map for an overview of the land, with towns, major trails and town plans – though it’s not detailed enough for remote treks. The Alpenvereinskarte (German Alpine Club) produces the most detailed and accurate maps of the region; look for the regularly updated 1:100,000 Cordillera Blanca Nord (sheet 0/3a) and Cordillera Blanca Sur (sheet 0/3b) maps. For the Cordillera Huayhuash, get the Alpine Mapping Guild’s 1:50,000 Cordillera Huayhuash topographic map. These maps are available in Caraz, Huaraz and at South American Explorers’ clubhouses.

IGN produces six 1:100,000 scale maps covering the Cordilleras, although they’re somewhat dated and often use atypical place names.

TOURS & GUIDES

The Casa de Guías and agencies (Click here), in Huaraz, and Pony Expeditions (Click here), in Caraz, are good places to start your search for qualified mountain guides, arrieros (mule drivers) and cooks. If you wish to put together a support team for your own expedition, trekking agencies can also arrange