Huayhuash

Quartelhuain – Janca – Carhuacocha – Huayhuahs – Huayllapa

January 2026

After having done the Choquequirao trek, the second part of holiday in Peru had as it’s main aim a trek in the Huayhuash range. This world famous range is one of Peru’s most classic trekking areas. With good reason, even though the mountains might need be the highest that can be found, their steepness and density together with the many lakes and hiking opportunities, make this area very suitable for long distance hikes.

Season

The best season for hiking the Huayhuash is generally accepted to be the Andes dry season, May to September. We visited the range in January and indeed got quite a few downpours. One day was completely wet, but most other days enjoyed good weather till around noon after which the weather become more unstable.

Despite the rain and resulting muddy trails hiking is still very much possible and views can still be had. The up side of the rainy season is that there is quite literally no one else on the trail, whereas in peak season I can imagine the trail to get quite a busy.

We understood that the rains had only just started, so as ideal season that compromises between weather and crowds one could maybe consider December as a good time to go. The rains are likely to not yet swoop in under full force but you are nonetheless likely to find the trails empty.

Day 1

We were repeatedly told that the weather would be clearest early morning and that the rains would set in only after noon. For that reason we left Huaraz very early in the morning. As it slowly got light the rule of thumb seemed correct. The weather was crystal clear and we had some rather grandiose views of the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Huaraz in the far distance.

The drive took shorter than I had thought. The Andes is very different from the Himalaya in which the mountains go on for all some time. Here however we could drive across a near flat plateau looking over the sharp snow peaks east of us. Only the last section of the drive when we had to drive into the Andes to Quartelhuain the going got slower.

Our plan had been to cross the Cacanapunta pass straightaway. It would just be 500m up and then down again, a short and easy day to get us started. When we started the ascend Eline however still felt ill forcing us to spent the night at Quartelhuain.

The weather was rather on and off again. We had quite some rain that was then followed by sunshine and sometimes even views over the Yerupaja. In the evening we even got some wet snow.

Day 2

As we woke up the weather was rather terrible. It was not even 6am and the rain was already falling. Not really the morning clear skies we had been promised…

As we had already spent a day extra in Huaraz and a day extra in Quartelhuain we did feel like despite the weather we would need to get on our way. We slowly but steadily hiked up the hill behind the campsite. The Cacanapunta pass was very nearby, in clear weather we would probably have already seen it.

The meteo did not improve and we made our way up in wet snow and mist. It was a far cry from the clear mornings I had been promissed… I hope this would be an examplatory for the rest of the trek, otherwise I might come to regret my choice to come in early january.

once we across the pass we descended along a muddy slippery trail. It was in fact so slippery that I fell. I think I have never fallen on a trek before, but the mud just did not give any friction.

As we arrived in Janca there was no question on whether we should stay there. Better to do a short day and wait for better weather. After a few hours at camp the weather started to improve and the rain gave way to some weak rays of sun. Even the mountains started to show themselves a bit. We hiked up and down to the lake around 2km further up valley. We were very grateful that the weather at least showed that it could be less relentless by times.

Day 3

We woke up for a very clear morning. Now this is what I was hoping for! We rose super early to make use of the nice weather, packed up and started our ascend for the next pass. Today we would get into the heart of this trek and get the first glimpse of the three lakes that make this trek so famous.

The dog that hat spent the night next to our tent followed us along the trail. We wondered where the dog came from and who would feed it. As we approached the pass we could clearly see the Yerupaja, the highest and only 6000m mountain on the trek. On our way down the clouds clearly moved in, though nothing compared to yesterdays downpour.

The descend ended at Cachora lake, the regular campsite and the place where we could have reached yesterday had we made a long day. As the weather was fine and it was still early in the day we decided to continue on.

We followed the valley floor guessing our direction. Strange enough the trail had fully disappeared. The valley was probably to wet and lush for a trail to erode. We however found the trail again soon enough as we started climbing gently up the slope on the other side. The day before had clearly been a warm up, at this point in the trek you really feel in the mountains with some nice view of pure alpine terrain.

We continued on as we were motivated to sleep close to tomorrows pass to make use of the (hopefully) good morning weather window to see the world famous three lakes view point.

From the valley floor the lakes remain out of sight for a long time because of the high moraines surrounding them. When the first lake came in sight we had already passed along side it. We set up our tent at the shore of the start second lake. Eline deemed it the most beautiful camp spot we had ever had. It was clear to see why. A nice green patch, a blue lake with sharp peaks in the background. The surroundings were highly romantic. The solitude really added to the experience as there were no other trekkers in early January, the start of the rainy season.

Day 4

Eline had gotten sick overnight again. Darn, I hoped we had finally left all the medical problems behind us, but here we went again. It was not far to the pass, but for someone vomiting every 50 meters it was in fact pretty bloody far. I suppose at least Eline left the trail well marked for the next group…

Slowly, almost incrementally we got closer and closer to the apss. The weather was perfect and we had left around 4am to make it to the viewpoint in time. But with the phase in which we were going it remained to be seen whether we would make it before the clouds rolled in.

Luckily the viewpoint is actually not on the pass itself, but way nearer around half way through the ascend. We reached there around 7am, after a whopping and grueling 3 hours or so toilet break interrupted slog. Though Eline’s health was highly problematic and some concern could be raised whether we would even reach our next camp the view over the three lakes and the mountains in the backdrop was amazing. As the sun rose and we got closer to the pass I feel the antibiotics started to kick in slowly. It was by no means a walk in the park, but at least we were able to more or less move in a more continuous fashion.

The pass itself is less impressive than the valley and intermediate viewpoint, but on the pass you do get a feel of the scale of the landscape. Rolling green hills as far as the eye could see with no village or town in sight.

The descend was easy and gradual. We would hike to the Huayhuash campsite, which turned out to be a very large camp with quite some buildings. In the main season this would probably be quite the hub also offering lodge accommodation. The front portal of one house was open and we made used it to make our beds and avoid pitching our tent. This might be the last night in the outdoors. If our condition would allow we would already finish the trek tomorrow.

The question was how to end it though. Eline was not feeling well so we could opt to just descend to a village named Huayhuash. We could not see it, but the map indicated it to be very nearby. However I never heard of anyone ending their trek here so it seemed operationally risky. Besides it would feel like breaking off the trek early and not completing it. Then there was the long but easy classic option and the option I had intended to take via the Trapecio pass. However I could not discern a clear trail towards this pass. And though I did prepare the route well using satellite images I only now noticed that my map in fact did not indicate a descend trail on the map. Normally I would not worry too much about it, but since Eline was in poor health I reached out to our contact by satellite phone to inform. He told me Trapecio was a frequented pass, but that in bad weather we had to be careful. That sounded good enough to me so I decided to go for the Trapecio option.

Day 5

The weather was good and Eline was in ok health again. At least on our last day we had all our ducks in a row!

We started our slow but steady ascend to Trapecio pass, located just under the Trapecio mountain. It would be the highest pass of the trek and only one located above 5000m. The approach was rather gradual, there was no trail visible but the meadows made it easy enough.

Weather wise this must have been the best day so far. A very clear morning that persisted till late in the day. So the rumours of clear mornings were not completely fabricated in the end 🙂

As the pass came closer a trail became visible making the hiking easier. The last stretch of the climb left the meadows behind and went in 2 consecutive steep rock sections to the pass. Eline arrived on Trapecio pass rather exshausted, the sick days had made an impact at this point. I did feel the elevation in my legs as well.

From the pass we had a commanding view westward over the valley towards Huaylappa. There were several lakes and impressive rock faces. The drop from the pass was rather extreme, without a trail this would have been a real climb.

Around the lakes the going was slow with multiple ups and downs to avoid obstacles along the lake shore. Once finally down at the meadows we saw the usual campspot north of us on a higher ridge.

The dog that had been following us for days now had went ahead. It always followed us the first hour to test where we were going, then when it thought it knew which way we were going it would go ahead and wait for us in the next campsite. Unfortunately for the dog its strategy failed. I saw his paw trails on the snow on the pass, but we skipped camp and went for a single push to Huallappa leaving the dog behind.

From this point on the terrain was crazy flat, almost like an easy runway that we could follow all the way to Huaylappa. We made very very quick progress as much as 4km an hour, an amazing speed for mountain terrain. After 2 hours or so we camp across the first locals we had seen till now. A shepherd and his son.

Once almost at the main valley there was a very steep descend alongside the waterfall bringing us down to the main river. From here it was a nice hike along agricultural fields to the village Huaylappa where we found ample of nice lodges with cooked meals.