Peru. Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit. part 2

   After a relaxing evening at the Viconga hot springs and a much better night's sleep, we continued our journey deeper into the Huayhuash range. The previous day's rest had helped a lot, and fortunately the headaches that had troubled us at Viconga had mostly disappeared.

 Our destination for the day was Elefante Camp, a relatively short stage of around 9 kilometers. Although the distance was not great, the route included the highest pass of our entire trek — Cuyoc Pass (5,000 m).  

  Map of the hike...

 

   The trail gradually climbed from Viconga through a barren alpine landscape surrounded by glaciers and towering peaks. One of the most impressive mountains along the route was Nevado Puscanturpa, a beautiful glaciated peak rising above the valley. Covered in snow and ice, its sharp ridges and hanging glaciers provided a dramatic backdrop as we gained altitude...

   Eventually, we reached Cuyoc Pass, the highest point of the circuit. From the pass, the views were simply extraordinary. Looking back, we could see the valleys and mountains we had crossed over the previous days, while ahead stretched a rugged landscape of glaciers, rocky ridges, and remote Andean wilderness. Standing at 5,000 meters, surrounded by some of Peru's most spectacular mountain scenery, felt like a major milestone on the trek.

    From the pass, the trail descended toward Elefante Camp. Along the way, we were treated to beautiful views of enormous ice-covered slopes surrounding the upper valley.

   We arrived at Elefante Camp relatively early in the afternoon and had plenty of time to rest and recover.

  Since I was feeling much better after the hot springs and some extra rest, I decided to take a short walk to the nearby lakes. The peaceful surroundings, crystal-clear water, and surrounding peaks made it a perfect way to spend the afternoon...

   The next day was another long stage of the trek. We covered approximately 18 kilometers with around 700 meters of elevation gain, following a route that first descended through a broad valley before climbing back into the mountains.

   The morning began with a steady descent from Elefante Camp. The trail followed a beautiful river valley, passing grazing livestock, small stone shelters, and green pastures that contrasted with the barren high-altitude landscapes of the previous days. After several days spent among glaciers and rocky passes, it was refreshing to walk through a landscape that felt more inhabited and connected to local life...

   We passed a beautiful waterfall cascading down the steep valley walls.

  Eventually, we reached the area near Huallapa, one of the small villages along the Huayhuash Circuit... 

  We did not actually enter the village itself. Instead, we stopped at the community checkpoint, paid the required access fee, and continued our journey. Like many parts of the circuit, this section crosses land managed by local communities, and the fees help support the people who live in these remote valleys...

  From Huallapa, the trail turned uphill once again as we began the climb toward Huatiaq Camp...

  By late afternoon, we arrived at Huatiaq Camp, a peaceful campsite located in an open mountain valley surrounded by impressive peaks. The main attraction was the impressive view of Nevado Diablo Mudo (5,350 m), one of the most iconic peaks in the Huayhuash range. Its snow-covered summit and elegant pyramid shape stood prominently above the surrounding landscape, dominating the view from camp.

  We set up our tent facing the mountain and spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing while enjoying the scenery. As the sunlight gradually changed throughout the evening, the glacier-covered slopes of Diablo Mudo (meaning "Silent Devil" from Spanish) glowed in different shades of white, gold, and pink. It was one of the most beautiful campsite views of the entire trek and a perfect place to end another day in the Huayhuash mountains...

  Our next day on the Huayhuash Circuit covered approximately 17 kilometers with around 900 meters of elevation gain and a maximum altitude of 4,858 meters. By this point, we were already well acclimatized, and the altitude that had felt challenging at the beginning of the trek no longer seemed like a major obstacle. We left Huatiaq Camp in the morning and climbed steadily toward Yaucha Pass...

  . The ascent felt surprisingly comfortable, and before long we reached the pass, rewarded with some of the best views of the entire trek.

  From there, the route followed a spectacular ridge high above the valleys. The scenery was so impressive that we almost stopped paying attention to the distance still ahead of us. Every turn revealed another breathtaking panorama, making the kilometers seem to pass effortlessly...

   The ridge offered sweeping views across much of the Cordillera Huayhuash, including several of its most famous peaks. In the distance, we could clearly see Yerupajá (6,635 m), the highest mountain in the range and the second-highest in Peru, as well as Jirishanca (6,094 m), known for its dramatic steep walls. Seeing so many iconic mountains at once gave us a real sense of how much of the Huayhuash range we had already crossed.

 The trail continued along open alpine slopes and ridgelines, with endless views of valleys, lakes, glaciers, and multicolored mountains stretching across the horizon. The contrast between the red and orange mineral-rich hills, deep blue lakes, and snow-covered peaks created some of the most spectacular scenery of the entire Huayhuash Circuit...

  One of the most spectacular views along the ridge was the panorama of Jirishanca (6,094 m) and Rondoy (5,870 m) rising dramatically above the valley below. Jirishanca, often called the "Matterhorn of the Andes," is famous for its steep, sharply pointed summit and imposing glacier-covered walls, making it one of the most striking mountains in Peru. Beneath these towering peaks lay a deep-blue alpine lake, whose calm waters reflected the surrounding cliffs and glaciers, creating a breathtaking contrast between ice, rock, and water. The combination of the lake and the dramatic mountain backdrop was one of the most memorable landscapes of the entire Huayhuash Circuit...

  After enjoying these spectacular views, we began the long descent toward our final campsite near Lake Jahuacocha. Located on the shores of one of the most beautiful lakes in the Huayhuash range, the campsite offered an incredible setting surrounded by mountains and open grasslands.

  The area around Jahuacocha was also full of wildlife. Throughout the afternoon, we saw numerous Andean birds flying above and feeding in the nearby wetlands. Waterfowl, gulls, and other high-altitude bird species added life and movement to the peaceful scenery, making the campsite feel very different from the more remote and barren camps we had visited earlier in the trek.

  With the dramatic peaks of the Huayhuash range rising above and birds constantly circling overhead, Jahuacocha was a perfect place to spend our final night in the mountains and reflect on the incredible journey we had experienced over the previous days...

  The last day of the Huayhuash Circuit began with an early descent from the Jahuacocha area toward Llamac, marking the final stage of our multi-day trek through the Andes. After several days of high passes, glaciers, and remote camps, this section felt noticeably more relaxed, both in altitude and pace.

 The trail first followed a gentle descent through open high-Andean pastures, where we passed small pastoral farms with traditional stone buildings along the stream. These wide grasslands created a softer landscape compared to the rugged peaks of previous days. The sound of flowing water accompanied us for much of the morning, adding a calm rhythm to the final section of the trek...

  As we continued, the route began to traverse along the mountainside, opening up beautiful views over the valley below. With every turn, new perspectives appeared - green slopes, winding rivers, and distant peaks gradually revealing the scale of the landscape we had just crossed over the past week. In some sections, the trail even wound through small patches of woodland, with twisting trees and shaded paths that made this part of the hike especially photogenic and varied...

  Before the final descent, we reached a small pass where the view suddenly opened in all directions, revealing a sweeping panorama of the Huayhuash ridge covered in snow-capped peaks stretching far across the horizon. We took a short break here to rest, drink coca tea, and have breakfast while enjoying the incredible scenery...

 From there, the trail descended steadily toward Llamac village. The last section felt much faster and easier, as the altitude dropped and the landscape slowly transitioned from high alpine terrain into lower, greener valleys...

 We reached Llamac before midday, officially completing the Huayhuash Circuit, we walked to the main plaza, which has a beautiful view of the surrounding mountains.

  From there, we continued to the checkpoint, where we showed the tickets we had paid when entering the village seven days earlier. After that, we waited for a bus, which took us first to Chiquián and then we changed a bus back to Huaraz.

  A 7-day trek through the Huayhuash Circuit in the Peruvian Andes, covering 103 km with approximately 4,812 m of total elevation gain. The route crossed multiple high mountain passes above 4,500 m, including Abra Cacanapunta (4,700 m), Abra Carhuac (4,700 m), Abra Huayhuash (4,800 m), Siula Pass (4,800 m), Cuyoc Pass (5,000 m) - the highest point of the trek - and Yaucha Pass (4,850 m), along with several scenic ridgeline crossings throughout the range. The trek offered constant views of some of the most iconic peaks in the Andes, including Yerupajá, Siula Grande, Jirishanca, Diablo Mudo, and Rondoy, as well as turquoise glacial lakes and remote valleys. It was a physically demanding but well-acclimatized journey, combining long hiking days, community-managed campsites, and continuous high-altitude terrain in one of the most spectacular mountain ranges in the world.