The Cordillera Blanca with its snow-capped peaks is a true Mecca for mountaineers. One of the most famous trails is the Santa Cruz Trek. It is one of the most beautiful trails in the Peruvian Andes and can be completed in 4 to 5 days, starting from the famous mountaineering town of Huaraz. In order to get used to the altitude, individual acclimatization tours should have been carried out beforehand.
During the trek you walk through wide valleys, along lagoons and turquoise mountain lakes and in the face of dramatic mountain scenery. The highest peak in Peru is Huascarán (6,768 m); the most famous mountain is called Alpamayo (5,947 m) - a dream mountain, like a cathedral. The wildlife in Huascarán UNESCO National Park is like everywhere in the Andes: There are cougars, deer, Andean jackals, condors and eagles.
Trekking tourists usually start the Santa Cruz Trek from the middle-sized city of Huaraz. From here you drive to the village of Cashapampa, where the entrance to the Santa Cruz Trek is only marked by an information board. A wooden hut is the last sign of existing civilization before you advance deeper and deeper into this unreal world of rock, ice and snow.
The trail meanders down over the Punta Union Pass (4,759 m) to the Lagoons of Llanganuco, two turquoise mountain lakes (Chinancocha and Orconcocha) in the middle of the Huascarán UNESCO National Park.
Accommodation and campsites on the Santa Cruz Trek
There is a first possibility to camp overnight in Llamacorral, the next campsite along the route is at the foot of Alpamayo in Arhuaycocha. Then hike along the trek to Taullipampa. A strenuous stage awaits the next day on the way to Huaripampa, up the Punta Union pass. The last hike of the next day leads to the small settlement of Vaquería, which is suitable as a travel end point and where travelers are brought back to Huaraz by minibus.
In Huaraz it is possible to book a tour with a guide. However, it is difficult to separate the right guide from the wrongly appointed guide in the current price war, because those who set off on the Santa Cruz Trek and are not familiar with the country should not set off carelessly or inexperienced. The right travel preparation, weather and local knowledge are essential. In addition, Santa Cruz trekkers who are on their own for several days must show an ID card from a mountaineering organization.
One option is to read the guide reviews on tripadvisor.com and then decide. In any case, the tour service should include a guide, pack animals including a guide, meals and camping utensils. A multi-day tour with luggage to be carried along the Santa Cruz is not recommended.
Book your Santa Cruz trekking trip from United States with a English-speaking provider as part of a group trip and hike with just a daypack!
For the trekking itself, surefootedness and a head for heights are absolutely necessary in order to be able to fully enjoy this attractive landscape. As for the best time to go, it's best to hike during the dry season, because the wetter the weather, the higher the risk of snow on the passes and the smoother the rocks on the descent.
The best time to visit the Santa Cruz Trek is between May and October during the dry season. From November to March there is the rainy season and then the risk of landslides (in addition to the bad weather) is particularly high. Travelers should then not plan tours through the Andes of northern Peru.