Santa Cruz Trek
Circuito de trekking Santa Cruz
A classic crossing of Peru's Cordillera Blanca in Huascarán National Park, about 50 km on foot from Cashapampa up the Santa Cruz valley and over to Vaquería.
At a glance
- Starts in
- Cashapampa
- Ends in
- Vaquería
- Length
- 50 km
- On foot
- ≈ 2–3 days
- Countries
Peru
About the trail
The Cordillera Blanca is the highest tropical mountain range in the world, and much of it lies within Huascarán National Park. The Santa Cruz trek crosses the range from west to east, climbing the Santa Cruz valley from Cashapampa, crossing the high pass of Punta Unión and descending the Huaripampa valley to Vaquería.
On the way the trail passes glacial lakes such as Jatuncocha and climbs below Taulliraju to the pass, with views of Artesonraju and other snow peaks of the range, before dropping into the Huaripampa valley.
Peru's state news agency Andina, passing on advice from the protected-areas service Sernanp, describes the route as an 85 km, three-hour drive from Huaraz by Caraz to Cashapampa followed by a 50 km walk to Vaquería. Visitors are asked to keep their entry tickets for the park's checkpoints, to ask guides to show a valid licence and to travel with agencies and transport authorised by Sernanp.
No source gives the days on foot, so they are worked out from the length at 20–25 km a day.