Cordillera Central Traverse
The mountains of the Central Cordillera and the Nor Yauyos Cochas Landscape Reserve protect spectacular mountains and are places of unique beauty. There
are lagoons full of trout and a hundred-year-old Inca Trail that crosses the southern part of the Cordillera. It presents three important basins: the Rímac, the Mantaro and the Cañete in the south. The Central Railway of Peru was built on its slopes, considered one of the most notable in the world due to the technical difficulties overcome, reaching 4835 m. The easiest access route to the heart of the mountain is from the capital Lima to the east with 150 km, accessing glaciers with around 200 peaks between 5000 and 5500m. It is a Cordillera that has been
ignored while the Cordillera Blanca and Huayhuash, Vilcanota captured the attention.
There are no hikers, signposts for camps like in the Cordillera Huayhuash or Blanca, there are no very frequented trails and garbage left by other groups. The Central Cordillera makes you feel like exploring places that no one has ever visited.
The end of this trekking is done by descending the valleys of Alto Cañete towards Chincha, the main production center of Peruvian Pisco. One last day to visit the Paracas Reserve and its Ballestas Islands. They are a group of three islands that care for important colonies of approximately 4,000 sea lions, 60 species of sea birds, 180 species of fish, and 10 varieties of dolphins.
Period: May to November.
16 Days
Trek Cordillera Central Traverse
Moderate
Bus/Trek
16 Pax
About the tour:
Travel Plan
Arrival, transfer to hotel in Miraflores. Facility. Trekking briefing.
Dinner not included.
Very early to avoid the traffic we headed east towards Chosica along the Central highway. At San Mateo 3150 m, we stop for self-catered breakfast at Chez Victor restaurant. San Mateo is a town through the highway, the main access road to access the center of Peru and the jungle. The circulation is very slow. In the past it was an important station of the railway that reaches the 4835 m pass, once the highest railway pass in the world.
Free breakfast and lunch. Dinner included. Night in lodge.3H.
After breakfast we take our vehicle to Río Blanco 3600m. Start of the trekking through the Copa ravine. The route is approximately 9 km and progressively 900 meters of unevenness. The flora of this area is characterized by the presence of pastures, as well as several cacti, and the fauna, you can see llamas, alpacas, sheep, as well as some species of birds. Arrival at the lagoon, walk and return to San Mateo.
+950m/-950m Full board
6H
Then, by car, we leave the paved road in Rio Blanco to ascend an unpaved road towards the Yuracmayo Lagoon, which in Quechua means “White River”.
Yuracmayo is one of the 3 freshwater reserves for Lima with 10 million inhabitants. Then optional walk to the Paca Tatajaico viewpoint. Return to the camp. Camp at the end of the lagoon.
+400m/-400m Full board
3h trek- Transfer 2h
We prepare in the direction of the Sullcón pass. Progressively, the trail begins on the high slopes of the Yuracmayo. We pass through an old glacier that has already disappeared. The view of the snowy Paca 5610 dominates the landscape. We reach the Sullcon pass at 5000 m, and the summit of the same name rises. It is the watershed of the continent. A 180 degree panorama is available on Carhuachuco 5580 m, Huallacancha 5480 m, Sullcón 5600 m, Paca 5610 m.
Return to the camp.
+700m/-700m Full board
3h trek -
Leaving at 7: AM from Río Yuracmayo we head to the foot of the snowy Vicuñita ascending to our first highest pass Ñawi Punta 4900m. Frequently you can see wild animals vicuñas, partridges (Tinamou, which is not the European partridge), Huachuas (Andean geese) The view of Nevado Vicuñita 5512m, Paccha Esquina
5265m, Harrarayoc 5330m, announces the arrival at Camp Paccha 4535m.
Optional climb to Paccha Esquina 5200- No technical equipment is required to climb.
+550m/-350m Full board
5h trek
We leave the Paccha lagoon to continue the slopes of the snowy Hararayoc always to the south. The path goes up a pedrero with some circular stone constructions that are old enclosures to keep the llamas. The pass opens
between Hararayoc and Paccha Esquina. From the Hararayoc pass 5050 m, the summits of the Suiricochas 5500, Colquepucro 5491 m. descent to camp
+500m/-450m Full board
6h trek-
Along an old road we border the Llasca lagoon. An old path, always in the same direction, leads us to the crests of Cerro Torrioc. We appreciate the turquoise lagoons of Colquepucro to the east. On the west flank we can see the Totoral lagoon and from the pass the Suyoc lagoon. Then a short descent to the Pampa plain to then climb our second pass Suyoc 4870 m. Descent to the turquoise lagoon of Jiga 4600m where around we find herds of llamas and alpacas in large numbers. Camp.
+570m/-470m Full board
7h trek-
It will be the longest and most intense day of our trekking. We take the road to Piticocha through an immense plain known as puna. We take a piece of the road and then go up to the Ocsha 4650 pass, the view of the Pariacaca 5730 and 5750m peaks to the east adorn the landscape. It was the sacred mountain of the
Incas. Below are the Pariacaca we can appreciate the 5 staggered lagoons of Chuspicocha and Piticocha. Descent towards the town of Tanta. Night in Lodge.
+250m/-574m Full board
7h trek-
We leave the charming town of Tanta, which is dedicated to raising llamas and alpacas. It is located on the edge of the Paucarcocha lagoon and water reserve.
Along the southern edge of the lake we walk progressively always through thehigh punas in the direction of the Maca Chaca 4700 pass, some last views of Pariacaca and Nevado Tunshu are present. We arrive at the pass, then gently descend towards the Churaron ranch and camp.
+476 m/-300 m Full board
7h trek-
From this completely isolated valley we start the last effective day of trekking. We continue the path on the flank through the highlands passing by eventual shepherds' houses. We arrive at the 4700 m pass and descend through open valleys. The feelings of loneliness become intense in the midst of these large spaces. Regular descent towards Vilca, where we say goodbye to our team of llamas and muleteers. Night in lodge.
+300 m/-884 m Full board
5h trek-
From Vilca we continue the trip with a private vehicle with stops to visit the numerous waterfalls of Vilcas and the lagoons of the Nor Yauyos Cochas Landscape Reserve. We visit Huancaya the town with its colonial bridge and surrounding lagoon. We make lunch and continue the descent of the Cañete River. Arrival and camp Villa Arma.
5h of vehicle- Full board
With a more pleasant climate we followed the entire basin of the Cañete River, observing that the vegetation changes rapidly. Avocado and fruit trees become frequent in the landscape. We pass through Lunahuaná, a town famous for rafting activities. At noon we arrived at the Pan-American highway, the main one on the Peruvian coast. At noon we arrive in Chincha, the city where the most important Afro-Peruvian community is located. We settle in the comfortable hotel in Chincha.
5h of vehicle- Breakfast and lunch. free dinner
Guided visit to the Tabernero winery dating from 1897 in the city of Chincha to discover the processes of making pisco, wine and sparkling wine. Product tasting: wine and pisco. Entrance to the underground cellar. In the afternoon we will visit the Casa Hacienda San José, one of the main places where the black slaves worked and after their rebellion they built their homes around the Casa Hacienda. We will take a tour of the Treasury and the catacombs that are found there, as well as its beautiful chapel.
1h vehicle. Breakfast. Free lunch and dinner.
We leave our hotel to take our vehicle that will take us to the Bay of Paracas. We embark to the Ballestas Islands to visit the abundant fauna that the islands protect with many sea lions, cormorants, pelicans, and penguins.
After noon, return by bus to Lima. Hotel installation.
4h vehicle. Breakfast. Free lunch and dinner.
Airport transfer. Return flight.
Day 1: Arrival to Lima- Hotel Miraflores
Day 2: Lima 70 m – San Mateo 3150 m
Day 3: San Mateo 3150m - Rapagna Lagoon 4550m.
Day 4: San Mateo 3150 m - Yuracmayo 4300m (Río Blanco) -Mirador Paca and Tatajaico
Day 5: Yuracmayo 4300m- Sullcon pass exploration 5000m
Day 6: Yuracmayo 4350m – Ñawi Punta Pass 4900m – Paccha Lake 4550m
Day 7: Paccha Lake 4550m - Hararayoc Pass 5050m - Llasca Lake 4500m (Collquepucro)
Day 8: Lag Llasca 4500 m -Paso Torrioc 4900 m - Pampa 4700 m - Paso Suyoc 4870 m- Lag Jiga 4600 m
Day 9: Lag Jiga 4600 m - Piticocha 4400 m - Ocsha Pass 4650 m - Tanta 4276 m
Day 10: Tanta 4276 m - Maca Cacha Pass 4700 m - Churaron Ranch 4400m
Day 11: Estancia Churaron 4400m - Pass 4700m - Vilca 3816m
Day 12: Vilca 3816 m - (By bus) - Huancaya 3580 m -Camping Villa Arma 2900m.
Day 13: Camping Villa Arma 2900 m - Chincha 97 m (Paracas)
Day 14: Chincha 97 m – Visit Tabernero Pisco- Hacienda San José.
Day 15: Chincha 97m - Paracas 50m - Lima 70m.
Day 16: Lima – Europe
Includes and does not include
- Hotel in Lima 2 nights with breakfast
- Private bus Lima San Mateo – Bus return Chincha/ Paracas Lima.
- Hotels in San Mateo 2 nights with breakfast
- Transfers Airport Hotel IDA AND RETURN
- Transfers Hotel bus station IDA AND RETURN
- Mountain guide. (Assistant Guide groups of more than 7 people)
- Private transportation San Mateo – Yuracamayo round trip Vilcas Paracas.
- Acclimatization days, transfers and lunches.
- 3 meals each day (breakfast + lunch + dinner). Tea in the afternoon, snack for the route
- Dining tent, kitchen tent, bathroom tent, folding chairs and tables.
- Complete trekking kitchen equipment.
- llamas and muleteers
- Cook 09 days, assistant for groups of more than 5 participants
- Entrances to the communities.
- Personal equipment, helmet, harness.
- meals in the city
- International flight
- tips