Yesterday I woke up, checked my news feed, and decided I would rather not.
Instead, I backed up photos from my phone, and capturing my imagination were the photos from my trek along the Santa Cruz trail in Huascaran National Park, in the north of Peru.
For anyone that wants a taste of the snow-capped mountain action but have long been intimidated by the prospect of trekking, say the Himalayas, the Santa Cruz trail, which cuts through the Cordillera Blanca mountains, is a great “starter” multi-day trek that covers a bit of everything. You’ll see beautiful glacier lakes, a high pass that brings you seemingly eye-level with snowy peaks, lush valleys threaded with gushing rivers, sleeping under star-studded night skies.
Yes, you cross a high of 4,750m at the Punta Union pass, and much of the trek takes place at an altitude that takes getting used to, but the total distance covered in 3 to 4 days is just around 45km. It was far less brutal on my feet and energy levels than the W Circuit in Torres del Paine in Chile, which spanned about 80km in about the same number of days.
Still, acclimatisation is needed if you haven’t spent any time at altitude before arriving. I arrived in the town of Huaraz (elevation 3,052m) a couple days before I started the Santa Cruz trek, and did some day hikes as “warm up” – one to a lookout point at Laguna Wilcacocha (3,725m), and one to Laguna 69 (4,600m). Both were great for getting used to the shortness of breath and letting my grumpy stomach calm down (my digestive system hates altitude), and the scenery at Laguna 69 in particular was outstanding.
On hindsight, I think the Santa Cruz trail is manageable without a guide – in terms of finding your way, it is easy enough if you do your homework by studying maps, doing internet research, and talking to people in town (I stayed in a hostel with lots of experienced trekkers and the owner was knowledgable too). You’re also likely to run into other trekkers who can help point to the right way – I trekked in early June and while the trail wasn’t crowded, I encountered plenty of people.
You will need to bring your own tents, sleeping gear, food and cooking equipment, but I think the terrain is very manageable because the daily distances aren’t so long that it becomes arduous. Water is available from the many streams you’ll pass, but bring something to purify water with because there are many animals grazing (and pooping) in the park.
I opted to join a group because I wasn’t keen on carrying all my gear and food on my own – I know many people manage these things solo but I wasn’t quite confident enough about my outdoors experience to try. Now that I’ve given it a go, I feel a lot more confident, and I would gladly give unguided solo treks a try.
For my 3N4D group trek, I paid US$180, which covered everything (transport from Huaraz to trail head, tents, food, water, guide) except the park entrance fee (65 soles) and sleeping bag rental (US$3 a day). I thought this was extremely reasonable considering there were also a couple of pack mules to carry the heavy stuff (I tipped the cook/porter who guided them extra).
In terms of elevation, I began my trek at about 2,900m at the village of Vaqueria. On the second day, we climbed to the 4,750m Punta Union pass, before descending to spend the night at a campsite at around 4,200m. On the third day, the longest trekking day, we spent the morning around the 4,000m mark before descending gradually to a campsite at around the 3,400m. The last day is downhill all the way through a valley, ending in the village of Cashapampa.
Doing it in reverse order is possible and puts the ascent to Punta Union on the third day, which some people say is better for acclimatisation. However, it also means you start your trek with a fairly tedious and long uphill walk on day 1 – and with the sun right in your eyes. I think if you have already acclimatised by arriving in Huaraz earlier and maybe done a few hikes, climbing to Punta Union on day 2 is perfectly manageable.
Compared to the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, the W circuit in Torres del Paine, and the Ausangate circuit around Cusco, the Santa Cruz trail is relatively easy, but plenty rewarding. There’s a bit of a adrenaline kick when you finally hit Punta Union pass, but the highlight for me was actually the third day spent walking through the Santa Cruz Canon and passing the very pretty Jatuncocha lake. We also hiked up to Arhuaycocha, a gorgeous glacier lake, passing Alpamayo mountain along the way.
The trek, in pictures:
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Getting there:
There are several daily buses from Lima to Huaraz, as well as weekly flights. Cruz del Sur and Oltursa are two reputable bus operators I had experience with, and their schedules can be found on their websites.
In Huaraz, there are no lack of trekking agencies that will take groups to the Santa Cruz trail. After ploughing through endless Tripadvisor reviews, I went with Scheler Artizon Trek, and they were great, although a little slow responding to emails.
Eating:
In Huaraz, I usually do lunch at the Mercado Central or nearby stalls – a standard menu del dia (soup for starters, rice with something for mains, free flow tea) is around S$5. I didn’t have anything mind-blowing but it was satisfactory. The market itself is great for buying dried fruit and nuts for hikes (waaay better than any of the supermarkets).
For coffee, Cafe Andino on Jiron Simon Bolivar was pretty good, and the atmosphere is nice and lively in the evening for beers. They serve the usual gringo fare but with a bigger selection of healthy bites than most, and it was decent quality. Expect to spend around S$10-12 for a meal. The terrace has a great view of the mountains.
I was seriously missing food back home by the time I got to Huaraz, so I couldn’t resist a restaurant that called itself Chilli Heaven offering Thai and Indian food. I was deeply satisfied by my Thai red curry – practically wept tears because it was the first truly spicy dish I had in months. Again, expect to pay gringo prices (S$10-$15 for dinner) for a meal.
The coffee at California Cafe wasn’t as good as that of Cafe Andino, but the staff are lovely, the wifi is strong, and a big pot of tea kept me company while I tried to bang out a story. The book exchange was also a godsend because I was in dire need of reading material then as well.
Sleeping:
I stayed in La Casa de Zarela, which was a bit further away from the town centre, but it’s just 8-10 minute walk so no big deal. Zarela speaks excellent English, is well-travelled and knowledgable about trekking in the area, and she’s used to doling out advice to hikers of all abilities. The shower in my six-bed dorm had gloriously hot water at great pressure, and the kitchen serves up excellent breakfasts and Thai food at reasonable prices. It’s not the best deal where dorms are concerned but I liked the vibes and the service and I think it’s a great base for Huaraz.
At the request of a friend, I also checked out a hostel called Hostal Universal Huaraz (Jiron Hualcan 252) that’s off the Mercado Central, and it offers private rooms at a pretty unbeatable rate (35 soles a night). There’s no kitchen, but I think it’s a small price to pay for clean, spacious private rooms with good wifi. The rates are much better if you walk in (it’s really quiet and I don’t think they get much business). My friend stayed there for nearly a month and enjoyed it.
Websites with useful information on the Santa Cruz trail:
https://traveloutlandish.com/blog/trekking-peru-santa-cruz-trek/
http://sylwiatravel.com/tips-organize-santa-cruz-trekking-near-huaraz-3-days/
http://www.cleverhiker.com/blog/santa-cruz-trek-peru-a-guide-to-hiking-in-the-cordillera-blanca
HOP STEP JUMP 
What a fantastic hike. I’d love to do it one day. Loved your photos.
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