It is possible. We strongly advise against it.

If you were injured or stricken with altitude sickness, you could be in mortal danger. Much of the trek is inaccessible. You could be stuck between high passes.

Instead look for other hikers in Huaraz. Post a note at Cafe Andino, Casa de Guias & hostels. You should be able to hook up with others within a few days.

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We are independent hikers. This website is designed for those who like to organize their own trip.

But for Huayhuash we did hire help.

What is the minimum support team?

We hired only an arriero and pack animals. We bought food & cooked for ourselves & our arriero. We also rented a cook tent, a great investment for US$5 / day.

We declined to hire a guide, though many times we wished we would have. The arriero travels with the pack animals on the easiest trail. A guide would have walked with us on the higher, rougher, more scenic route. Without a guide we managed to get lost 4 days of 10.

Our advice for very experienced hikers is not to join a tour, but to hire arriero, pack animals and — if you can afford it — a guide. (The bigger the hiking group the better as you split the cost of the guide.)

Actually the cost of a guided trip is very reasonable. For example, consider La Cima Logistics, one of the best companies in Huaraz for trekking or climbing in Huayhuash.

• be-lingual service
• all arrangements made for you by experts
• flat fee as low as US$250.00 for a small group, up to 4 people
• save time
• arrangements for burros, cooks, transportation, buying and organizing food and getting it all packed.
• ground transportation between Lima and Huaraz
• hotel reservations both in Lima and Huaraz
• 30+ years trekking experience in this range

For La Cima Logistics contact either:

• Brad Johnson at bradjohnson@peaksandplaces.com
• ... or Chris Benway at cafeandino@hotmail.com

La Cima organized our 2004 trip (with horses!) & we were 100% satisfied with all arrangements.

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Warning!

In Huaraz, many small shops tout themselves trekking agencies. Some try to win your business by charging less. Some are not paying the arriero (burro driver) / porters / guides the fixed standard daily rates causing hard feelings with locals. Be very, very cautious with whom you go.

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We would not try hiking the entire Circuit with a heavy pack. It is too long, too high, too dangerous.

If you insist on carrying your own pack, you could exit early at Cajatambo. Or re-supply in Cajatambo or Huayappa.

But we recommend anyone travelling far enough to hike Huayhuash should do the entire Circuit — it would be a shame to cut out early.

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