Huayhuash Circuit Hiking, Peru - FAQS (Frequently Asked Questions)

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How many days are needed to hike the Circuit?

Have you ever slept 10 nights in a tent in series?

It’s great.

Huayhuash is long & high. Expect to suffer some from altitude sickness. Do not try to rush this trip.

It takes time to organize this adventure, as well.

If you are short on time we recommend you hike the Alpamayo Base Camp Trek instead, 6-7 nights in the tent.

What guidebooks do you recommend?

Lonely Planet Trekking in the Central Andes. LP is our favourite hiking guide, by far. Be sure to get the most recent edition as it is frequently updated.

Consider too Lonely Planet Healthy Travel Central & South America.

We strongly recommend you use this book to plan your trip and carry it — even if you hire a guide — for details on flora, fauna, history, etc. It is essential.

You also need a general travel guide — check our details page for recommendation.

Other recommended books?

Joe Simpson's Touching the Void. Essential reading for anyone hiking Huayhuash. We read it while we hiked.

You can relive the adventure and day hike to their base camp.

There are a surprising number of good books on Cordillera Huayhuash & the Cordillera Blanca:

new Cordillera Huayhuash: Select Treks and Climbs, by Jeremy Frimer, 2005.

Cordillera Huayhuash: Perú (in Spanish), by Adam Kolff

Trekking and Climbing in the Andes: 26 Adventure Treks in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Equador, Peru and Venezuela, 2002 — including Inca Trail, Ausangate, Huayhuash, Santa Cruz & Alpamayo. Colourful, with elevation profiles. (Globetrotter Adventure Guide) by Pitkethly & Harper.

Peru & Bolivia. The Bradt Trekking Guide, by Bradt & Jarvis, 2002 — information on the Cuzco area, Huayhuash & Cordillera Blanca, Arequipa hikes, and more. Be sure to get the most recent Bradt guide as they are frequently updated. Contains more background information than Lonely Planet, is more personal, but less well organized.

new Classic Climbs of the Cordillera Blanca, Perú, 2005, by Brad Johnson. Gorgeous photos & background information from one who loves these mountains.

The Andes, A Trekking Guide, 2001, by John & Cathy Biggar. Colourful brief overview of the hikes in South America. Includes Inca Trail, Ausangate, Colca Canyon, Misti, Huayhuash, Santa Cruz & Alpamayo. Great photos, Flora & Fauna section. This guidebook includes more difficult, adventurous hikes than any other.

Cordillera Huayhuash: Circuit of the Cordillera & Laguna Jahuacocha (1979 Trail guide, Out of Print--Limited Availability), by Jim Bartle

Trails of the Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash of Peru, by Jim Bartle, 1981. Out of print. Limited availability.

Peruvian Andes: Cordillera Blanca, by P. Beaud, 1988. Out of print. Limited availability. Climbing book.

Climbs of the Cordillera Blanca, by David Sharman, 1988

The Lost City of the Incas, by Hiram Bingham who rediscoverd the ruins.

The Inca Trail, Cuzco & Machu Picchu, by Richard Danbury. Even those not hiking the Inca Trail like this compact guide.

White Rock, by Hugh Thompson. Explorer’s adventures seeking Inca sites.

Monuments of the Incas, by John Hemming & Edward Raney. Black & white photos.

You may be able to track down some of the rare ones in Peru. E-mail recommendations for other useful books.

We have heard of a number of Huayhuash books in the works. Let us know.

What are the best Huayhuash websites?

There are surprisingly few useful websites on Huayhuash.

We’ve linked to various sites throughout our site, listing the best under Links.

What is the best map?

Happily there is an excellent map of the Huayhuash Circuit. You need it!

Cordillera Huayhuash Peru, 2004, 2nd Edition is the best map.

More information and a listing of on-line maps on our Map page.

Why are place names spelled differently?

More than on any other hike, Huayhuash maps & guidebooks use different names & spellings for significant points on the Circuit.

Gringo map makers translate the local Quechua language place names into Spanish & English in different ways.

Here are a few examples:

Laguna Yahuachocha is also called Laguna Jahuacocha

Local use of the word “Punta” in the Huayhuash includes mountain passes. They use punta when you might expect paso. Pampa Llamac pass they call Punta Llamac, for example. Your guide or arriero can explain the differences to you.

mountain man