Like a lot of foreign countries road safety does not exist as a term in Peru. Speed on Peruvian roads (at least out of Huaraz) is limited by the number of potholes you have to drive your way around and the aggressiveness of the driver. Our driver happened to be of a very aggressive disposition and wasted no time in overtaking anything in the face of oncoming traffic or on the narrow road which wound its way across the mountains. We did get there quickly though!
We arrived in Vaqueria around11.30 and the first part of the trek involved trekking in to the national park and getting to the first campsite. The walking was mainly through the flat mainly open land between the mountains. We reached the campsite just as the heavens began to open and a deluge of hail and rain came down. After sheltering in the toilet shack we set up tent and packed for the night. We had a small camping stove and cooked spaghetti and chilli con carne. It gets dark quickly in the mountains and by about 7pm there was no light.
Walking towards the light
We woke up on the Saturday around 7am although we were not fed, packed up and ready for part two until 9am. Ahead of us was the hardest part of the trek, the climb up to and over the Punta Union pass to reach the next campsite. The weather was cloudy but not cold as we started off. The climb up to the pass took about 4 hours and was one of the hardest physical challenges I have done. The closer the mountain pass became the steeper the climb was. Although I was acclimatized by now, climbing up to 4,750m with a 14kg bag on your back is not easy. This did not matter though as reaching the top of the pass made it all worth it. Sadly not all of the cloud had lifted but we had a great view over the mountains and the land ahead and behind us. Further down the pass was a big greeny blue lake which looked great. We stayed at the top as long as we could and had lunch before heading down the other side. We reached Taullipampa campsite (still 4,250m high) around 3pm and decided to start earlier the next day to complete the rest of the trek in one day.
Emotions high at the top
The view down to the lake
On the Sunday we started trekking at 7.30am with about 19km to do, however, now that we were the other side of the passit was all downhill to Cashapampa (2,900m). The weather the best of the three days and the landscape was very pretty in the sun. We walked across large open plains as the mountains opened up and around lakes that formed from the waterfalls cascading down the mountain sides. Then the mountains would close in again and we would be following a narrow fast flowing river downstream. We reached Cashapampa around 2pm and were greeted with a taxi, which we took to Caraz before getting on a bus to Huaraz. We arrived back at the house exhausted at about 6pm. It was a great trip and an excellent experience to have had.
On the Sunday we started trekking at 7.30am with about 19km to do, however, now that we were the other side of the passit was all downhill to Cashapampa (2,900m). The weather the best of the three days and the landscape was very pretty in the sun. We walked across large open plains as the mountains opened up and around lakes that formed from the waterfalls cascading down the mountain sides. Then the mountains would close in again and we would be following a narrow fast flowing river downstream. We reached Cashapampa around 2pm and were greeted with a taxi, which we took to Caraz before getting on a bus to Huaraz. We arrived back at the house exhausted at about 6pm. It was a great trip and an excellent experience to have had.
Following the river
Wyatt and I
Where we have come from
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