Plan exploreInca Trail to Machu Picchu
Santa Cruz Trek
santa cruz trek: the iconic hike in huarazIf you’re in search of one of the most beautiful treks in Huaraz, Peru’s capital of Andean adventure, you’ve found it in the Santa Cruz Trek. The four-day, three-night route through Peru’s Cordillera Blanca takes you past emerald lakes, cascading waterfalls, and towering snow-capped peaks. It’s a journey that’s certainly not for the faint of heart, but also not so difficult that it excludes less experienced trekkers. If your curiosity is peaked, keep reading. We’ll tell you just what to expect on the Santa Cruz Trek.
Tips about the Santa Cruz Trek in Peru
When preparing for the trek, it is important to acclimatize to the altitude. This trek begins at around 12,000 fasl and its highest point is 15,617 fasl. Therefore, spending several days in Huaraz or another high elevation location is essential. Doing some day hikes in the area could be helpful. Such activity will ensure that your body is acclimatized to the altitude, and symptoms of altitude sickness should be minimized.
Another factor to keep in mind is to drink sufficient fluids before and during trekking. Hiking at high altitudes may increase dehydration, since breathing is accelerated, and air is drier. Ingesting plenty of fluids before and during the trek helps to prevent dehydration and decrease symptoms of altitude sickness.
Trekking Distance
The total length of this trek an ambitious thirty-one miles, or fifty kilometers. Though not the longest of the Huaraz treks, it is one of the most scenic. Each day involves 4 to 8 hours of trekking, with most days falling toward the upper end of that spectrum.
Trekking Difficulty
Though physically demanding, the Santa Cruz Trek is classified as a moderately difficult trek in Peru. Even novice hikers should have no problem completing the route. However, it’s important that you prepare your body for the demands of the high-altitude mountain terrain. In the months leading up to your trek, you’ll want to ramp up your cardio training and practice. Participate in some day hikes at higher altitudes if you can.
Altitude
As mentioned previously, this spectacular trek reaches a peak of 4750 masl (15,617 fasl) at the Punta Unión Pass. Stay hydrated, eat your carbs, and climb slowly. This will ensure that you avoid severe symptoms, like headache and extreme nausea during your Huaraz trekking experience.
Trekking the Santa Cruz Trek With Explorandes
Temperatures on the trek tend to range from – 3°C to 25°C, or 27°F to 77°F. The coldest months to trek in Huaraz are from May to September, which also happens to be the dry season. Save for April and October when weather conditions are somewhat unpredictable, the rest of the year may be wet. Expect muddier trails and daily precipitation if you’ll be trekking Huaraz during the months of November through March.
Hiking the Santa Cruz Trek with Explorandes
The Santa Cruz Trek is probably the easiest multiday hike in Huaraz, although it does have its challenging moments. At Explorandes, we provide knowledgeable expert guides to help you meet those challenges.
A huge benefit of arranging this multiday trek with an expert adventure tour operator is peace of mind. We think about food, water, gear, and navigation, while you focus all your attention on the beautiful surroundings. The camp crew has your meals, gear, and camp set-up entirely covered from beginning to end.
For more information about the Santa Cruz Trek in Huaraz, or other Peru treks with Explorandes, get in touch with us today.
Plan exploreDestino Cusco
this season featured experiences
HIKING & TREKKING
inca trail to machu picchuThis 5-day journey begins at Km 82, the marker that signifies the start of the famous Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Our highly trained guides, who are deeply familiar with these ancient Inca footpaths, will expertly lead us through the magnificent Andean terrain. Along the way, we’ll traverse breathtaking high alpine passes, lush valleys, dense cloud forests, and rushing rivers. We’ll pass through ancient Inca remains of Andean settlements, ultimately arriving at Machu Picchu via Inti Punku (the Sun Gate). Each night, our team of porters and skilled cooks will have a delicious hot meal and a comfortable camp already set up for your convenience. Since we highly value sustainable tourism, we’ll have very little impact on the land, communities, and environment we encounter along the trail, and we will also take steps to enjoy a tranquil hike, avoiding crowds of fellow trekkers. On the final day, a guided tour of the citadel will bring Machu Picchu to life, as we explore and immerse ourselves in the magic and beauty of this ancient, mystical site. Our version of the Inca trail to Machu Picchu trek is truly an unforgettable experience you’ll reminisce about for years to come.
March - December
5 days / 4 nights
From
$ 1290
/ Per PersonHIKING & TREKKING
huayhuash trekThe Huayhuash Trek is an amazing journey to the very heart of the Cordillera Huayhuash, the second highest tropical mountain range in the world. A trekker's paradise, this terrain is remote, wild, and stunningly beautiful. The film Touching the Void, the tale of climbers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, was made about their harrowing experience as the first mountaineers to scale Siula Grande, which is part of this mountain range. This version of the Huayhuash trek crosses six high passes over 4500 m (14,763 ft) and two that are higher than 5000 m (16,404 ft)! Throughout the 12 days of the trek, we camp next to stunningly beautiful alpine lakes and in broad, grassy valleys replete with wildflowers and rushing alpine creeks, while basking in the imposing presence of the White Mountains looming over us, with peaks at elevations above 5000 m (16,404 ft) and 6000 m (19,685 ft). At least three days of acclimatization hikes in the area are strongly recommended to be able to enjoy the trek.
April - October
12 days / 11 nights
From
$ 1750
/ Per PersonHIKING & TREKKING
the hidden valleys of salkantayStarting from a little-known valley near Limatambo, we ascend gradually over two days past ancient forests and varied Andean landscapes toward the Cruzjasa Pass at 4,550 meters / 14,927 feet above sea level. Here we will experience the best views of the south and east faces Mount Salkantay, away from the crowds. We descend along a gradual decline toward Mirador Pampaccahuana, accompanied by views of Mount Salkantay and its moraine until we reach Cusichaca Valley, which marks the eastern boundary of the Machu Picchu Historical Sanctuary. As we approach the Sacred Valley, we will begin to see trekkers embarking on the first stretch of famous Inca Trail as we continue our hike downhill toward our private campsite at Chamana. Before finally reaching the Valley floor, we will take a detour to explore Wayna Q’ente and Machu Q’ente, two majestic Inca sites recently restored by the Ministry of Culture which showcase some of the finest Inca terracing and landscaping in the region. Our hike ends at the valley floor where we will be picked up and transported to Ollantaytambo in time to catch the afternoon train to Machu Picchu.
April - December
5 days / 4 nights
From
$ 1290
/ Per PersonHIKING & TREKKING
llama trekking on the north great inca trail
Embark on a journey through time as you explore one of the best-preserved portions of the Great Inca trail that connected Cusco, the ancient ceremonial capital of the Inca Empire, with Tomebamba, her northern sister city that is modern-day Cuenca, Ecuador. Explore over 70 km. of the main artery of the greatest road network in Pre-Columbian Latin America, speckled with archaeological sites in the remote landscapes of Northern Peru’s Central Andes. We’ll begin with a visit to Chavín de Huantar, a mysterious temple where ancient religious ceremonies took place over 3,000 years ago. We will immerse in diverse natural landscapes, crossing the Continental Divide and trek across two departments: Ancash and Huánuco, experiencing amazing vistas along the journey. On our last day we’ll arrive at Huánuco Pampa, the largest Inca administrative center outside the department of Cusco where we’ll marvel at feats of engineering achieved by a civilization whose abilities with stonecutting and placement remain unmatched to this day. This amazing trek will challenge, delight, and inspire you.
April - October
6 days / 5 nights
From
$ 1700
/ Per Person