Peruvian Andes are believed to be one of the most beautiful mountain ranges in the world. Austerity combined with picturesque views creates images that have been written for a long time in memory. All this makes it worth trekking in Santa Cruz.
Huascaran National Park
One day’s stay costs 10 salt, while a 21-day pass costs about 65 salt. You have to buy a 21-day pass for a 4-day trip. Unfortunately, it is not possible to buy tickets for as many days as trekking lasts. The ticket is compulsory because there are checkpoints on the trail and during the journey we may be asked to show the ticket by one of the guards on the trail.
SANTA CRUZ TREKKING
Trekking can be classified as medium difficult. Everything depends on our acclimatization, health, time, and decision – whether we’re going on our own or with an organized group. For comfort lovers who do not like carrying weights and feel good in a group – organized guided tours will be a good choice. The route on its own is for those who like independence and avoid crowds of tourists. An individual expedition also minimizes the costs because you will not pay the fee for the guide, a cook and mules which carry your stuff.
Cashapampa is a place chosen by most people starting trekking around Santa Cruz. You can also start your hiking from the other side of the sandpaper, from the village of Vaqueria. The route is easier to pass because most of it is downhill. This is a much more convenient option for those who go trekking on their own. From the Cashapamp side, we put all our energy into the hill climbing from the very beginning. Approach from the Vaqueria side, start from 3700 m and go to 4750 m, unlike Cashapamp, where we start from 2900 m. Buses from Huaraz run to both towns.
The route is very well-marked and the map which can be bought easily in Huaraz or downloaded to your phone and later be available offline. The trail is also often frequented by organized groups, so if for some reasons you get lost – it is worth looking under your feet in search of traces that leave mules on the road.
WE PACK A BACKPACK
While preparing for trekking, we do not need extra specialized mountain equipment. The basic equipment of the tent is a warm sleeping bag with comfort up to minus 5 degrees and a sleeping pad. In Huaraz you can everything we need. From tents, sleeping bags, climbing equipment to burners, pots and cutlery. You don’t have to take everything with you
There are no buildings on the route. There are designated places in the form of camping grounds. If we do not want to be amoung people, we can pitch a tent in another secluded place. The temperature at night may fall below 0. It is worth getting warm thermal underwear, gloves and a hat. During the day the weather can be capricious. Sometimes the day will greet us with full sun, to hide itself behind the clouds in the afternoon and send a heavy rain to us. Cream with high UV filters and a rain cape, should find place in your backpack.
Food is very often a challenge for those who are going to the mountains on their own. While packing backpacks, keep in mind that you will carry it for the next 3-4 days in your back in the mountainous terrain. While buying food at local stores, it’s worth paying attention to its weight. For example, a can full of pasta with sauce is heavier and less economical than packets of pasta and 2/3 packages of powdered sauce. Before that, we can stock up on freeze-dried food. It is food that has undergone the “dehydration” process. Thanks to which all of its properties have been preserved, but it has lost weight so that it can be put locked in the sachet. Just pour boiling water on such food and wait few minutes. Currently, on the market we can find a whole range, healthy and tailored to our needed articles, which we can take with us on mountain trips.
WATER
Water is an essential element of every trip. On the trail we can get water from mountain streams, but it is not recommended drinking it without purification tablets. Tablets can be purchased at a survival equipment store or online. The purification tablet contains a very high dose of chlorine. It is worth stocking up on this time in some vitamins which will complement what we wash out by the “water”. It’s worth having 2 bottles with you. n one we have purified water and with second one we scoop when water is finished. Drinking water from a mountain stream is not recommended, because local animals very often handle their need at the watering hole at different heights and there is a risk of infection with giardiasis.
acclimatization
Before trekking, it is worth making sure to acclimate. If you come from the lowlands, 2-day of acclimatization is recommended. The best remedy for this is, in addition to the coca leaves, one-day trekking – 69 Laguna, Laguna Churup, Glacier Pastoruri. In the beginning its good to choose Vilcacocha Lagoon which lies in the area of the Cordillera Negra. It is close to Huaraz, the trekking is not long or difficult. By itself Laguna is slightly disappointing but you can admire the entire range of the Cordillera Blanca and the city located below.
- Giardiasis – a parasitic disease of the small intestine caused by protozoa of the species Giardia intestinalis (intestinal caudate).
- Santa Cruz – means “Holy Cross” in Spanish
