Planning your trek
Most people venture to Huaraz with one thing in mind: getting out into the countryside and up into the mountains. Due to its reputation as the “trekking capital,” Huaraz is full of agencies offering a variety of trekking itineraries. Signing up for a trip through one of these agencies is an easy way to hit the trails.
Most companies will take care of the nitty-gritty details like transport, food, lodging, porters, horsemen, cooks and local guides, leaving you time to contemplate the area’s sublime beauty (and perhaps concentrate on making it up to the next pass). Larger groups can custom-design a trip and contract an agency to take care of the trip’s logistical details. When choosing an agency it is important to focus on reputable, rather than cheap companies.
A private trekking or climbing guide can sometimes be hired from the Casa de Guías in Huaraz for between $35-40 per day. If you book a trek after arriving in Huaraz, you can usually get a better price, but before you pay make sure that both the agency and your guide adhere to the Leave No Trace principles, which have slowly been adopted in order to protect the natural beauty and ecological integrity of the region.
For detailed topographic and general maps of the area, head to the South American Explorers Club in Lima. Most guide agencies in Huaraz sell maps and guidebooks. Café Andino and Casa de Guías in Huaraz are also excellent places to find climbing and trekking information.
When to go
Tailor-made Treks
Acclimatization
Fees
Gear
Safety
Routes