Peru climbing holiday, Cordillera Blanca

country:	Peru
location:	Andes
trip type:	Climbing holidays
departures:	2009: 15 Aug
price:	From £1500 (20 days) excluding flights.
vouchers:	Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday

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the amazing things you'll be doing

We are offering you the chance to visit the majestic Cordillera Blanca in Northern Peru and challenge and engage yourself with its stunning snow-capped scenery and its fascinating indigenous Q’echua culture.

The challenge is a 20 day program that involves learning and practicing rock and ice climbing, visiting high altitude mountain lakes, trekking which will all prepare you for the exhilarating finale of a the double summit attempt of Pisco (5752m’s) and Yanapaccha (5460m’s).

Using the friendly and colourful town of Huaraz as a base, we will be moving around the local area giving us access to some incredible trekking and climbing opportunities. An unmissable summer awaits, we look forward to you joining us.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Group meets at hotel in Lima.
Day 2:	Group bus to Huaraz (8 hours).
Day 3:	Rest and acclimatization day, small orientation walk of area.
Day 4:	Spent covering and practicing the basics of rock climbing.
Day 5:	Trek to Lake Churup (4400 m’s).
Day 6-9:	Santa Cruz Trek. Return on day 9.
Day 10:	Rest and recovery day in Huaraz.
Day 11-12	Ice climbing course on Pastoruri Glacier.
Day 13:	Rest and recovery day in Huaraz.
Day 14-18:	Trek and climb of Pisco and Yanapaccha.
Day 19:	Rest and recovery day in Huaraz.
Day 20:	Group returns to Lima.

small group adventure holiday

Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.

how this holiday makes a difference

Environment
Environmentally we will be aiming to source all our food locally for the treks and climbs, Also employing a very strict ‘pack in/pack out’ policy on all treks and climbs ensuring that we leave minimal trace of our activities.

We will be using water that we can source locally from streams and rivers while out on the treks and climbs. Because of the height of where we’ll be then this water should be fresh and about as clean as you can get (of course you can always purify if you want the extra security).

Community
On these expeditions we will be using all locally sourced guides and assistants. We have great personal links in the region having lived and worked there before. Thus the money that is paid for the trip will go straight to the people who live in the area that we will be seeing.

Going through the village and remote regions that we shall be in will be a great chance to see and understand further the very real challenges that those in the Andes have. As our guides are locally sourced and we have personal connections in the area then we have a very high chance of making some real unique and natural connections on the way.

This trip will be supporting two charities also. On a big scale all those who come will be given 1 year’s membership of Survival who campaign for the rights of indigenous cultures and tribes globally. Also a donation will be made to Puentes whose mission is to create and finance projects that contribute to the well-being of children living on the street and in already existing rehabilitation centres in Lima, Peru.

The area that we are going to in Peru is much less know than the typical ‘Gringo Trail’ of the south of Peru. Huaraz rarely receives as much tourism as the famous Macchu Pichu orientated highlights of the south of the country. This trip is a unique chance to visit, rub shoulders with and challenge yourself with the incredible people and landscape of the north of this fantastically varied and culturally rich country.

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