Cordillera Huayhuash circuit

It was 12 days and ~140kms. Minimum altitude 4100 mts, maximum 5090 mts. Sleeping at ~4300 mts each night.
The slow acclimatization before hand paid dividends, and we all did very well. Slow but sure oldies!
The area more than lives up to it's reputation as the Himalayas of the Andes - stunning scenery.
The area is inhabited by the Quechua people who speak both Quechua and Spanish.
Although a national park much of the land is privately owned - can't get our heads around that one.
Each night our guide paid a camping fee to the local land owner.
There are many sheep and cattle grazed in summer, so the area is not wilderness as we know it. But the the high mountains are stunning, and the passes breathtaking (literally).
We are on a high - not sure if it's adrenaline produced by altitude, or the litres of coca tea, or the chewing of the coca leaves! (all legal here).
Our guide said he has taken older groups who turned back after the first high pass, so we feel very proud to have completed such a hard trek.

La Cordillera Huayhuash

We have now completed the Huayhuash circuit of 12 days.  We had clear blue skies & amazing mountain scenery walking between 4000 & 5000 m.  The organization of guides, cooks & donkey drivers was superb.

Willkawain.

A visit to Willkawain archaeological site. A pre Inca site dating from 700 - 1000AD.
The buildings have not been restored, they are in original condition.
Also some of the amazing colours of the various varieties of maize.

Largo Churrup

We did a day walk to Largo Churrup 4400mts. It was a tough climb from 3800 mts. Looking down it sure looked more than a 600 mt climb, but I guess the GPS doesn't lie.
We did better than some of the trekkers we saw, but not as well as others - all together we are great for our age (60 to 76).
This was to re-acclimatize after 3 days at sea level, and get ready for the mammoth 12 day trek to Huayhuash starting tomorrow. In Huayhuash we sleep at 4300 - 4500 mts, and climb passes over 5000mts. I think we are all doing fairly well with the altitude. During the day the walking is very slow but ok. Some are coping better than others sleeping - we all wake up gasping for breath at times.
Here are some pictures of the Churrup trek.
No more updates now until after Huayhuash.

La Cordillera Blanca

The view from Huaraz reminds me of Zermatt but, if anything, the mountains of the Cordillera Blanca are more spectacular.  It's hard to do them justice without a panoramic lens.
David.

Huaraz, province of Ancash.

Pretty girls in the Plaza de Armas.  This trekking isn't all hard work.

Huaraz - Peru.

Have arrived in Huaraz.
We all feel a little unreal without Rob, in particular because this was the section of the treking he most wanted to do.
The drive from Lima was 8 hours. There was some spectacular scenery on the way, and the bus drove over a 4100 mts pass. Huaraz is at 3100 mts. We all seem to feel ok, so probably have not lost too much acclimatization from being in Lima at sea level.
This area are situated between the Cordillera Blanca and Cordillera Negra. It's reputation is well deserved as the Himalayas of the Andes. Our hotel room had a beautiful view of spectacular snow capped peaks.
We have a free day here today, a day walk to Lake Churrup tomorrow, and then we begin the Huayhuash trek.