Huayhuash Circuit - Days 9 & 10

Days Nine & Ten - Gashapampa to Llamac

If you have been following along and planning your Huayhuash hike, this is where I would recommend stopping and switching to a different blog for your final stretch. Do not follow our mistake!

It looked on AllTrails like there was a trail that cut out the final night at Jahuacocha. By this stage of the trek, despite our rest days, we were tired and the weather was forecasted to be heavy rain the next few days. So we took this side trail that crossed over that veered off about 4km our campsite at Gashapampa, and hiked through grassy fields until we got to a river.

We went to cross the river, but a horse driver came by and told us to go along the river instead (at least, that’s what we think he said, our Spanish is terrible). So along the river we go, which was fine for the first hour or so.

We then get to a point we pretty much need to boulder down the river, or turn back and walk back to where we were initially planning on crossing the river. I was not keen on turning back given the fact despite walking for over an hour, we had barely walked 1km given we had been zig-zagging across the river.

It was scary but we managed to jump down the large rocks without falling in, and we finally found where we could leave the riverbank and met back up with the trail on AllTrails.

The next morning, we awoke at 6am to make the final descent to Llamac to get the 10am bus. We allowed 3 hours to get there because we aren’t the fastest with our bags on our backs, but given the easy downhill we got there with 1.5 hours to spare. There were plenty of locals willing to help us find our way to the bus, and offer us breakfast and a place to wait – so we were well taken care of!

The bus ride back was long but relaxing, dropping us back off at a bus station on the outskirts of town. We decided to walk the final 20 minutes back to our hostel, but there were plenty of taxis parked waiting to offer hikers a ride.

Another few km in, we came to our next hurdle. There was a river crossing that had not been clear on AllTrails. We managed to find a part of the river that didn’t have deep, rushing rapids, but it was a wide crossing and still about knee-high water.

We tried to find another way, walking up and down the river bank, and finally we spotted some locals to go and ask. They told us the news I was dreading – the only way back to the trail was through the river, there was no going around.

So Tim was the hero of the day and carried our bags across the freezing ice-cold river, and then carried me across on his back. It was late in the afternoon by then, so I am so grateful he sacrificed himself, because I am a wuss and would have been miserable the rest of the hike!

With all of that drama we wouldn’t have made it back to the town in time to head back to Huaraz that night, so we spent one final night camping in a small campsite aptly named “Wildcamping Spot” on AllTrails, about 3km from the town of Llamac.

So what did I think of one of Peru's most challenging treks? Click below to read my final thoughts and tips!