- Two treks, three lengthsSanta Cruz 4 days: USD 380–620 in a group, 1,071 private · Huayhuash circuit 8–10 days: 800–1,900 · mini Huayhuash 3–5 days to Jahuacocha: 550–899 · Alpamayo circuit 11–13 days: 1,400–1,999
- What almost all includeGuide, tents, donkeys, all meals on the trek, transport from Huaraz. Only 3 of 19 include the sleeping bag, only 3 the fees (Peru Expeditions 5, 10 and 14 days), 8 name a cook, 2 an emergency horse, 1 a guide in German (Turismo Exploring)
- The feesHuascarán National Park for Santa Cruz: 60 soles (2–3 days) or 150 (from 4), cash at the checkpoint · Huayhuash: every village collects 20–50 soles, around 270–280 for the whole circuit, 70–150 for the minis. Three operators quote wrong figures (see note)
- Our readingCheap: Peru Expeditions Santa Cruz (USD 380, guide in Spanish only) or Peru Bergsport (390, sleeping bag included, from 2) · with German: Turismo Exploring (620 from four) · private and complete: Scheler Artizon (1,071 for two) · Huayhuash with fees: Peru Expeditions 10 days (850) · Huayhuash with reviews: Andean Raju (1,110, no refund)
- RulesNo guide requirement, but no product without a guide. Park ticket cash only at the post, bring your passport. Acclimatisation is included nowhere: two to three nights in Huaraz and a day at 4,600 before every trek
Who Santa Cruz suits, who the Huayhuash suits
The Santa Cruz trek is the entry to the Cordillera Blanca: four days, one pass at 4,750 m, every night in a tent at 3,750 to 4,250, donkeys carry the luggage, a cook or the guide cooks. If you have walked the Inca Trail or the Salkantay you know the form; here the mountains are higher, the valleys emptier and the camps without a hut. It suits anyone with a week in Huaraz, families with teenagers (Peru Bergsport from 15, Turismo Exploring 25 to 60, IZI Peru from 14) and people who are not put off by a tent. The Huayhuash circuit is the second step: eight to ten days, six passes between 4,650 and 5,020 m, no village except Huayllapa, no exit except over a pass, the coldest nights in Peru with minus ten in July. Many call it the finest trekking circuit in South America – Yerupajá, Siula Grande, Jirishanca stay in sight for two weeks – and it demands fitness for ten consecutive walking days and altitude experience. If you lack that or have only five days, take a mini Huayhuash to Laguna Jahuacocha: three to four days on the west side with the best view of the circuit, without the 5,000-metre passes. The Alpamayo circuit (Cedros–Alpamayo) extends the Santa Cruz trek north over seven more passes into an eleven- to thirteen-day trek – for people who already know the Huayhuash.
The five questions that make the price
Group or private? Peru Expeditions, Peru Bergsport and IZI Peru run Santa Cruz as a shared group from one person for USD 380 to 575; Scheler Artizon and Andean Summit as a private trek for 1,071 (for two) and 800. Turismo Exploring sits in between: USD 620, but only from four people, below that on request. Who cooks? Andean Raju, Peru Expeditions (from eight people on Santa Cruz, always on the Huayhuash), Scheler Artizon, Turismo Exploring and IZI Peru name a cook; Peru Bergsport, Andean Summit and First Class Huaraz do not. On ten-day treks that is the difference between five meals a day and noodles from the guide. Sleeping bag? Scheler Artizon, Peru Bergsport (Santa Cruz) and Andean Summit provide it; all others do not, rental in Huaraz USD 3 to 5 a day, rated to minus ten for the Huayhuash. Fees? Only the three Huayhuash packages by Peru Expeditions have the community fees in the price; for Santa Cruz the guest pays the park ticket in cash at the post with everyone. How many days? The Huayhuash comes in eight (Andean Summit), nine trekking days within fourteen (Peru Expeditions from Lima) and ten days; the ten-day versions by Peru Expeditions, Peru Bergsport and First Class Huaraz have a rest day at Jahuacocha, Andean Raju gives no itinerary.
Six recommendations for six travel situations
We read every inclusion list, every itinerary and the reviews as they stand on Viator. The recommendations follow from that, not from the price; each one says what we do not know.
Peru Expeditions – Santa Cruz 4 days, USD 380, from 1 person
The cheapest Santa Cruz with private transport, donkeys, tent and all meals; the park ticket (60 soles) is paid at the post, the sleeping bag rented in Huaraz. The guide speaks only Spanish per the record – if you understand it, you get the trek here at cost. Six reviews, 4.5.
Main limitation: Only a Spanish-speaking guide named. Sleeping bag and mat yourself (rental in Huaraz). Cook only from six people. Park entrance quoted as “90 soles” – the official table says 60 for 2–3 days, 150 from 4.
Check on Viator →Peru Bergsport – Santa Cruz 4 days with sleeping bag, USD 390, from 2
Ten dollars more, but with sleeping bag, mat and drinking water from day two, the Arhuaycocha side trip to the Alpamayo base camp in the itinerary and a guide in English. The catch: minimum two people, confirmation only after review, full refund only up to six days before, public minivan.
Main limitation: Minimum two people; “without a group you go with a porter”. Confirmation only after review, full refund only up to six days before. Park entrance (“all fees”) excluded, public minivan.
Check on Viator →Turismo Exploring – Santa Cruz 4 days, German, cook, emergency horse, USD 620 from 4
The only package from Huaraz with a guide in German on request; plus cook, emergency horse, toilet tent, private bus, all meals. The Viator price applies from four people – for two or alone ask first. Sleeping bag and park ticket extra, donkeys carry only six kilos. Three reviews, all five stars.
Main limitation: The Viator price applies from four people; for two or alone it is higher – ask first. Sleeping bag and park entrance excluded, donkeys carry only 6 kg. Age 25–60.
Check on Viator →Scheler Artizon – Santa Cruz 4 days private, USD 1,071 for two
The most-reviewed Santa Cruz product (12 reviews, 4.7): private trek with cook, dining and toilet tent, sleeping bag to minus five, radio, oxygen and donkeys for twelve kilos. For two 1,071 per person, from four 857, alone 2,000. Park ticket, first breakfast and last dinner you pay yourself.
Main limitation: Park entrance (Huascarán, 3-day ticket) excluded, first breakfast and last dinner too. Minimum two people, maximum five, age 18–65. No itinerary in the data, only the description with altitudes. Passport details at booking.
Check on Viator →Peru Expeditions – Huayhuash 10 days, community fees in the price, USD 850
The whole circuit with the Cuyoc pass, Viconga, Huayllapa and two nights at Jahuacocha, with all community fees (around 270 soles, extra everywhere else), donkeys, tents and all meals; Diablo Mudo as a summit option. Cook only from eight people, private transport from four, sleeping bag yourself. No reviews yet – the five-day sister product has six at 5.0.
Main limitation: Transport public from two people, private from four. Cook only from eight people. Sleeping bag and mat yourself. Meeting at the office. No reviews yet.
Check on Viator →Andean Raju – Huayhuash 10 days, 34 reviews, five meals, USD 1,110
The Huayhuash product with the most reviews (4.97): cook, five meals a day, four-season tent, toilet tent, warm washing water, donkeys for ten kilos, Sarapococha in the programme. Against that: no itinerary in the data, no refund on cancellation, community fees extra (the text says “2,800 soles”, around 280 is meant), sleeping bag yourself.
Main limitation: No itinerary. No refund on cancellation. Community fees excluded – the text says “2,800 soles (USD 85)”, around 280 is meant. Sleeping bag yourself, first breakfast yourself. Up to 9 per booking.
Check on Viator →Affiliate links to Viator: if you book, we earn a commission and the price stays the same. Converted at the exchange rate of 26 September 2026; Viator converts at the day's rate at checkout.
