About the Book
This is a practical trekking, biking and mountain biking guide to the Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash, areas that boasts some of the most spectacular scenery in the Andes and some of the most accessible high altitude trekking and cycling in the world. Perfect pyramidal peaks, gargantuan ice falls and turquoise alpine lakes are all easily reached from Huaraz, the region’s capital and centre of tourist comforts.
The guide covers 21 hiking trails and 30 days of paved and dirt road cycle touring and 2 mountain biking routes.
Trekking
The classic treks: Huayhuash Circuit, Santa Cruz and Alpamayo Basecamp, as well as lesser known, wild walks in valleys which see few visitors. Ranging from easy day hikes to challenging routes of 10 days or more, all can be trekked independently or in guided groups.
Cycle touring
Includes the Huascarán Circuit, a loop of Peru’s highest mountain, as well as four other multi-day rides and five day-cycles from Huaraz. Covers all the information cyclists need to pedal past glaciers on 6000m peaks or fly down 2500m descents from high passes.
Mountain biking
Includes two detailed downhill routes and information on organising guides to lead you through the labyrinth of exciting singletrack in the area
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This is a great guidebook with clear maps, and lots of useful information for independent travellers. The level of detail included, such as how to reach all trailheads by public transport, will be indispensable for anyone planning a trip to this region.
Lucy, Amazon Review
The Authors
Neil and Harriet Pike
Met trekking in Chilean Patagonia in 2002 and together discovered a love for exploring the natural world on foot. They hiked extensively in Europe and Asia before buying bikes in Istanbul and cycling home to Oxford. An 18-month bike tour through the Andes followed, which ignited a passion for cycling high roads and climbing 6000m volcanoes. After a traverse of the Himalaya they were again drawn back by the majesty of the Andes to hike and bike some of the world’s most spectacular mountain trails. They spent one year based in Huaraz researching the first edition of this guide. They believe there is of no better place for this than the Cordilleras Blanca and Huayhuash, the ranges on the doorstep of Huaraz. The second edition was researched with their children Fitz and Inti in tow.
Blog posts about their trips can be found at pikesonbikes.com and information on thousands of kilometres of Andean dirt roads at andesbybike.com.
Cass Gilbert
Wrote the mountain biking section for this book. Cass has been wandering the world on his bicycle for the last 15 years. He’s traversed Asia and the Middle East, run a guiding business in the Indian Himalaya, bikepacked his way around the American South West, and ridden dirt from Alaska to Ushuaia. Catch up with his travels at:whileoutriding.com.
Ian, Amazon Review
I know this area pretty well but still found this a great resource. The pedestrian routes described in this book are superb – good layout, well researched, accurate route descriptions and decent sketch maps. Lots of background information too. The accommodation + places to eat information, whilst accurate and up to date, is not extensive, but this book doesn’t set out to be a catch-all backpacker travel guide.
Day Hikes
- Laguna 69
- Huandoy Ice Fall
- Laguna Paron and Artesonraju Basecamp
- Laguna Wilcacocha
- Laguna Churup
- Laguna Shallap
Trekking Routes
- Huayhuash Circuit
- Alpamayo Basecamp
- Santa Cruz
- Santa Cruz-Alpamayo Circuit
- Ulta-Yanama
- Laguna 513
- Quebrada Akilpo to Quebrada Ishinca
- Quebrada and Laguna Ishinca
- Quilcayhuanca – Cojup
- Quebrada Rurichinchay
- Quebrada Rurec (Conchucos)
- Quebrada Carhuascancha
- Olleros-Chavín
- Quebrada Rurec (Huaylas)
- Quebrada Raria
Biking Routes
- Huaraz Day Rides
- Huascarán Circuit
- Huayhuash & Puya Raimondii Loop
- Cordillera Blanca Circuit
- Laguna Parón
MTB Routes
- Pitec Descent
- Negra Downhill
- Cross country routes near Huaraz