Peru: Climb Nevado Diablo Mudo (5,350 m)

Cordillera Huayhuash the most Beautiful Mountain Range in the World

07 Days/06 Nights Season: April to November Difficulty: Moderate

Diablo Mudo or, “the Silent Devil,” is a gorgeous glaciated peak located in the remote Huayhuash Mountain Range of Ancash, Peru. Situated in the depths of a wild and rugged terrain, this expedition presents a moderate mountaineering challenge and is recommended for climbers of all levels. While not the tallest peak in the mountain range, Diablo Mudo is renowned for the stunning panoramic views of surrounding 6,000-meter peaks from the summit with considerably fewer objective hazards than other climbs in the Huayhuash. Whether you’re climbing Diablo Mudo as part of an extended trek or an independent expedition, it will be an unforgettable experience in one of the most beautiful sections of the Andes.

Huayhuash Circuit Trek: The Huayhuash trek route involves a circular route of 120 km around the mighty Huayhuash mountain range with several peaks above 6,000 m. The highest point in the trek, Yerupajá (6,617 m), is the second highest mountain in Peru, while another peak, Siula Grande (6,344 m), achieved notoriety as the setting for Joe Simson’s gruelling ordeal in his book Touching the Void. The Huayhuash Circuit trekking trails are less visited than the popular trekking trails of Cordillera Blanca, but the Huayhuash mountain range offers a challenging trek in a remote and sparsely inhabited part of the Andes where few trekkers venture.

Overview: Huayhuash Circuit trek around the Cordillera Huayhuash takes around 10 or 11 days to complete. There are several possible routes and the circuit can be tackled in either direction, but all Huayhuash Circuit treks include the same major features. As the trek progresses, participants need to dig deep into their reserves of endurance to conquer numerous high passes but are rewarded by the sight of magnificent, remote mountain vistas, including views of Yerupajá and Siula Grande, along the way. This is one of the toughest treks out of Huaraz that requires no technical mountaineering skills but the exquisite scenery along the way sets it apart from other challenging treks in Peru. The knowledge of having conquered such a demanding trek is ample recompense for the exertion required to reach the end.

Many guiding books: They say that Huayhuash trekking is the most beautiful in all of America (and the second best trekking in the world).

Travel Program
Detailed Program
What’s included
Prices & Dates
Maps & Download

Travel Program

Itinerary:

Day 1: Travel day - Lima - Huaraz
Day 2: Acclimatization activities - Day hike to Lake Churup (4,450 masl)
Day 3: Huaraz - Chiquian - Llamac - Rio Camp (3,700 masl)
Day 4: Rio Camp (3,700 masl) - Cashpapampa (4,300 masl)
Day 5: Cashpapampa (4,300 masl) - Diablo Mudo Summit (5,380 masl) - Jahuacocha (4,100 masl)
Day 6: Jahuacocha - Jahuapunta Pass (4,650 masl) - Pocpa (3,600 masl) - Huaraz
Day 7: Travel day from Huaraz - Lima

Detailed Program

Day 1: Travel day - Lima - Huaraz
Depending on your arrival time to Lima, you will be transferred to your bus or catch a flight directly to Huaraz on the very same day. Alternatively, you may spend the night in Lima, Peru’s capital city, and make your way to Huaraz the following day.

Day 2: Acclimatization activities - Day hike to Lake Churup (4,450 masl)
We like to make sure our guests are properly acclimatized before sending a group to higher altitudes. After breakfast, you guide will meet you at your hotel and you will head out to the Lake Churup Trail Head at Pitec. From there, you will begin a 3-hour hike to a stunning glacial lake where you’ll break for a picnic lunch before heading back down. Private transport will be waiting for you at the trail head to take you back to Huaraz. The entire outing will take approximately 7 hours.

Day 3: Huaraz - Chiquian - Llamac - Rio Camp (3,700 masl)
After breakfast at your hotel, your guide will meet you and you will head south to the rural community of Llamac, the starting point for all Huayhuash expeditions. Our team of donkey drivers will meet us there and assist us in carrying gear and supplies throughout our journey. Once our gear is loaded on the donkey team, we will begin a ~6-hour hike to Rio Camp, our first campsite.

Day 4: Rio Camp (3,700 masl) - Cashpapampa (4,300 masl)
After breakfast we'll hike ~5 hours up to Cashpapampa where we’ll set up camp and prepare for our summit bid of Diablo Mudo the next day. In the afternoon we will review all of our climbing gear and prepare our packs for an early AM departure from camp.

Day 5: Cashpapampa (4,300 masl) - Diablo Mudo Summit (5,380 masl) - Jahuacocha (4,100 masl)
We’ll eat breakfast at 2:00am before heading out for Diablo Mudo. We will hike 3.5 hours until we reach the glacier, followed by a steady 3-hour ascent until reaching the summit of Diablo Mudo. After summitting we will descend into the Huacrish Valley to Jahuacocha Camp, arriving by 4:00pm.

Day 6: Jahuacocha - Jahuapunta Pass (4,650 masl) - Pocpa (3,600 masl) - Huaraz
Our final day on the trail, we will begin with an ascent to Jahua Punta Pass (4,650 masl) before beginning a steady descent to the rural village of Pocpa (3,600 masl) where private transport will be waiting to take our team back to Huaraz.

Day 7: Travel day from Huaraz - Lima
Today you will travel from Huaraz to Lima or begin your next adventure in the Cordillera Blanca or Huayhuash Mountain Range!

Included meals: B=breakfast; L=lunch; D=dinner