The seventh day of the Huayhuash Circuit takes you from Cutatambo to the village of Huayllapa. Along the way you will get to enjoy some beautiful views of the Rio Calinca Valley, as you descend down to the village.
Read on to learn more about the route between Cutatambo to Huayllapa and what to expect out on the trail.
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1) Hiking Overview: Huayhuash Day 7
Day 7 of the Huayhuash Circuit will take you from Cutatambo to Huayllapa as you make your way through the Rio Calinca Valley. At Huayllapa, you will be welcomed to an actual village.
This will be a change of pace from the campsites you would have been sleeping at previously throughout the trek. Instead of setting up a tent for the night, you can instead enjoy some basic accommodation and home cooked meals at one of the guesthouses in town.
Below are some helpful stats about the day and what the trail is all about.
Starting Point: Cutatambo
Cutatambo Elevation: 4,265 meters / 13,990 feet
Ending Point: Huayllapa
Huayllapa Elevation: 3,500 meters / 11,480 feet
Mountain Pass: N/A
Pass Elevation: N/A
Distance: 7.3 miles / 11.7 km
Elevation Gain: 100 feet / 30 meters
Duration: 4 hours
Day 7 Highlights
• Easy, beautiful hike through Rio Calinca Valley
• Rivers & waterfalls make it a relaxing hike
• Rest & recovery in Huayllapa Village
While this article will simply talk through day 7 of the trek, you can learn much more of the overall experience in the Huayhuash Circuit overview up on the site.
Route Note: this daily trekking guide (as well as the other daily guides on the site) go over a standard 10 day Huayhuash Route. Trekking routes can be greater or fewer days depending on your preferences (learn more about these in the previously mentioned overview above!).
Learn More: Be sure to check out the Huayhuash Circuit resource page that includes many helpful travel guides to get you prepared for the trek.
2) Huayhuash Circuit Day 7: Cutatambo to Huayllapa Map
To better visualize the hiking route on day 7, below you can find a trail map for the seventh day of the circuit.
If you would like to see the full route, be sure to check out the guides I put together for the complete Huayhuash Circuit Map and Huayhuash GPX file (for navigation purposes).
3) Elevation Gain Profile
Below you can find the elevation gain profile for day 7 of the Huayhuash Circuit. The trail heads from Cutatambo to Huayllapa as it continuously loses elevation throughout the day. This is going to be the easiest day out on the trail when it comes to strenuous hiking.
4) Huayhuash Circuit Packing List
A complete Huayhuash Circuit packing list will be essential for your time out on the trail (especially if hiking without a guided tour). Be sure to check out the comprehensive Huayhuash packing list I put together for more detail.
Below you can find just some of the most important camping items to consider for your trek:
• Hiking Backpack | Hyperlite Southwest 3400
• 3-Season Tent | Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL
• 0 F Degree Sleeping Bag | Thermarest Questar 0
• Sleeping Bag Liner | Sea to Summit Liner
• Sleeping Pad | Thermarest NeoAir Xlite
• Camping Pillow | Thermarest Camping Pillow
• Trekking Poles | Black Diamond Distance Carbon FLZ Trekking Poles
• Water Bottle | Katadyn BeFree 1 Liter
• Headlamp | Petzl Actik Core
• Emergency Satellite Locater | Garmin inReach 2 Mini
• Solar Charger | GoalZero Nomad 10
• Portable Charger | Anker Portable Charger
• Cooking Stove | Jetboil Micromo
• Hiking Shoes | Keen (Targhee Series)
• Hiking Socks | Darn Tough Socks
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5) Huayhuash Circuit: Cutatambo to Huayllapa Hike
It is now time for what is considered the easiest day out on the Huayhuash Circuit. The route from Cutatambo to Huayllapa may be an easy one but it still comes with plenty of beauty along the way.
Instead of a standard day on the circuit, heading up and down a mountain pass, this will just be a relatively straight & flat path through the Rio Calinca Valley.
After packing up at Cutatambo, it is time to head out past the fence and fields, and onto the trail that follows the river. This river is what you will essentially be hiking along throughout the day.
During the first portion of trail, there can be some confusion as you will find multiple paths. As long as you are heading in the general direction along the river, and pay attention to your navigation app (so you don’t veer too far off), you will be just fine.
As you continue along, some of the best views are going to be behind out. With the flowing river in the foreground and the magnificent peaks in the background, the panorama is hard to beat.
The trail will continue through the valley, along the river, and through some flower fields. Soon enough, there really will only be one main trail to follow the rest of the way through.
As you make your way further along, the route takes a slight turn, and those mountain views behind you will slowly disappear. Don’t worry though, as the trail out front will be filled with rivers, waterfalls, and more.
You should have no trouble making your way along, taking breaks along the way, and just enjoying the landscape all around.
When I was hiking, some parts of the route got a bit flooded from the various waterfalls/streams coming down from the valley walls. Just be careful if that is the case as the terrain can get a bit slippery.
Continue following the river and taking in those waterfalls, before crossing a small bridge to the other side. Once on the other side, your journey to Huayllapa will slowly come to an end.
Soon enough, you will see an entrance point to Huayllapa village, where you will need to pay the small entrance fee. Once past the gates, you will come across a trail sign pointing you down to Huayllapa or up to Huatiac.
Make the left down to Huayllapa, where it is just a short hike down into the village itself. You will find a few guesthouses to choose from or you can opt to set up your tent at a campsite.
If you want to save a day out on the trail, you can skip Huayllapa altogether and head to Huatiac instead. This will have you going straight to the last campsite of Jahuacocha the following day. If you stay in Huayllapa, then the following day you will go to Qashpapampa, followed by Jahuacocha on the last day.
If you have any questions or comments about the day, feel free to add them in below. Have fun out there and safe travels!
