Walking with wildflowers, women and wonder: A Peruvian adventure in the Cordillera Huayhuash

I’m still discovering particles of Andean dust in my trekking gear and boots; it’s a thrill to find it curled into a corner of a gear bag – evidence of my recent adventure on the Cordillera Huayhuash in Peru with an all-women team from GirlsTrek, Australia.

Washing that grey, volcanic matter off our bodies after this epic trek was a relief, but also a reminder that we had walked alongside history, memory and ancient beliefs, harking back to the Incas.

When my sister, Lisa Marshall, a guide with GirlsTrek, a tour company that curates adventure treks for women across Australia and the world, told me about this high-altitude trek – one of the best hiking trails in the world – I didn’t hesitate to sign up.

Many months of intensive training followed, with every hike from January onwards accompanied by my backpack loaded with gear, so that I could get used to the weight on my back. I hiked forest trails, beaches, rock, the Westcliff steps, Delta Park and dirt roads in Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal.

In addition, weekly Pilates classes and at least three barre/cardio classes a week combining strength, toning and mobility exercises kept me moving towards my goal.

In May I did a two-day training hike in the Midlands, clocking up 30km, testing gear, boots, pack and fitness. We were also provided with an excellent trek-ready training programme to follow as well as packing videos and online sessions to prepare us mentally and physically.

The trip was a full two weeks, beginning on 5 July with all 13 of us gathering from various parts of the world in the vibey city of Lima, the capital of Peru. We had one day to enjoy the delights of Lima, starting with a brisk walk along the stunning esplanade in Miraflores, high above the ocean, complete with an impromptu Zumba class at the outdoor gym.

Then we headed out on an historical tour with our guide, Julia, to the old part of Lima city, marvelling at the Basilica and Convent of St Francisco dating back to the 16th century.

We admired the intricate wood carving, the arches and pillars, the frescoes and relics and gorgeous blue and yellow tiles, brought by the Spanish who conquered and colonised Peru with a complete takeover of architecture, religion and culture. And we ended the day at a seaside restaurant in Chorrillos, savouring ceviche, both meat and vegetarian, and quaffing our first pisco sours.

The next day, we boarded our bus for a nine-hour journey to reach the trekking mecca of Huaraz, the starting point for many trails into the Cordillera ranges. 

As we climbed further up, we got our first glimpses of the mighty Huayhuash range, covered in snow.

Already at an altitude of 3,050m, we began the acclimatisation process with an arduous hike up to Churup Lake (4,450m). Another day was then spent on the road to Cuartelhuain (4,100m) and our first camp site.

The Cordillera Huayhuash circuit was insane – high-altitude trekking for eight days, freezing cold nights, hailstorms, amazing blue-sky days, soaring peaks around every corner, wildflowers, rivers, lakes and hardcore passes to labour up (several over 4,800m and our big one, Trapecio Pass, at just over 5,000m).

We learnt to wrap our tongues around marvellous names: Mitucocha, Carhuacocha, Jirishanca, Ninashanca, Yerupaja Grande, Yerupaja Chico, Laguna Quesillococha and Laguna Cangrajanca.

I suffered from altitude sickness on the first three days – dizziness, nausea, headache. But the amazing thing about these treks is that somehow you keep pushing through and come right. 

High in the Andes, I realised our minds are far stronger than we give them credit for. The trek was difficult, but made lighter by shared care, quiet friendship, and an extraordinary Peruvian crew. Moments of such raw, collective humanity come far too rarely.

We shared the pain, the successes, the coca tea, the condensed milk in the coffee, the popcorn round the table and the treats at our tea stops. Even a picnic lunch prepared at the top of a 4,800m pass, complete with table and chairs.

And we celebrated many milestones and magic moments; some women summiting over 5,000m for the first time; marking a birthday complete with cake; a dip in a freezing, glacial river; an unexpected stay in Huayllapa village on our descent and emotional tears of triumph on those big, exhausting days when up was hard (one of our longest elevations was 1,250m up to the Punta Tapush via Huatiac) but descending was sometimes harder, on rock and loose scree.

At the end of each day, tucked into our sleeping bags with a Nalgene bottle filled with hot water, trying to warm up and rest aching muscles, we drifted off to sleep with the sounds of quiet, musical Spanish (and the occasional wonderful belly-laugh) emanating from the kitchen tent, and the lapping of a lake, the flowing water of a river and, of course, the braying of a donkey. 

And then, just icy stillness and calm.

Now to hold onto the images, sounds, smells and freedom of the mountains – a sensory overload of the very best kind. I can still hear our Peruvian guide Jannina’s full-blown laugh and her voice calling us: “Vamos, chicas! Time for chica power!”

As I gradually return to earth and continue to hike around a thawed-out, pre-spring Joburg, a hand plunged into a pocket for a tissue curls around a small stone picked up on the trail in Peru – my tiny fragment of the Andes, my piece of Inca mountain magic. DM

Note: Tammy Ballantyne Webber’s trip was organised by GirlsTrek, where her sister, Lisa Marshall, is employed as a guide. 

Tour operator Peruvian Mountains provided local management for the group in Peru.