Huaraz – Shilla / Ulta Valley Hike – Hualcacocha Lagoon

With private transportation, we head toward the Ulta Valley. First, we pass through the city of Carhuaz and take the eastern detour into the Cordillera Blanca via the village of Shilla. After registering at the Huascarán National Park checkpoint, our hike begins in the flat area known as Ulta Valley.

The first part of the trail crosses the river and wetlands until we reach a zigzagging path that ascends gradually, following the river that flows down from Hualcacocha Lagoon. Further along, we’ll walk through lush forests of native queñual trees, where we can observe wildflowers and mushrooms unique to the region.

Reaching Hualcacocha Lagoon takes approximately 3 hours. It sits just below the northern peak of Mount Hualcán (5,300 meters / 17,388 ft) and Mount Ulta (5,440 meters / 17,848 ft). After spending some time at the lagoon and enjoying our box lunch, we’ll descend along the same route, which takes about 2 hours. Our vehicle will be waiting for us in Ulta Valley to return to Huaraz.