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HUAYLLABAMBA - PACAYMAYU

This is the most difficult part of the trek. You climb abruptly upwards until you reach the Warmihuañusca Pass (It means "Where the woman dies" in a literal translation from the Quechua.) at an altitude of 4200 metres. It is a hard and tedious ascension on a pronounced vertical slope until you reach the pass. Along the climb you will appreciate the changing ecology, as you leave the reasonably mild valley behind and reach the treeless pastures in the cold high parts.

The high mountain grass "ichu", can be found at the highest parts of these pastures. Before reaching the pass there is a camping site called "Llullupampa", which is to be found on a small flat plain surrounded by two crystal clear streams. It also has a public toilet. It is a good place for the traveller to stop over for a rest before climbing up the last part to the Warmihuañusca pass. This part of the trail was known as the smugglers route during the XVIII y XIX centuries and is the only point along the way where you could really become altitude sick. Normally there are strong winds and low temperatures up here.

Once across the pass, we will need an additional rest to recover before we start down towards the Pacasmayo River valley, where we will reach the campsite with public toilet facilities and a small waterfall. If during the first day the trail was barely perceptible, since it has almost disappeared due to the effect of the many earthquakes in the area, the part we cross on the second day is well defined, almost like a stone-inlaid street. There are also very steep staircases, one of which steps are almost vertical putting a heavy strain on everybody's unprepared knees.

Time on the trail: Six to seven hours until the second campsite in Pacasmayo.