In this world there are a few places that stand head and shoulders above others – even within the many outstanding choices that many people already know about in many ranges around the world. The Cordillera Huayhuash in Central Peru (just south of the Cordillera Blanca) is one of those places that will leave you breathless, not only due to the altitude but because the scenery is so grand, so imposing, so…unbelieveable. If the Lord of the Rings wasn’t filmed in New Zealand (which it rightly deserves), it could have been filmed here. Every day on the trek is another example of nature’s power to create beauty with a rugged exterior and alluring features. The peaks are tall, they are steep, they are covered with a layer of frosting made of hanging glaciers and the alpine lakes at their feet are a rainbow of complimentary puddles of color. Just amazing. This is a high altitude trek and it can be rigorous at times but the effort is worth the grunts and sweat you pay with in order to see what nature has in store for you. Perfect reflections abound in blue and green lakes and clouds know when to reveal the peaks above your head and let the light in so you can make amazing photos. This is the range where Joe Simpson had his epic near-death adventure on Mt. Siula Grande where he barely survived. He wrote the book Touching the Void which was also later made into a movie. The location is intimidating when you get up close and it’s also stunningly beautiful in a very rugged way. The campsites are broad and level and offer easy access to numerous vantage points to get the photo you have been dreaming of since you first laid eyes on the pointy summits that took your breath away. We will get properly acclimatized based out of Huaraz (the Chamonix of Peru) by doing a day hike to Lago Churup and taking advantage of a festival of Senor de la Soledad during the first few days. Once acclimatized, we will head south to the Cordillera Huayhuash and spend our first night in basic accommodations in the town of Queropalca then begin our journey around this most spectacular of ranges for the next ten days. All you need to carry with you are your camera, a few lenses, foul weather clothing, snacks and water as the burros or horses will carry everything else we need to the next camp each day. We usually have lunch en route before arriving to the next camp. As an added bonus we will provide a “tech-tent” so people can have a central place to gather and download their images to their laptops or digital wallets at the end of the day. The trek has been modified to allow for plenty of time to enjoy a stunning location and really get the most out of it, so we often spend a couple days in the same location so that there is time for sunset and sunrise shooting at a place that offers lots of potential for extra special photography. Trust us, you will be shooting a lot, so plan on bringing quite a bit more storage and media cards than you could ever anticipate using! Along the route you will be stunned by the grand vista and hopefully meet some of the locals and share a smile and a photo. There are truly innumerable photographic opportunities each and every day of this journey. This is one life experience that you will not forget.