For this one you need to look at the photos... and even then they don't do justice. We've been back two days from trekking more than 160km around the Cordillera Huayhuash, south of Huaraz, for 12 days. It's been wonderful, and if you're ever this way, look up Juan and his dad, Merino, and get them to take you. We're really feeling the effects of not being there, spending every day up in those mountains, close to glaciers and glacial lakes, crossing passes of up to 5000m with fantastic views of the mountains. It's been a real treat, the one Simon's been looking forward to since about Christmas... now at a loss of what to look forward to...

We camped in incredible spots all the time, Merino and the donkeys and horses carting all our stuff and often arriving before us with tea on the go when we arrived, and lovely Juan cracking on with a lovely meal in the cook tent as soon as we got there... Completely spoilt... They worked so hard...

There have been very few other people on the trek; more often than not we've had these lovely spots all to ourselves... and lots of different weather.... rain, hail, snow, but plenty of sunshine and we were warm enough in the tent. A good time to come, although May's supposed to be best for weather, flowers and equally few tourists...

We've loved it: the highlight of South America - what little we've covered - thus far. Last night we took Juan and Merino out for a meal by way of saying thank you (if felt odd to be with them out of their "territory" and instead in the relative busyness of Huaraz, so used to seeing them so at home in Huayhuash...) ...and we talked lots about the routes and passes we'll do when we come back... We got on really well with them. Laughed lots.

Enjoy the photos! And plan to come here one day. It's addictive. Thinking we'll leave Saturday or Sunday for Nazca... Adios.