We were up early for breakfast as soon as they started serving - it was quite nice having fresh orange juice for a change along with bakery bread, eggs and coffee.

The Huascaran Tour agency, where we were to meet up with the guide at 8am, was just a couple of blocks away. Two other couples from our hostel were there plus a German couple we met in the hostel in Trujillo. Instead of taking a colectivo taxi as originally told, we were driven up to the start of the trek at Cordillera Negra.

It was a 90 minute steep walk up hill and even at a very slow pace, it was leaving everyone panting after just a few steps. With regular stops to catch our breath, everyone made it to the lagoon 600m higher up the mountain at 3,720m. We had a 30 minute break at lagoon which had fantastic views back up into the Cordillera Negra range and across the valley towards snow capped Cordillera Blanca range.

It took another 90 minutes to get back to the road as we made our way down a slippery path through adobe house villages. There were local people, in traditional clothing, going about their daily lives. Some were farming and moving their livestock while others were harvesting wheat with donkeys.

We took a colectivo back to town and we got a bit of a guided tour from our guide as he led us back to the start point. We walked past the market and had a good ceviche restaurant pointed out to us.

After a quick shower, we headed back out to eat at the recommended restaurant, Rinconcito Minero. It had a good value menu del diá which came with a very good ceviche, accompanied with sweet potato and toasted maize, followed by fried fish, fries, rice and salad. If that wasn't enough, there was caramel pudding for desert. We were stuffed but very satisfied.

Back in the hostel we had some 'mate de coca', coca leaf tea, on the roof terrace watching the mountains.