ESCAPE: Walking with wildflowers, women and wonder: A Peruvian adventure in the Cordillera Huayhuash

After months of intensive training, Tammy Ballantyne Webber joined 12 women on a two-week Peruvian trek that came with stunning views, glacial rivers, harsh nights and the joy of sharing hard-won successes.

I’m still discovering particles of Andean dust in my trekking gear and boots; it’s a thrill to find it curled into a corner of a gear bag – evidence of my recent adventure on the Cordillera Huayhuash in Peru with an all-women team from GirlsTrek, Australia.

Washing that grey, volcanic matter off our bodies after this epic trek was a relief, but also a reminder that we had walked alongside history, memory and ancient beliefs, harking back to the Incas.

When my sister, Lisa Marshall, a guide with GirlsTrek, a tour company that curates adventure treks for women across Australia and the world, told me about this high-altitude trek – one of the best hiking trails in the world – I didn’t hesitate to sign up.

Many months of intensive training followed, with every hike from January onwards accompanied by my backpack loaded with gear, so that I could get used to the weight on my back. I hiked forest trails, beaches, rock, the Westcliff steps, Delta Park and dirt roads in Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal.

In addition, weekly Pilates classes and at least three barre/cardio classes a week combining strength, toning and mobility exercises kept me moving towards my goal.

In May I did a two-day training hike in the Midlands, clocking up 30km, testing gear, boots, pack and fitness. We were also provided with an excellent trek-ready training programme to follow as well as packing videos and online sessions to prepare us mentally and physically.

The trip was a full two weeks, beginning on 5 July with all 13 of us gathering from various parts of the world in the vibey city of Lima, the capital of Peru. We had one day to enjoy the delights of Lima, starting with a brisk walk along the stunning esplanade in Miraflores, high above the ocean, complete with an impromptu Zumba class at the outdoor gym.

Then we headed out on an historical tour with our guide, Julia, to the old part of Lima city, marvelling at the Basilica and Convent of St Francisco dating back to the 16th century.

We admired the intricate wood carving, the arches and pillars, the frescoes and relics and gorgeous blue and yellow tiles, brought by the Spanish who conquered and colonised Peru with a complete takeover of architecture, religion and culture. And we ended the day at a seaside restaurant in Chorrillos, savouring ceviche, both meat and vegetarian, and quaffing our first pisco sours.

The next day, we boarded our bus for a nine-hour journey to reach the trekking mecca of Huaraz, the starting point for many trails into the Cordillera ranges.

As we climbed further up, we got our first glimpses of the mighty Huayhuash range, covered in snow.

Already at an altitude of 3,050m, we began the acclimatisation process with an arduous hike up to Churup Lake (4,450m).