Huaraz

Ancash ranges from a coastal strip that is not very rugged to the highest snow-capped mountains in Peru. The Chavín culture settled in this paradise between 1200 and 200 B.C., which left as a legacy the impressive archaeological complex of Chavín de Huántar, declared a World Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.

Photo by Andres Jacobi on istockphoto

Huascaran National Park, declared a World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO, shelters in its beautiful scenery wildlife species such as the condor, vicuña, deer, puma, Andean fox and vizcacha.

In this emblematic place you can appreciate in all its valley the most spectacular snow-capped mountains, among them the Huascarán (6768 masl), the highest peak in Peru. Besides having hot springs and spectacular lagoons such as Llanganuco, this destination is ideal for adventure sports such as canoeing, mountaineering, mountain biking or trekking where you can enjoy the nature it possesses.

Photo by Diego Guiop on istockphoto

Good to know

Location

In the Callejón de Huaylas valley, in northern Peru.
Altitude

3 090 meters above sea level.
Climate

Temperate and semi-tropical with an average annual temperature of 16.2 degrees Celsius.
Seasons

Hot weather (late april to early october), mild (august 7 to october 7), warm (september), cool (december 24 to april 3), cold (july).
Indispensable to bring

Light clothes for hiking, warm clothes for the night, waterproof jackets in rainy seasons, scarf, hat, gloves, trekking shoes, insect repellent, high altitude medicines, identification document and cash.
Distance to other cities

Huaraz - Lima 408 km.
Huaraz - Trujillo 335 km.
Fun fact

The Cordillera Huayhuash is considered one of the 10 best trekking routes in the world.

Main tourist attractions

Llanganuco Lagoon

One of the most famous tourist places in Huaraz is the beautiful Llanganuco Lagoon. Its real name is Chinancocha (female lagoon in Quechua) and it is separated from a following lagoon called Orconcocha (male lagoon in Quechua). This place offers one of the most spectacular landscapes of the Callejón de Huaylas, because you can observe steep and gigantic rock formations that protect the turquoise colors of the lagoons.

Yungay Cemetery

Yungay, once one of the most beautiful cities in Peru, was involved in one of the most impressive tragedies in history. In 1970, a 7.8 (Richter) earthquake not only destroyed everything around it, but also caused a huge flood that buried the city of Yungay, today known as Campo Santo de Yungay, and its more than 10,000 inhabitants.

Today you can visit this place and learn more about its history, as well as observe some of the gigantic rocks left by the alluvium, as well as the palm trees that were able to withstand the natural disaster and other ruins of what was once Yungay.

Base of Pastoruri Snowy

The base of Pastoruri Snowy has one of the fastest retreating glaciers in Peru. It is common to hear the guides comment on how not so long ago the glacier was much larger. In addition to inviting on-site reflection on climate change and how it affects glaciers, visiting the base of Pastoruri Snowy still offers incredible scenery surrounded by towering mountains and the giant chunks of ice resting in the glacier’s lagoon.

Chavín de Huantar

Chavín de Huántar is an archaeological complex built by the Chavín culture, more than 2200 years ago. It is the most important story that marked the department of Ancash, in central Peru. This great architectural work had two temples, of which some of its parts are still preserved and in which you will find a mysterious network of labyrinths to get lost and feel like part of the history that was lived before.