Central Highlands - Peru - page 573

Bleak, chilly La Oroya, self-titled 'metallurgical capital of Peru and South America,' is a
smelting center for mineral ore extracted from the Central Andes (see boxed text, Click
here ) . Tourism-wise it's worthy of a mention only for its position on one of the region's
main road junctions. Routes from here lead north towards Cerro de Pasco, Huánuco and
Tingo María (and into the northern jungle); east to Tarma (then into the central jungle);
south to Huancayo and Ayacucho (and eventually Cuzco) and west to Lima. There are two
parts to town: a vast industrial swathe south of the river and the old town (more conveni-
ent for onward bus connections) to the northeast. Be wary going out at night here: even
locals advise against it.
Few travelers stop here. If stranded, basic Hostal Inti ( 39-1098; Arequipa 117; d
without bathroom S18) has hot showers. In the old town, other uninspiring but safe-
enough options can be found along Darío León for similar prices. Don't bank on hot wa-
ter, even if the hotel advertises it.
Huancayo buses pass through the old town. For Tarma (S15, change at El Cruce where
the Tarma road branches off), Cerro de Pasco (S20) and Huánuco, buses and/or colectivo
(shared) taxis leave from the other side of the river on Horacio Zevallos Gomez in the
west of town.
Tarma
064 / POP 60,500 / ELEV 3050M
Travelers seldom make it to Tarma, but they should. One of the region's most welcoming
cities with a balmy climate by altiplano (highlands) standards, this is a great stopover -
surrounded on all sides by scrubby, brown dirt mountains secreting some intriguing day
trips, but poised on the cusp of the ceja de la selva (eyebrow of the jungle) with a road
linking the central Andes to the Amazon Basin and its associated attractions. Limeños (in-
habitants of Lima) come here to experience the nearest accessible tract of jungle to their
desert capital and the city is now cottoning on to tourism with facilities ever-improving.
Tarma can also be used as a base for exploring la selva central (Central Amazon; Click
here ) .
The area has a long history too. Hidden in the mountains around town are Inca and pre-
Inca ruins that have yet to be fully excavated. Tarma was one of the first places to be
founded by the Spanish after the conquest (1538 is the generally accepted date). Nothing
remains of the early colonial era, but there are many attractive 19th- and early-20th-cen-
tury houses with white walls and red-tiled roofs.