Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
colonial-style furniture. Most of the ship-shape rooms are spacious and have bathtubs,
phones and local TV. Some rooms (S376) sleep up to four and a few have a fireplace.
Most rooms look out onto a bountiful garden that's strewn with wagon wheels and foun-
tains; some have a balcony. Meals are available in the fireplace-heated restaurant-bar.
El Cortijo $$$
(Carretera Huaraz; mains S15-60; 8am-7pm)
This excellent restaurant grills ostrich
(when they can get it in Peru) alongside
cuy
(guinea pig) and other meats. Outdoor tables
are arranged around a fountain (complete with little boy peeing) in a grassy flower-filled
garden, with swings for children.
PERUVIAN
El Ollón de Barro $$
(Km 7; meals S12-28; 11am-5pm Tue-Sun Jul, 11am-5pm Sat & Sun Aug-Jun)
A near-
impenetrable wall of hedge guarding a large, enticing garden with a fronton court, chil-
dren's swings and trees surrounds this inviting choice. They do a tasty
coca
sour and bang
out regional Peruvian specialties like
ceviche de pato
(duck ceviche) and
pachamanca
(various meats cooked in an 'oven' of hot stones).
PERUVIAN
Getting There & Away
Local buses from Huaraz go north along Luzuriaga, west on Calle 28 de Julio, north on
Calle 27 de Noviembre, east on Raymondi and north on Fitzcarrald. Try to catch a bus
early in the route, as they fill up quickly. The fare for the 20-minute ride is S1. A taxi ride
between Huaraz and Monterrey costs about S7.
Carhuaz
043 / POP 7100 / ELEV 2638M
Carhuaz, 35km north of Huaraz, lays claim to one of the prettiest plazas in the valley, with
a combination of rose gardens and towering palms that make lingering here a pleasure.
The Sunday
market
is a kaleidoscopic treat as
campesinos
(peasants) descend from sur-
rounding villages to sell a medley of fresh fruits, herbs and handicrafts. A road passes
over the Cordillera Blanca from Carhuaz, via the beautiful Quebrada Ulta and Punta
Olímpica Pass, to Chacas and San Luis.
