Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
With an extra helping of superb panoramas of the surrounding mountains and a more
kick-back attitude than its rambunctious brother Huaraz, Caraz makes for a tranquil al-
ternate base of operations. Trekking and hiking trails meander in all directions - some are
day trips, others are much longer sojourns. One of the few places in the valley spared total
destruction by earthquakes or
aluvión,
the town still has a gentle whiff of colonial air. Its
lazy Plaza de Armas wouldn't be out of place in a much smaller
pueblo
.
Caraz is both the end point of the time-honored Llanganuco-Santa Cruz trek (which
can also be done in reverse, starting here) and the point of departure for rugged treks into
the remote northern parts of the Cordillera Blanca. The north side of Alpamayo (5947m),
once enthusiastically labeled the most beautiful mountain in the world for its knife-edged,
perfectly pyramidal northern silhouette, is easily accessible from here.
Sights
Laguna Parón
This postcard pastel-blue lake (4200m), 25km east of Caraz, is surrounded by spectacular
snow-covered peaks, of which Pirámide de Garcilaso (5885m), at the end of the lake,
looks particularly brilliant. The challenging rock-climbing wall of Torre de Parón, known
as the
Sphinx
, is also found here. The road to the lake goes through a canyon with
1000m-high granite walls - this drive is as spectacular as the better-known Llanganuco
trip. Fit and acclimatized hikers can trek to the lake in one long day, but it's easier to catch
local transport to Pueblo Parón and hike the remaining four hours.
Organized transport from Caraz runs from S120 return with two hours wait time - each
additional hour is S10.
LAGOON
