Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
so you're looking out of the right-hand side of the bus (as you face the driver) for the best
views along the way.
LAGUNA PARÓN
If you go on your own to Laguna Parón, be aware that you cannot circumnavigate the lake. The north shore is
fine, but there is a very dangerous section on the south shore that is impassable due to potential falls up to 100m
where the trail briefly disappears in favor of an unmarked section where slippery vegetation grows flush against
the mountain surface. Two foreigners have attempted - and two have died.
If you want a less hair-raising ride through this astonishing canyon, Pony Expeditions (
Click here
)
can set you up with a sightseeing taxi to Trujillo (S1000, seven hours) that
can take up to four people and will stop for photo ops at your leisure. The owner, who
speaks English and French, normally drives you himself.
DEAD NUN'S CANYON
The Spanish version of the History Channel profiled the Cañón del Pato in its 2012
Rutas Mortales: Los Andes
TV show, where the perceived-to-be weakly named
Cañón del Pato
(Duck Canyon) was changed to the far more
frightening
El Cañón de la Monja Muerta
(Dead Nun's Canyon). Scary!
OUTDOORS
Punta Winchus
A remote 4157m pass in the Cordillera Negra is the center of a huge stand of 5000 rare
Puya raimondii
plants. This is the biggest-known stand of these 10m-tall members of the
pineapple family, which take 100 years to mature and in full bloom flaunt up to 20,000
flowers each! On a clear day you have an astounding 145km panorama from the Cor-
dillera Blanca all the way to the Pacific Ocean. It's 45km west of Caraz and reached by
tour vehicles.
