Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SOUTH OF HUARAZ
Covering the southern extent of the Cordillera Blanca and the majestic Cordillera Huay-
huash, this part of the Andes refuses to be outdone in the 'breathtaking mountain scenery'
stakes. Several peaks here also pass the 6000m mark, huddling to form a near-continuous,
saw-toothed ridge of precipitous summits.
Yerupajá
(6617m), Peru's second-highest
mountain, is the icing on the Cordillera cake and is followed in height by its second lieu-
tenant
Siulá Grande
(6344m), where climber Joe Simpson fell down into a crevice and
lived to tell the tale in the topic and movie
Touching the Void
. The rugged and rewarding
10-day Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit (
Click here
)
, accessed through the town of Llamac,
is the glittering star attraction.
The Puente Bedoya bridge, about 18km south of Huaraz, marks the beginning of a 2km
dirt road to the community of
Olleros
, the starting point for the three-day trek across the
Cordillera Blanca to Chavín de Huántar (
Click here
)
. Respons Sustainable Tourism Center
(
Click here
)
in Huaraz arranges a colorful day trip (S90 for two people, less per person for
larger groups) to the village of
Huarípampa
, just a few minutes south of Huaraz, to see
two local women dye and weave wool with plants from their own gardens and on their own
hand looms.
Recuay
(population 2900), a town 25km from Huaraz, is one of the few municipalities
to have survived the 1970 earthquake largely unscathed.
Catac
(population 2300), 10km
south of Recuay, is an even smaller hamlet and the starting point for trips to see the remark-
able
Puya raimondii
plant.
Further south, about 70km from Huaraz on the road to Lima and in the vicinity of the
village of Pampas Chico,
Hatun Machay
(
www.andeankingdom.com/hatunmachay
; camp-
ing S20, dm S30, three-day course incl all meals, equipment & transport from Huaraz for
two S405)
is a rock-climber's paradise. The folks at
Andean Kingdom/Infinite Adven-
Huaraz)
in Huaraz have developed dozens of climbing routes throughout this 'rock forest'
nestled high in the Cordillera Negra. The whole complex, including the climbing routes
and a large rustic refuge with kitchen facilities, is at your service for beginning rock-climb-
ing instruction, as well as hard-core ascents. If that weren't enough, two treks around the
area take you past archaeological remains of rock carvings and a view of the Pacific Ocean
(on a clear day), and make for great half-day acclimatization hikes.
