Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
tion of cat consumption (residents from Huari are jokingly referred to in Quechua as
Mishikanka,
which literally means 'Deep-Fried Cats' but more figuratively 'Cat Eaters.').
The town has a small and modern Plaza de Armas and a larger Plaza Vigil (known as El
Parque) one block away, where you'll find the bus company offices (buses leave from a
terminal a few blocks away). There is a
Banco de la Nación
near the market with a Visa/
Plus ATM.
For sweeping panoramas of the valley, keep walking uphill from the El Dorado hotel
until you come to a
mirador
(lookout). A good day hike is to
Laguna Purhuay
, a beauti-
ful lake about 5km away. An excellent two- or three-day backpacking trip continues past
the lake to emerge at the village of Chacas. Another three- to four-day trek follows the old
Inca highway to Huánuco (
Click here
)
.
There are several cheap places to stay in town, but
El Dorado
(Simon Bolívar 353; r
S30, s/d without bathroom S10/20)
is the pick of a litter of runts, with the added luxury of
no telephone and no toilet seats - yet it remains the most popular spot in town.
Hostal
Paraíso
( 45-3029; Simón Bolívar 263; s/d S20/30, s/d without bathroom S10/20)
is
more or less the same. There's modest rooms and a courtyard with some greenery. No ho-
tels in town have internet, but you can connect yourself at
Cybershalom
(Ancash 773;
per hr S1; 7am-11pm).
There's not a lot of choice for food, but
Chifa Dragón Andino
(Libertad 660; mains
S9-15; from noon, closed Sun)
does decent Chinese fare.
Colectivos
to San Marcos, for quicker travel to Huaraz, leave from behind the market
(S6, 45 minutes).
Transportes Sandoval
( 45-7643; Ancash 812, Plaza Vigil)
heads to
Huaraz six times daily (S15, 4½ hours). From the same office,
Chavín Express
goes to
Lima (S35, 11 hours) once per day at 5:30pm.
Turismo Andino
( 99-342-7102; An-
cash 836, Plaza Vigil)
heads to Lima (S40, 10 hours) at 9am and 5:30pm and Chacas
(S15, 2½ hours) at 4am. For Pomabamba (S25, 6½ hours),
El Solitario
( 99-342-7102;
Ancash 836, Plaza Vigil)
passes by on the main road around 5pm on Wednesday,
Thursday, Saturday and Sunday only. You'll have more options if you got to Huaraz first,
but of course this is well out of the way in the wrong direction. If you want to forge ahead
on your own timeframe to San Luis, where you can catch onward travel to Chacas,
Yanama and Pomabomba, a taxi is anywhere between S200 and S300 depending on your
negotiation skills. The road is rough and beautiful.
For Laguna Purhuay you can hire a taxi to take you for about S100 return, including
waiting time.
