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Huaraz and the Cordillera Blancas

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Huaraz is a city of around 100, 000 people with a beautiful mountain backdrop of the Cordillera Blancas which attract thousands of tourists every year for hiking, tours, rafting, and horseback riding.




	The Rio Santa flowing through Huaraz

Huaraz is a eight hour bus ride north away from Lima. It is set in a green valley nestled between the Cordillera Negra and Cordillera Blanca mountains. The Cordillera Blanca is a range of beautiful snowcapped mountains which attract many hikers and climbers. Huaraz also provides for the casual tourist day tours into the mountains which allow non-hikers to walk on glaciers, enter ice caves, boat on an alpine lake, and just enjoy the view from the top, or near the top of these mountains.

Favourite spots:




	Pastoruri Ice Cave

I took the Pastoruri Glacier tour. During this tour, we saw many Puya Raymondi plants which are both impressive in size and natural beauty. We also went into two small ice caves under the Pastoruri as well as have a snowball fight on top of the glacier. The views of the surrounding snowcapped mountain range was breathtaking.

What's really great:




	Puya Raymondi plants with mountain view

I hiked up a road from town into the mountains which had awesome view down on Huaraz, went through a few small Quechua villages, and along the route of a rushing stream. I saw many small hummingbirds hovering over flowers and got to share the trail with many locals and their livestock.

Sights:




	The mountains from the Plaza de Armas

The view of the Cordillera Blanca mountains from almost anywhere in town was almost always impressive.

Accommodations:




	A street in Huaraz with a Semana Santa parade coming down the street.

I stayed at Hostal Cesar's during March 2005 which cost 25 soles($7.50 US) per night which had private bath, hot water, and cable television. There are nearly a hundred hotels in Huaraz there are many cheap basic hotels averaging 15 soles and a few three star accomodations at 35 soles and above. Hostal Cesar's was one of the many two star accommodations.

Restaurants:




	A popular Quechuan meal is guinea pig. Here are bagged guinea pigs being sold in market

I ate at number of small restaurants, which had a small menu of meals for the day. The price usually averaged 2.50 soles(80c US) for soup, and a meat dish with rice or potatoes, a small side salad, and a drink (usually lemonade). There are also great variety of more expensive restuarants in Huaraz from fried chicken places to places with live music and folk dancing.

Published on Wednesday April 6th, 2005 by danilbruce

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