TRAVEL AND TOURS

When the sun sets, the sky turns orange-red and the snow-capped peaks seem like a splendid fire, emphasising the beauty of a few of nearby towns. Night falls slowly in the Huaylas valley, in the department of Ancash, the twinkling stars send the lakes to sleep and wrap in shadow the narrow paths, the robust mountains and the restless flow of the river.

The Huaylas valley, 400 kilometers north of Lima, is a genuine quirk of nature, with its impressive scenes of wild countryside, and its colorful valley formed from the Black and White mountain ranges, the Santa River flowing powerfully between the two, watering the fields of the picturesque chain of villages ranged along the length of its banks.

This high peaks are the favourite of mountain climbers from all around the world, as there are 35 peaks in the Valley over 6,000 meters high. Among them is Huascaran, with its 6,768 meters, the highest snow capped peak in Peru and the second highest in the Americas after Aconagua, in Chile. Another famous mountain of the Huaylas Valley is the Alpamayo (6,210m), known as the "most beautiful snow-capped mountain in the world".

Huascarán and Alpamayo, are part of the highest tropical mountains in the world, known as the White Mountain Range ("Cordillera Blanca"), not just due to its perpetual snow caps but also for the constitution of its quartz and felspar rocks.

Adventures and challenges are to be had in this magical valley, where the chains of Black And White Mountains run and hidden towns, such as Recuay, Carhuaz, Caraz and Yungay are to be found. Challenges and adventures in a place whose beauty is overwhelming and where the sky goes looks wonderful when the sun sets.

ATTRACTIONS

Touring the Callejon de Huaylas is an unforgettable experience which begins in Huaraz capital of the department of Ancash (3,052 mts.) Throughout the route the snow-capped peaks delight the eyes of the tourist, and you can appreciate the river Santa, the green fields near its banks and the comings and goings of the local towns people.

IN THE CALLEJON:
Recuay, the first town on the route, conserves its ancient colonial houses, mixed with simple buildings, with their mud-brick walls and tiled roofs. At 3,422 meters, the town boasts mineral and thermal spas at Conococha, Ucuschaca, Pachacoto, Pumapampa, Burgos and Utuco, as well as Querococha and Conococha Lakes.

Carhuaz name comes from the quechua name of the heather (retama), the flower which covers the nearby mountains. At 2,688 mts, Carhuaz keeps its old Colonial atmosphere. A four kilometer road begins at Macará, 8 kms to the south, which leads to the water spas of Chacos, also known as "The Fountain of Youth".

Yungay is symbolized by a huge statue of Christ with his arms open. In 1970 a powerful earthquake caused tons of earth and rocks to fall from Huascaran mountain and bury the town and its inhabitants. Today you can still see traces of this tragedy; crosses, hills of mud, and twisted pieces of iron.