The central Peruvian Andes are cataloged as one of the most impressive mountain ranges on the planet. And they have in Callejón de Huaylas, a destination of enchanting beauty that is an alternative to Machu Picchu and captivates adventure and experiential tourism lovers. The great chain of snow-capped mountains with an impressive height that invites you to contemplate its majestic beauty by hiking or trying to reach its peaks.
Within this mountainous vastness, the city of Huaraz, considered as the “Capital of Trekking”, is one of the highlights. Therefore, it attracts a growing presence of visitors interested in covering large-scale routes to contemplate the bucolic beauty of the inter-Andean valleys with its unique flora and fauna, turquoise lagoons and colossal snow-capped peaks.
One of the most popular routes is Santa Cruz. It is 45 kilometers long and allows to ascend at its highest point located at 4,750 meters above sea level. Another highlight is the rise to the Churup Lagoon, known as the “Seven Colors Lagoon”, located at over 4,000 meters of altitude and a few kilometers away from the city of Huaraz.
Callejón de Huaylas is part of the Huascaran National Park, one of the first protected natural areas of Peru, created on July 1, 1975. Two years later it was declared a Biosphere Reserve by Unesco; and in 1985 it was included in the list of Natural Heritage of Humanity.
With an extension of 340,000 hectares, the Huascaran National Park occupies part of the provinces of Huaylas, Yungay, Carhuaz, Huaraz, Recuay, Bolognesi, Huari, Asunción, Mariscal Luzuriaga and Pomabamba, in the department of Ancash.
Within its limits there are about 660 glaciers and 300 glacial lakes. That is why the importance of the Huascaran National Park is also reflected in its hydrological potential, given that its snow-capped mountains feed the Santa, Marañon and Pativilca river basins.
By presenting a broad spectrum of microclimates, the Huascarán National Park boasts a mosaic of diverse types of vegetation intimately linked to each other. 779 species of high Andean flora distributed in 340 genera and 104 families have been identified.
In the Huascarán National Park you can practice adventure sports such as mountaineering, mountain biking, climbing and trekking, which allows you to appreciate different landscapes of this fascinating place. More than 20 trekking circuits and 102 climbing points are registered. Moreover, the presence of diverse communities settled throughout the Callejon de Huaylas, heirs of ancestral traditions of craftsmanship, agriculture and livestock, allow the development of experiential tourism.
Fuente: Andina