Touring the Callejon de Huaylas is an unforgettable experience which begins in the city of 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 as it flows by, 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 houses in colonial style, mixed with simple buildings, with their mud-brick walls and tiled roofs. Situated 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, cea huash (yellow), referring to the yellow flowers of the heather (retama) which covers the nearby mountains. At 2,688 mts, Carhuaz keeps its Hispanic and Colonial atmosphere. A four kilometer road begins at Macará, 8 kms to the south, which lead to the medicinal and mineral water spas of Chacos, also known as "The Fountain of Youth".

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

HUARAZ - PERU
CARAZ
HUASCARAN NATIONAL PARK

Caraz is the last town in the Huaraz Valley, situated at 2,235 meters, is surrounded by the snowcapped peaks of Huandoy (6,535m.), Santa Cruz (6,259m) and Alpamayo (6,120m.). This area is famed for the quality of its fruit sweets, known as "cuarteados" and its fudge. Parón Lake, reflecting the snowcapped peaks, and the Pato Canyon, where the Black and White Mountain Ranges are separated by just five meters, are the most interesting features of this town.

Huascaran National Park, has a surface of 340,000 hectares and has been declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Center and Biosphere Reserve. The park contains the White Mountain Range ("Cordillera Blanca"), and a great variety of unique ecosystems. Plants such as quishuar, shascshas, queñuales, rimarima, shakapa, escorponera, huamaripa and the llancahuasi as well as wild animals such as gray deers, tarucas, pumas, spectacled bears, vicuñas, foxes, ducks, wild cats, vizcachas and hundreds of birds can be found here. The very popular Puya Raimondi, a plant known as "cunco" which can reach 10 meters high, can also be seen here.

ADVENTURE SPORTS

The Callejon offers a number of adventure sport possibilities like climbing, skiing, trekking, canoeing, and hang-gliding. The glaciers of the Cordillera Blanca are considered the best in the world for mountaineering, especially from May to September. The snows of Pastoruri, Copa, Hualcán, Huascarán and Vallunaraju are good for skiing. Walkers and cyclists will find a wide variety of pre-Hispanic paths in the area excellent for appreciating the local wild flora and fauna. The River Santa is ideal for kayaking and canoeing. The granite belts surrounding the glaciers are a great challenge to rock climbers.