Huaraz and Cordillera Blanca

Huaraz is the capital of the Ancash region and the hub for hikers and mountaineers in the Cordillera Blanca. The city itself primarily serves as a base: Here you book tours, organize equipment, and acclimatize before heading into Huascarán National Park.From Lima, you can reach Huaraz by overnight bus in approximately eight hours or by flight. Note that travel advisories caution against overnight intercity bus journeys.Two to three days of acclimatization in Huaraz are recommended before longer high-altitude tours.Mountaineers can register in advance with the Peruvian Mountain Rescue service.

Huascarán National Park encompasses almost the entire Cordillera Blanca: glaciers, hundreds of high-altitude lakes, and Huascarán, Peru's highest mountain at 6,768 meters. The park was founded in 1975, has been a biosphere reserve since 1977, and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985.Laguna 69: the most famous day hike, a turquoise glacial lake at around 4,600 meters. The starting point is Cebollapampa, and the round trip takes about six to seven hours.Lagunas de Llanganuco: two lakes at around 3,850 meters on the way to Laguna 69, also a stop for day trips from Huaraz.Laguna Churup above Huaraz is suitable as an acclimatization hike.You need a ticket for the park, available as a day, three-day, or month pass. Camping is not allowed at Laguna 69.

The Sacred City of Caral is located in the dry Supe Valley, approximately 180 kilometers north of Lima and a good 20 kilometers from the coast. According to radiocarbon dating, it was utilized between approximately 3000 and 1800 BCE. Since 2009, UNESCO has listed it as a World Heritage site and the oldest center of a civilization in the Americas. Visible are step pyramids, plazas, sunken circular courts, and residential areas.It is open daily from approximately 9 AM to 4 PM.Without a car, you can reach Caral by bus to Supe on the Panamericana Norte and from there by Colectivo or taxi. The Colectivos only return until approximately 4 PM.There is little shade on the site, so bring sun protection and water.

On the north coast around Trujillo were the centers of two great pre-Inca cultures: The Moche built here the Huacas del Sol y de la Luna, the Chimú their capital Chan Chan, the largest adobe city in the Americas. The fishing village of Huanchaco, with its reed boats and surf waves, is just a few kilometers away. For Trujillo and parts of the region, a state of emergency is temporarily in effect; please note the current travel advisories from the Foreign Office before your trip.

Trujillo, the capital of the La Libertad region, was founded in 1534 and named after Francisco Pizarro's hometown in Extremadura. The city center features a grid of streets with colorful colonial houses and wrought-iron window grilles surrounding the Plaza de Armas with its cathedral.Most visitors come for the archaeological sites on the outskirts of the city: Chan Chan, the Chimú capital, and the temple pyramids Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna of the Moche. In the nearby seaside town of Huanchaco, fishermen still go out to sea in traditional reed boats, the Caballitos de Totora, while the waves attract surfers.The Federal Foreign Office reports a current state of emergency in Trujillo. Check the current situation there before traveling.