The Cordillera Blanca
The Cordillera Blanca is the highest tropical mountain
chain in the world and one of the most beautiful in
Peru. Every year mountaineers and explorers come to
this paradise of snowy peaks in search of adventure.
Practically all of the range is inside the Huascaran
National Park, made a World Heritage Site because
of its beauty, its 633 glaciers, 289 emerald-green
lakes and 41 rivers, not to mention its 33 archaeological
sites. Around 800 species of native plants are found
here, including the Raimondi Pine. As far as fauna
is concerned, the area is populated by condors, vicuna,
puma, the taruca or Andean deer and more than a hundred
species of birds.
In addition to numerous routes suitable for trekking,
the Cordillera Blanca has several advantages for mountaineers:
a good climate (especially between May and October)
and accessibility enable several mountains to be climbed
in a relatively short time. Conquering Huascaran,
which at 6,786 metres is the highest mountain in Peru
is the dream of many.
In addition to the Cordillera Blanca, the Cordillera
de Huayhuash, 50 Km to the south is also an attraction
in its own right. Among the finest peaks of this range
is Yerupaja (6,634 metres) and there are dozens of
glacial lakes of great beauty.
The time you will need to see this area will depend
on what you want to do and the time you have available
to lose yourself in one of the world's most beautiful
mountain ranges.
Inca Trail
Like the Romans, the Incas left a spectacular network
of roads which joined the four extremities of their
empire. The Capac Ñan or Inca Trail crosses
the coast, the highlands and part of the Peruvian
jungle, temples, resting places or tambos and other
Inca remains can be found along this spectacular route
on which travellers can experience Peru's complex
geography on foot. The most popular stretch is definitely
the stone paved 43 Km that runs from Km 88 of the
Cusco - Aguas Calientes railway to the citadel of
Machu Picchu. In three or four days of hard trekking
you climb through the most diverse climates and ecosystems.
Hundreds of orchids, colourful birds and dream-like
scenery, together with important Inca ruins beside
the road make this one of the most beautiful routes
in the world.
Canoeing
Peru has more than a dozen rivers that are more than
600 Km long. The five largest alone account for around
7,000 Km of waterway in the interior of the country.
This vast network offers visitors some interesting
choices for canoeing.
Among the most interesting we can mention the river
Cañete, 160 Km to the south east of Lima, which
has class II to IV rapids, or the river Colca between
Cabanaconde and Tapay which contains rapids from class
II to IV, and the Colca Canyon through which this
river flows, is the deepest in the world.
The river Urubamba in Cusco is also a favourite
place for canoeing.
Rock Climbing
Peru has places where the conditions are perfect for
open-air rock climbing. Around Lima, for example,
there are many excellent sites for this sport, in
which you come face to face with nature.
The Andean region also has some excellent rock formations
that are ideal for climbing, such as Cumbemayo outside
Cajamarca; the petrified forest of Tinajani, in Ayaviri,
Puno; the walls of the glacial ravine of Llanganuco
in Ancash; and the rock formations in the sanctuary
of Huayllay in Pasco.
Go ahead: pit yourself against these immense rock
faces.
