The stunning Peruvian countryside

Understand

Huaraz stands tall at 3100m; travellers from Lima might need a day or two to acclimatize to the change in atmosphere. See Altitude sickness for advice and more information.

July is a good time to visit the region; the temperature is perfect for walking and the sky is free from clouds / rain. It's also a good time as the July period has many of Peru's annual event celebration dates. The town puts on a tremendous night of entertainment each year for most of the days, featuring live music and more. Well worth a look if you are in the region.

A town of 100,000, it blends a mix of modern and native culture. The town has many markets and shops catering to tourist needs and local needs. The food markets are especially interesting and are a great starting point for getting supplies for expeditions. Be sure to shop about before purchasing/hiring (especially for mountaineering gear) as often a better price can be found elsewhere with a bit of bargaining.

The town has many places offering cheap internet access; although a bit slow, the connection is usually reliable. The town has a big post office and a few banks. Huaraz also has a mix of old and new restaurants offering a variety of dishes. Cuy (guinea pig) is a national speciality; perhaps something to say one has tried but not something to make a diet off! The night life in the town is a lot better than that of Lima; there are a few night clubs and many bars open late. Clearly common sense would advise people not to travel alone at night, but one felt safe in the city where the locals were very willing to help out where possible. Like many places in Peru, it's not wise to take much money at with you in at anyone time if you can possibly avoid it.

Get in

Huaraz is approximately 8 hours coach drive from Lima; it's simple and a reasonably cheap and reliable service. Movil Tours, Ormeño, Cruz del Sur and CIAL are most frequently recommended bus companies.

There are several daily buses to and from Chimbote & Trujillo. Movil Tours [1] & Transportes Linea [2] are the best (US$14, 9 hours to Trujillo), followed by Chinchaysuyo & Comite 14, all of which only travel by night, & continue to Trujillo. All night buses travel on the tar sealed road from Huaraz to Pativilca (Caral is near there) to the Panamerican Highway, midway between Trujillo & Lima.

Transportes Linea [3], America Express & others run from Trujillo from 6am or earlier to catch the 8-8.30am bus of Turismo Huaraz & Yungay Express from Huaraz via Caraz & the spectacular Cañon del Pato. It's a rough 8 hour bus ride, the buses are basic for the unsealed road (Caraz to Chimbote) and may be overcrowded between Caraz & Huaraz. The views are stunning. Price is around US$7 (Pes/. 25). If you have your own vehicle, obtain permission (& confirmation of entrance times if maintenance is in progress) from Proyecto Chavimochic in Trujillo (Telefax 044 272286) or Viru to leave the Panam (km485 north of Lima) via the well kept Brasileiros maintenance road alongside the canal to the north bank of the Santa River to Cañon del Pato. It is possible to cover Trujillo to Caraz in 5 hours (+ photo stops) on this straighter, smoother road. Almost 40 tunnels are large enough for all but the largest tourist buses.

There are also day buses between Huaraz & Chimbote via the Callan Pass, Pariacoto & Casma (for Sechin). Longer, rougher & not quite as visually stunning.

Every 20 minutes or so combis leave Huaraz for Caraz visiting Carhuaz and Yungay on the way.

Get around

In Huaraz, taxi's are cheap and fast for getting about the town.

Be wary of dubious taxi drivers / cabs. Peru does have a problem with taxis in some places, and tourists have been known to be mugged/assaulted in them. On a non-sexist note, female travellers should be careful not to travel alone, especially in taxis and especially at night.

See

• Movies. Those travellers hankering for a new release in a movie theater will be disappointed to learn that there is no movie theater in Huaraz. Approximately a decade ago there was a functioning theater but it shut down due to low profits. However, a cafe called the Huaraz Satyricon shows movies (often new releases) on their large 5 foot screen in the cafe, for 4 soles. Free popcorn is included with the price of admission, and the cafe also sells falafel sandwiches and large chocolate chip cookies.

Do

• Trekking - The region is a trekkers paradise; it features breath taking views and an escape from the hive of people seen in other famed trekking locations like the Inca trail. Although one could do it on ones own, it's advisable to get a guide / run it through a specialist company. There are many companies offering these services. The House of Guides (Casa de Guías) offers professional free information, and maps for a price. They have a ´check in/check out´ book which it´s advisable to sign, especially if traveling without a guide. Churup : A very friendly, family run service who run high quality hostel and organizes trekking. They offer a variety of treks around the region, from short walks to long treks. Well organised and experienced.

• Andean Kingdom, Kuzuriaga 522, is a well recommended travel agency. They provide info, rent out equipement and organize trekking or climbing tours. They also have a bouldering cave.

Warning - EuroInka Trek, a trek hire shop, has dubious equipment and an even more dubious safety record. It is important that you personally check all your kit that you hire before agreeing to pay for it, and make sure you don't accept sub-standard gear.

See Cordillera Blanca for more trekking info.

Buy

Eat

• Mercado central. On the second floor you can indulge in a true Peruvian setmeal of soup, rice and chicken and limonade. All for 2.50 soles. The first floor is good for stocking up for your trek.

• Chifas, there are several in town. There dishes are cheap and feed two. And in contrast to the Peruvian cuisine they tend to sneak in some veggies.

• Fuente de Salud. Very cheap, very tasty vegetarian food. Highly recommended for vegetarians and those who are feeling the effects of travellers diahrrea.

• Siam de los Andes. A traditional Thai restaurant in the middle of small-town Peru, serves up delicious curry and stir fry dishes. Price range: moderate: 15-50 soles per meal.

• Creperie Patrick. A well-known restaurant that serves up many different styles of sweet or savory crêpes, Creperie Patrick is also known to be relatively expensive: 25-50 soles per meal.

Drink

There are several bars clustered around José de la Mar and Cajamarca to still your thirst.

• Cafe Andino, 2 blocks from the Plaza de Armas, closed Mondays. Delicious espresso and other coffee beverages. Can buy beans too. Excellent selection of books to borrow (with deposit), and good magazine selection to peruse while there. Familiar music (Marley, Grateful Dead...). We hung out all day there when waiting for a bus - nice, accomodating staff. Nice atmosphere.

• California Café, Jr. 28 de Julio. Café with a big book exchange, also doubles as library. The Californian owner organizes ultimate frisbee matches every friday. Just drop in at around 130pm if you're interrested. One of the house specialities is their mixed fruit smoothie, called Surtido. This cafe also serves strong coffees and is an ideal spot to hang for a few hours when first getting into town.

• Luchos Place, is located across the street from the Movil Bus Company station on the second floor of a bar complex. Ask anyone in the street where to find Luchos Bar and theyll point you in the right direction. This spot is a local hangout for the many expats and volunteers living in the area, but is by no means a tourist trap. There is always a good mix of peruvians and gringos, making for interesting conversations and even better partying. The owner and staff are incredibly chilled out, and will make you feel right at home, though they may break out their giant JENGA set, each game being followed by a shot of pisco.

Sleep

• Olaza´s Hostal. 5 blocks from the Plaza de Armas (near Hostal Churup). Rooftop terrace with good view of surrounding mountain where you can get served breakfast (coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice, toast included in room price). Internet, TV with small DVD collection, stacks of magazines, kitchen to use, really clean. US$20 for double bed, private bathroom.
• Hostal Churup, [4]. Located 5 minutes walk from the center of town, this hostel offers an excellent service to travellers, including secure storage of luggage, breakfast, and washing facilities. Family run, they are very helpful and offer lots of useful advice on travel and trekking. Prices range from $4 to $32.
• El Tambo, Av. Confraternidad Oeste #122 (well hidden opposite the stadium). Fine hostel close to the bus terminal and four blocks from the center. It offers free internet, laundry service, kitchen use, communal area with cable tv and dvd and a simple breakfast is included in the price. Low-season price s/.10 pppn.
• Hospedaje La Cabaña, [5]. Sucre 1224, 5 minutes walk from main square of Huaraz. Extremely helpful, friendly, family-run guest house from US$4pppn.

Stay safe

• Eating. Be careful as to what you eat as it is almost certain that you will get food poisoning and/or diarrhea at some point during your travels in Peru. Being pro-active can limit your exposure:
  • Avoid drinking un-clean water
  • Be picky about what food you eat and ensure that it has been cooked properly. What might appear to be well established restaurants can be just as bad as street traders when it comes to food hygiene.

• Sunscreen. Since Huaraz is physically and visually far from the Pacific Coast beaches, it may not occur to casual visitors to buy and use sunscreen. For those people who are planning on trekking into the mountains, or doing mountain climbing, sunscreen is a vital resource. The thin air and high altitudes increase the effects of UV penetration.

• Armed robberies of tourists are fairly common, even more so on Sundays.

Cope

• Toilet paper. Since most restaurants and hotels in Peru do not supply toilet paper, you would be well advised to buy and hold a steady supply of this vital resource.

Get out

• Trujillo. At least 2 bus companies (Movil and Linea) provide overnight service to Trujillo. The trip takes about 10 hours. Movil would not turn on the air-conditioning and I sweated profusely - it sucked. It´s a rocky, fast-paced trip through the mountains.
• Caraz. Minibuses leave frequently and the trip takes about one hour.