Huaraz

Huaraz sits at 3,050 metres in the Callejón de Huaylas between the Cordillera Blanca and the Cordillera Negra, and it is the base for everything in the range - Laguna 69, Churup, the Santa Cruz trek, Pisco, Huayhuash, Pastoruri - with agencies, gear shops, guides and climbing outfitters concentrated in a few central streets. It is not a pretty city. The 1970 Ancash earthquake, which killed tens of thousands across the region and buried Yungay entirely under a debris avalanche off Huascarán, destroyed most of Huaraz, and it was rebuilt fast in concrete. What it has is function: acclimatisation walks from the doorstep, a good archaeological museum with Recuay stone sculpture, a busy market, and a large trekking economy. Nights are cold and the season is May to September, when the town fills.

History

The name comes from the Quechua Waraq, "dawn". People have lived in the area since about 10,000 B.C., as finds in the Guitarreros cave show; later the Chavín and Recuay cultures left their mark, the ceremonial centre at Pumacayan may date from the Chavín period, and before the Inca, Huaraz was an important town of the kingdom of Huaylas (Wikipedia, Huaraz).

Highlights

• The trekking base - agencies, guides and gear for the whole Cordillera Blanca.
• The rebuild - a concrete city raised after the 1970 earthquake.
• The museum - Recuay stone sculpture and regional archaeology.
• The setting - between the white and black cordilleras at 3,050 metres.

When to go

May to September, the trekking season. Three days minimum to acclimatise before anything serious; two weeks for the major treks. Cold at night year-round.

Before you go

The city itself is plain concrete with heavy traffic and noise. Agency quality varies enormously and the cheapest are the ones with the accident records. Altitude affects new arrivals immediately. Out of season much of the trekking economy closes.

Nearby

Laguna Churup and Wilcacocha are close acclimatisation walks; Yungay, Caraz and the Llanganuco valley are north.

Key facts