The City of Huaráz and the Surrounding Areas
Amazing views in Huaraz
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The GeographyHuaráz is located in the Áncash region (in north-central Perú), about 420 km north of Lima, at an altitude of 3,052 metres (10,013 ft).
The Callejón de Huaylas valley, where the city is situated, is a north-south valley bounded on the east by the Cordillera Blanca (permanent white snow caps and glaciers) and on the west by the Cordillera Negra (not permanent snow capped peaks or glaciers, hence black). The Cordillera Blanca includes Huascarán, the highest mountain in Perú at 6,768 metres (22,205 ft), and the third highest in the Western Hemisphere. Huascarán and the adjacent peak, Huandoy, are clearly visible from Huaráz in fair weather, and in fact can be seen from the school/accommodation. |
The School / AccommodationThe school and adjoining accommodation is ideally situated, just steps from the main street in town and 5 minutes from the Plaza de Armas, where you will find the famous (unfinished) Cathedral and infamous llamas. A little further on and you will find a variety of shops and stalls to buy souvenirs, that something you left at home and extra gifts for the kids.
We are just 15 minutes from the main market where you can buy all your local (and cheap) groceries and 3 minutes from our nearest supermarket and pharmacies. For eating out, we are surrounded by restaurants, street food and takeaways - there's no shortage of choice. |
Llamas at the Plaza de Armas
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The Treks
The excursion possibilities are endless, and as our school is only open during the week, volunteers have weekends free to explore the surrounding mountains! There's a huge range of day hikes to choose from costing from just 1 sole, which our volunteers love to challenge themselves with.
There's a range of levels suiting all budgets and abilities starting with the nearby Wilcacocha which takes just 20minutes on a combi (local bus, costing s/.1), and 2 hours trek to see the spectacular views of Huaraz. Full day treks include the famous Laguna 69 - possibly the most famous day-trek in the Andes, Laguna Parón - where you can spot the famous Paramount Pictures mountain or Laguna Churup - with ropes to help pull you up and a huge waterfall to climb. Or for the dedicated trekkers the three-day Santa Cruz Trek or the 8-12 day Huayhuash Trek are top of the list, which you can book easily with one of the many local tour operators in the city; they will even provide camping equipment and food and carry it for you as standard.
You can also climb one of the many nearby mountain glaciers, including Mateo, Pisco, Alpamayo, Vallunaraju, and Ishinca, or keep it simple with a tour to Pastoruri Glacier around 5,250 metres (17,200 feet) above sea level, which includes a stop to see the endangered Puya Raimondii plant. For weekend excursions, many volunteers have enjoyed camping at nearby Lagunas Shallap and Palcacocha, as well as Laguna Wilcacocha.
There's a range of levels suiting all budgets and abilities starting with the nearby Wilcacocha which takes just 20minutes on a combi (local bus, costing s/.1), and 2 hours trek to see the spectacular views of Huaraz. Full day treks include the famous Laguna 69 - possibly the most famous day-trek in the Andes, Laguna Parón - where you can spot the famous Paramount Pictures mountain or Laguna Churup - with ropes to help pull you up and a huge waterfall to climb. Or for the dedicated trekkers the three-day Santa Cruz Trek or the 8-12 day Huayhuash Trek are top of the list, which you can book easily with one of the many local tour operators in the city; they will even provide camping equipment and food and carry it for you as standard.
You can also climb one of the many nearby mountain glaciers, including Mateo, Pisco, Alpamayo, Vallunaraju, and Ishinca, or keep it simple with a tour to Pastoruri Glacier around 5,250 metres (17,200 feet) above sea level, which includes a stop to see the endangered Puya Raimondii plant. For weekend excursions, many volunteers have enjoyed camping at nearby Lagunas Shallap and Palcacocha, as well as Laguna Wilcacocha.
The Weather
The locals explain that many of the cities in Peru have their own micro-climate, meaning that just a few miles down the road the weather can seem like a whole other season. Therefore a variety of clothing and the option to layer-up are ideal.
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Rainy Season (November-April)
So, if you look at any forecast online for Huaráz the forecast for this time of year is rain, rain rain. However, it does not rain all day everyday, and in fact during rainy season the rain often appears scheduled to arrive at around 3pm each afternoon. This of course leaves much of the day clear to enjoy the mountains in the sunshine with temperatures reaching around 25-30°C by mid-morning. Dry Season (May-October) Dry season is as it sounds-- the frequency of the rain reduces and the river starts to dry up. It does however mean that temperatures can be more extreme between day and night, with temperatures at night dropping to around 5°C from 20-30°C in the daytime, so layers hoodies and jackets are ideal. |
What else is there?
If you're not into hiking, then don't panic! There are also plenty of less-exhaustive activities to do, such as take a tour of Chavin or Yungay or the many pre-Incan ruins dotted across the region. Often, there is little need to go further than a few yards to observe one of the many traditional ceremonies involving dancing, traditional dress and live bands lining the streets in celebration. Choose your favourite Peruvian item from stripey trousers, jumpers or llama keyrings and shop at the local artisan market. Don't forget your swimwear if you'd like to join the locals and relax and swim in the nearby natural hot springs. Or simply take you favourite book to one of the nearby parks.
For the more adventurous, take a day out to go zip-lining above the beautiful valleys, or try rock climbing your way up to another fantastic view of the city. Or for a complete change of pace, go for a weekend at the beach in Trujillo where you can surf, relax and try out the local ceviche (raw seafood).
For the more adventurous, take a day out to go zip-lining above the beautiful valleys, or try rock climbing your way up to another fantastic view of the city. Or for a complete change of pace, go for a weekend at the beach in Trujillo where you can surf, relax and try out the local ceviche (raw seafood).
