Huaraz is the perfect departure point for excursions into both the Cordillera Blanca and the Cordillera Negra. It's in the heights of the Sierra that you will truly discover all the fantastic features that the Ancash region has to offer.

Huarez: a jewel nestled between snow-covered peaks

It's at Lima that the great numbers of Peruvians found themselves in the 50s, when the rural exodus was at its peak. The capital has seen a tenfold increase in its population and it's this mixture of people and cultures from all over the country that gives it all its variety today.

Visiting Lima's various neighbourhoods

A visit to the heart of the various pre-Incan civilisations in the land of the Lambayeque. The region is brimming with important archaeological remains, so let's follow the tracks of this impressive historical heritage...

Lambayeque: follow in the footsteps of ancient civilisations

Located between the Selva and the Cordillera of the Andes, the Huancavélica and Cerro Pasco region will put you under its spell, with its incredible landscapes, the welcoming nature of the local inhabitants and the old traditions that are still very much alive

Pasco and Huancavélica: a voyage combining nature and tradition

The huge capital of Peru sprung up out the desert. Lima is a noisy town, an easy going place where clouds cover the sky for 8 months of the year.

South America

On these pages you will find ideas for a trip to Peru to help you prepare for your trip. All these ideas are there just to get your imagination going; you can alter, mix and match them as you please. Your local agent will help you create a unique and unforgettable trip, just for you! Peru has three distinct parts, each with its own character: the Pacific coast, which is the most densely populated; the Andes range, with the highest mountain being the towering Huascarán at 6,768 metres; and the Amazon, which covers the largest part of the country. If you’re going, start with the must-see: Machu Picchu – fortunately not found by the Conquistadors – rediscovered in 1911. You should visit it at dawn to see the ruins shrouded in mist. This extraordinary site still clasps a few secrets to its bosom. Not far away, the Andes range draw ramblers and trekkers to magnificent landscapes. The ultimate rambling experience is the Inca Trail through exceptional archaeological sites. During your stay in Peru, you must stop in Cusco, the former capital of the Inca Empire. The Spanish erected their buildings, especially religious ones, over Inca constructions which they systematically destroyed, only sparing their characteristic foundations, which are still visible today with their large, perfectly cut and fitted stones. A voyage out of time awaits you in Cusco.

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Lima

 Pisac: a wonderful site that remains still very well preserved today and where you can see and appreciate the ingenious system of terraces developed during the pre-Inca era in all its splendour.

Pisac

 The town of Ollantaytambo and it's archaeological site are situated between Cusco and Machu Picchu. Take the time to visit this charming, little Inca town.

Ollantaytambo

Andahuaylillas, a small village in the Andes mountains is still protected from the many tourist buses roaming all around Cusco.

Andahuayillas

A mountain pass lying at an altitude of 4,900 metres in the Quebrada Utla, a less well-known area of the Cordillera Blanca mountain range.

Punta Yanayacu 

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Though the Cordillera Blanca mountain range is popular with tourists, it still has many surprises in store and some wonderful yet still little-known places to visit and explore. Amongst these off-the-beaten-track sites is Quebrada Ulta, which is somewhere I was lucky enough to visit and explore on an extended walk I did along the famous Santa Cruz Trek. If you look at a map of the cordillera, you will see that virtually all the hikes in the area can be extended to include Punta Yanayacu. And in fact, instead of finishing our walk at Vaqueria, which is the normal thing to do, we continued on to the village of Chalhua (note: if you're doing the trek on your own, you can stock up here), before then heading for the mountain pass in question. It took an additional day and a half's walking to reach the high point of the walk, from where you get the best views you'll encounter along the whole route. The panorama takes in the giant peaks of the Cordillera – the famous Mount Huascarán included – and is simply breathtaking. So there you have it: a good alternative option for anyone visiting the region and who wants to do a hike that is not too long, not too difficult, and yet still has something a little special to offer during <a href="/peru/">their trip to Peru</a>.

Punta Yanayacu Vacations

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Punta Yanayacu : See when to go ?

Punta Yanayacu : For how long?

Punta Yanayacu : What to see nearby?

Peru: our articles for your vacations