Huascaran National Park

National Park

V!VA User‘s Description

Established in July 1975, the spectacular Parque Nacional Huascarán is a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve and part of the World Heritage Trust. This area of intense natural beauty is located in the Ancash region near Huaraz, 404 kilometers northeast of Lima.

The park—also referred to as the Huaraz Area, Cordillera Blanca or Callejón de Huaylas—boasts stunning mountain scenery comparable to the beauty of the Himalayas around Annapurna in Nepal. The Huaraz region is unique, however, because it is home to Huascarán, Peru’s highest peak and the world’s highest tropical mountain. This 340,000-hectare garden of natural wonders encompasses all of the Cordillera Blanca above 4,000 meters (except for Nevado Champará), with more than 50 peaks exceeding 5,700 meters and more than 300 lakes. Hulking mountains and massive glaciers dominate the terrain, which drops into a low valley where a variety of microclimates thrive.

Inside the park, nearly 770 species of flora flourish, including the Puya raimondii, the largest bromeliad in the world. Meander through forests of endangered Polylepis—the world’s highest altitude trees—where you may encounter such endangered mammals as the Pampas Cat, Andean Cat, Spectacled Bear, and Hippocamelus. Birdwatchers can keep an eye out for more than 100 species of birds, among them the Torrent Duck and kula. The lucky few may spot Andean condors soaring high above herds of vicuña and white tailed deer.

The park is also home to the 3,000 year old Chavín culture. The road to the enigmatic ruins of Chavín de Huántar tunnel through the lowest pass at 4,450 meters, exposing travelers to spectacular mountain views. In the Callejón de Conchucos, a valley on the far side of the range, is a string of isolated villages whose inhabitants continue to follow traditional ways of life. These bastions of culture are linked by dirt roads only. Most of the inhabitants in this region live below the poverty line, subsisting on maize, quinoa and kiwicha grains, and a variety of potatoes and other tubers. The latest source of income in this region is providing donkeys to foreigners passing through.

One of the park’s aims is to raise the quality of life in the region by promoting sustainable tourism practices. Another corollary to the park’s foundation is preservation of its flora, fauna, geology and archaeological sites. The park charges a fee of $1.25 for a day visit (a small price to pay for a lifetime of natural beauty). For visits up to seven days, a permit costing $20 is required. Permits can be purchased at the park office, located in the Ministry of Agriculture at the east end of Avenida Raymondi in Huaraz (open mornings only, Tel: 51-43-722-086).

The roads winding through the Cordillera Blanca provide great access for day hikes. You can stay in any of the villages along Callejón de Huaylas, such as Huaraz, Carhuaz and Caraz. From any of these hamlets you can catch a taxi, horse or combi to your next destination, but be sure to plan for afternoon transportation. Agencies in Huaraz offer cheap day excursions to nearby sites, such as the Pastoruri Glacier and Lagunas Llanganuco, and in most cases can pick you up at any one of the nearby towns.

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By V!VA User, Nov 15, 2007