Home > South America > Peru > Peruvian Andes -- Southern > The Mantaro Valley

Ready to go to The Mantaro Valley?

Been to The Mantaro Valley?
Share your knowledge with other travelers.
What is this?
The Mantaro Valley Ratings:
0%
Based on 0 Ratings
  
V!VA Travel Guides WIKI
Share your knowledge on the web and get your review published in our next printed guidebook! Find out more about us.

Close box

 

The Mantaro Valley

+ Add a Photo

V!VA User‘s Description

The scenic Mantaro Valley is located not too far to the east of Lima, and is easily reached from Huancayo. This fertile valley is known for its potatoes, corn, quinoa, artichokes, barley and a variety of vegetables. Besides being rich in agricultural, Mantaro Valley also produces an abundance of Andean artesanía. The charming adobe villages that line the valley are famous for their handicrafts, and some of the artisans have even received national awards for their work.

In particular, the twin towns of Cochas Grande and Cochas Chico specialize in the ancient art of gourd carving; Hualhuas is known for finely woven tapestries, and San Jerónimo de Tunán produces a lot of fine silver jewelry. In short, visitors are bound to encounter some of the finest crafts in Peru.

Perhaps more valuable than the goods themselves is the opportunity to sit and chat with the artisans as they deftly work on their latest creation. And unlike the more touristy dives around Peru, the people in Mantaro Valley seem innocently oblivious to foreign visitors.  Having maintained their traditional ways of life, the inhabitants of this region provide a refreshing, remarkably un-touristy glimpse of life in the valley.

There are a number of interesting sites sprawled across Mantaro, including ruins from the Xauxa and Huanca cultures. Adventurers and active travelers can explore the area on foot or with mountain bikes. For trail information make your way to Incas del Peru (Giráldez 652, Tel: 51-64-223-303, URL: www.incasdelpuru.org, Open Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 4 - 7 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.). Owner Lucho Hurtado is a fountain of knowledge about the area and can organize a number of different activities and itineraries, including excursions to nearby Cordillera Huaytapallana, archaeological tours, and visits to crafts shops.

For a good night's sleep and bite to eat before heading out into the valley, Huancayo is your best bet. Although not particularly attractive, the town is a bustling commercial and cultural hub where you can surely spend a few days exploring.

Sponsors
¿Llamé su atención?
También llamo la atención de sus clientes potenciales. El "Text Ad" es la herramienta más efectiva y simple para obtener más ventas online.
www.vivatravelguides.com/anuncio/text-ads/

All Activities in The Mantaro Valley

The High Train (Lima-Huancayo Train)

All aboard one of the most famous trains on Earth! The journey from Lima to Huancayo has been call...

Cerrito de la Libertad

El Cerrito de la Libertad is a small hill from which the entire city of Huancayo can be seen. It's an ...

Torre Torre

Torre Torre features several sandstone pillars that have been naturally eroded over the years by wind ...

Top Rated Hotels

La Casa de la Abuela

LA CASA DE LA ABUELA is located near bus and train stations, local markets, and is opposite to: NCAS del PERU, o...


87% - 2 ratings
$6 - $10

0% - 0 ratings
$5 - $7

Posadas "Casa Real"

Central Downtown Location, open 365 days a year, private rooms and shared rooms.Safe, clean and comfortable. Cen...


0% - 0 ratings
$ 6.00 - $ 25.00

Top Rated Restaurants

La Cabaña

La Cabaña is a swinging dinner spot that fills nightly with travelers and Peruvians alike. Decor ranges fr...


100% - 1 ratings

Huancahuasi Restaurant

Huancahuasi restaurant, featuring two locations (one in Lima, the other in Huancayo) offers an intriguing mixtur...


0% - 0 ratings

0% - 0 ratings

Top Rated Tours


87% - 2 ratings

Great V!VA Travel Guides Books about The Mantaro Valley
Buy the world's most up-to-date guidebook about Peru.
Get it from Amazon or direct from V!VA.
Or download free chapters from this book.

V!VA List Latin America, 333 Places and Experiences that People Love

Packed with tales of travels from Tijuana to Tierra del Fuego, this compilation provides firsthand knowledge about places to visit, things to do, and where to stay, as well as insight into local cultures and customs.
Get it from Amazon, Barnes&Noble or direct from V!VA.
Download free chapters from this book.
Download free Google Earth version chapters.

 
South America | Central America and Mexico | Africa | Europe | Oceania | Asia | Antarctica | North America |
Advertise | Anúnciese | Jobs | Alliances | Alianzas | Terms of Use | Useful Sites | Contact Us | About Us |