Experience the best of Huaraz

Huaraz lies at about 3,000 metres in the Callejón de Huaylas valley, between the glaciated Cordillera Blanca to the east and the drier Cordillera Negra to the west. The town was rebuilt after the 1970 earthquake, so it is modern and low-rise; its setting is the draw, with Huascarán, Peru's highest mountain at 6,768 metres, standing nearby.

Huascarán National Park protects the high peaks. Laguna 69, a turquoise lake below glaciers, is a popular day hike, the Llanganuco lakes lie in a steep valley, and the Santa Cruz trek passes Alpamayo, often called one of the most beautiful mountains in the world. Chavín de Huántar, a UNESCO temple site more than two thousand years old, with carved stone heads and underground galleries, is a long day trip over the range.

Pachamanca, meat and potatoes cooked in a pit of hot stones, is the festive dish, with trout, cuy and choclo con queso, fresh corn with cheese, and soups for chilly nights. Mate de coca is the standard remedy for altitude. The dry season from May to September brings clear skies, and the rains fall from December to March.