Huge and imposing, with its peaks adorned with snow that pleasantly surprises visitors and makes it a challenge for lovers of trekking and mountaineering. The Huayhuash mountain range is located in the heart of the Peruvian Andes, and has unique natural attractions in the world: countless snow-capped peaks -more than twenty have their own name-, lagoons that look like mirrors of the sky and a great biodiversity, which catalogs it as a Reserved Area.
This mountain chain of almost 30 km² in extension is a challenge for tourists: if you want to marvel at its landscapes, you have to rise (literally) to the circumstances. Because to make the most of the various walking tours that take place in this area, your body and physique have to be accustomed to the powerful altitude (on average, elevations are 4,150 meters above sea level) and extreme climates of this white mountain range. This existing inaccessibility to go to its territory is what makes it so desired by elite athletes from all over the world.
So, if you have what it takes to conquer the Huayhuash mountain range, think no more. Prepare the equipment that you will take with you, join your fellow adventurers and climb these mountains that touch the sky. Just to give you an idea of how unattainable its snowy peaks are, six of them are located above 6,000 meters above sea level. n. m. These are Yerupajá, Siula Grande, Sarapo, Yerupajá Chico, Jirishanca and Rashac, the first of those mentioned being the second largest mountain in Peru (6634 m), only behind Huascarán (6768 m).
An enchanted place
There are various tour packages to get to know the Huayhuash mountain range to the millimeter. It is advisable to make an excursion of at least 4 days. This trip is designed for people who do not have a lot of free time on their calendar or who may feel – to a greater extent – the physical wear and tear that visiting this area implies. Of course, if your schedules are a little more comfortable, go ahead and do the complete tour of up to 12 days, in which you will visit the wonderful valley of Cutatambo, the peaks of Rondoy, Ninashanca, Jirishanc, Yerupajá (among others), and beautiful lagoons. turquoise color, which enchant your guests.
Do not you believe it? Just wait for the hikes to discover the huge Jahuacocha and Carhuacocha lagoons, which are so big they can be seen from space. Surrounding all these natural wonders is the Cordillera Huyhuash Reserved Zone, where you can find five ecological zones inhabited by more than 300 species of plants, birds, mammals, amphibians, and fish.
A final recommendation before climbing the Huayhuash mountain range is to acclimatize to the altitude. To do this, you can do tourism during the previous days in the surrounding areas of the city of Huaraz (capital of Áncash), where you can visit the beautiful Llanganuco ravine or the Chavín de Huántar Archaeological Site, considered a World Heritage Site by the Unesco.