In Ancash, high-mountain landscapes and glacial lakes meet important archaeological sites. When planning your trip, you can focus on different interests: a hike to a lagoon, trekking in Parque Nacional Huascarán, or exploring the history and architecture of ChavĂn and Chankillo.
Glacial Lakes and High Mountains
Parque Nacional Huascarán covers 340,000 hectares and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Up to 27 snow-capped peaks in the park rise above 6,000 meters. The lagoons also reveal different sides of this mountain landscape. Laguna Parón is the largest lake in Parque Nacional Huascarán. It was formed by the melting glaciers of the Nevados Caraz, Artezonraju, Huandoy, Paria, Pirámide, Chacraraju and Pisco.
Laguna Chinancocha lies in a glacial valley between Nevado Huascarán and Huandoy, within the national park. You can go boating there or hike the Chinancocha educational trail. Laguna 69 is a natural attraction in the district of Yungay. It was formed by the melting of Nevado Chacraraju. The lakes described here therefore differ not only in location, but also in the glaciers and peaks associated with them.
Hiking, Trekking and Camping
The trail to Laguna 69 begins at Cebolla Pampa; the hike can be completed in one day. At Laguna ParĂłn, you can hike, enjoy the scenery and camp. These activities require a different amount of time than climbing Nevado Alpamayo, which takes an average of six to eight days. Ice climbing on Alpamayo is offered as a tourist activity; the challenging summit climb requires sufficient experience and professional mountain guides.
Another trekking circuit runs from Santa Cruz over Punta UniĂłn Pass, at an elevation of 4,750 meters, to the Huaripampa Gorge. Hiking and camping are also possible along this route. The information about a one-day hike to Laguna 69 and the multi-day climb of Alpamayo relates to different activities and helps you estimate how much time to allow. When making your choice, it is also worth considering whether you want a single hike, a trekking circuit or a challenging summit expedition.
Ancash is also associated with mountain biking, nature experiences, lagoons, snow-capped peaks and festivals. Together with the specific hiking and trekking opportunities described above, this offers a broad range of travel themes. Plan the length of your stay around the activities you actually choose, rather than treating the different activities as a single itinerary.
Archaeological Sites and Solar Observation
The archaeological site of ChavĂn is located in the province of Huari. It was a ceremonial and pilgrimage center in the Andean religious world. Its architecture includes buildings made of cut stone, artificial terraces in plazas and an internal gallery system. This complex network includes ventilation openings and drainage channels. Its monumental stone sculpture includes the Chavin LanzĂłn, the Raimondi Stela, the Tello Obelisk, the Falconidae Portico, the Circular Plaza and the tenon heads. The architecture and stone sculpture offer different ways to explore this historic site.
The Chankillo archaeoastronomical complex is located in the province of Casma. It is a National Cultural Heritage site, was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2021 and is recognized as the oldest solar observatory in the Americas. Thirteen towers are aligned from north to south along a hill. They track the sun’s annual course, including the solstices and equinoxes. If you are interested in the connection between structures and observing the sky, Chankillo offers a clear contrast with ChavĂn’s ceremonial and architectural highlights.
These different interests can help guide your choice of accommodation: high mountains and lagoons, hiking and trekking opportunities, or archaeological heritage. Ancash offers several specific themes to explore without requiring you to combine them into a single route.
Discover More Destinations
Discover more destinations: Huaraz, Caraz, Chimbote, San Juan District, Yungay, Mancos, Carhuaz, Buena Vista, Huarmey, Santo Toribio District, Chavin de Huantar, Huari, Huaraz, Carhuaz, Provincia de Casma, Bolognesi Province, Anta, Yanama District.
For the overview of the wider region: Peru.
