Huaraz

October 1998

Trip Rating: 3.5/5

Huaraz is located 6 hours north of Lima by bus.   It is in the mountains at about 10,000 feet above sea level.  Huaraz is beautiful, the Peruvians think that it is the most beautiful place in the world.  I have been to Colorado and California and their mountains are far more beautiful.    To tell you the truth, the Andes as a whole, are pretty much barren.    Only in the south of Chile did I see places with a few trees on the mountains.    What beauty that can be found here, is rugged beauty.     I did start to get to like the earth tones with the unusually clear air that is found at altitude in the Andes.   The region surrounding Huaraz is covered with several  peaks that are over 22,000 feet.   The Huaraz region is known for a very rare plant called the Puya Raimondii.   This plant grows for about 100 years and then grows a 30 foot  spine of white flowers and then dies.     It is very rare to actually be able to see one of these flowering sessions, but while I was in Huaraz I was fortunate enough to witness one of the largest flowerings in recent years.

Raimondii near Huaraz.

Raimondii near Huaraz.  The one in the middle with the white top is starting to bloom.

A Raimondii starting to bloom.

The flowers of a Raimondii Plant up close.

Native housing at 15,000 feet in the Andes.

Young vendor selling chiclets with her lamb.

Jere in front of one of the hot springs in the mountains near Huaraz.

people have visited virtual Huaraz.

This page last updated on 10/30/99.