Watching the stunning Puya Raimondi bloom while surrounded by an astonishing display of Andean wilderness among Peru's highest elevations is just one of the wonders offered to those visiting Huascaran National Park this season.
Perched on the world's highest tropical mountain range, the Cordillera Blanca ('White Mountain Range'), Huascaran National Park is located in Peru's Ancash region, 443 km northeast of Lima.
The protected area harbors 660 glaciers and 300 glacial lakes over 340,000 hectares, creating a marvelous Andean shelter for the Inca nation's highland wildlife.
Puya Raimondi
Such impressive mountain landscape is home to the towering 'Puya Raimondi' (a.k.a Queen of the Andes), discovered and named after renowned Italian botanist Antonio Raimondi. The rare highland plant can grow up to 12m, and produce up to 8,000 flowers and 6 million seeds.
Blooming between May and November, this unique plant species is one of the park's 779 species of high-Andean flora.
The protected reserve also houses 120 bird species, including the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), the torrent duck (Merganetta armata), the giant coot (Fulica gigantea), the Andean gull (Larus serranus), among others.
Huascaran also boasts various mammals, such as the Andean mountain cat (Oreailurus jacobita), the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), the Peruvian puma (Puma concolor incarum), the culpeo (Pseudalopex culpaeus), the slender vicuña (Vicugna vicugna), among others.
Snow peaks and adventure travel
The national park bears the name of Mount Huascaran, Peru's highest peak at 6,768 meters and the fifth highest in the western hemisphere.
Such unique settings make it an ideal adventure travel destination where visitors can get their adrenaline pumping in the main circuits: trekking, mountain biking, ice and rock climbing, skiing on Vallunaraju, Rurec and Copa, as well as Pastoruri Mountain Peak's recreation area.
Nevertheless, Huascaran National Park is not all heart-stopping adventures; tourists seeking to unwind can take relaxing boat rides on Chinancocha and Purhuay lakes.
Tourist routes
Llanganuco Lakes. These spectacular water mirrors rest between Huascaran and Huandoy snow peaks, offering the ultimate wild plant and birdwatching spot.
Puya stands. Queens of the Andes can be found in Carpa and Queshque valleys, to the south of the National Park. Tourists can also experience local rural life through Capac community's various activities.
Lake Paron. The largest lake in the White Mountain Range; it provides a breath-taking view of several snow-capped peaks, such as Artesonraju (6,025 m).
How to get to Huaraz
To travel to Huaraz, visitors can take a 45-minute flight from Lima to Anta airport, (20 km from Huaraz) and then a minibus or car 20-minute ride. The other option is a 7-hour coach drive, offered by various inter-provincial transport companies.
Declared as non-working holidays on the occasion of the APEC Forum's Leaders Summit, November 17-19 offer the perfect opportunity to travel around Peru's various tourist attractions.
Huascaran National Park was created in 1975, and declared a Biosphere Reserve in 1977. The natural reserve was also designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985, as well as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) by BirdLife International and Conservation International.
(END) LZD/MAO/DHT/RMB
Published: 11/16/2016