Blogs from Huascaran National Park, Huaraz, Ancash, Peru, South America

Huaraz (25/05/2018-03/06/2018) I wandered the empty streets of Huaraz at 5.30am in the dark looking for my hostel, but I felt totally safe. I climbed the steep cobble-stone street up to Alpes Hostel, gasping for breath (oh hello, altitude issues!) and checked in to this beautiful hostel. Whilst searching the long corridors (and many floors) for the baños, I accidentally stumbled onto the hostel rooftop... where there was a gorgeous sunrise over the surrounding jagged, snow-capped mountains. Wow.. Huaraz, you are beautiful! What a view! Still tired from the lack of sleep on the night bus, I napped in the cold, breakfast room until 9pm when the staff (so much love for the staff here) let me check in early. I went for a second nap (in my bed this time) before rising at 11am to ... read more

Départ de Trujillo à 05h30, comme prévu. Changement de bus pour Huaraz vers 08h30. Il était facile de somnoler jusqu'à ce qu'un vendeur d'encyclopédies muni d'un haut-parleur nous enlève tout espoir de sommeil... En nous réveillant, nous ouvrons les yeux sur un paysage magnifique, mais cela a un prix : nous frôlons les ravins, et même en passant la tête par la fenêtre, il est difficile de distinguer 5cm de la route. Lorsque le bus arrive au terminus, nous cherchons l'hôtel, mais comprenons au bout de 30min que ... nous ne sommes pas à Huaraz ! C'est donc parti pour un nouveau bus pour arriver 1h plus tard à Huaraz. Le lendemain, réveil vers 08h30 avec l'intention de partir en rando à la Laguna 69, mais nous apprenons pendant le petit dej qu'il fallait se réveiller ... read more

Atsikeliu 5.30, pasitikrinu kuprines ar viską pasiėmiau, papusryčiauju ir laukiu kol atvažiuos autobusiukas manes paimti. Netrukus su langais papypsina atvažiaves mikriukas, tad išbėgu į lauką. Pasirodo šis ne pas mane. Didžiąją kuprinę pasidedu į saugojimo kambariuką ir netrukus sulaukiu savojo autobusiuko. Kompanija idomi, 6 izraeliečiai, 2 britai, australas ir mergina iš naujosios zelandijos. Iš ryto visi nelabai kalbūs, gal tik išskyrus izrealiečius. Važiuojam apie valandą iki kito miestelio. Čia kas nori gali papusryčiaut kavinėj ar nusipirkti užkandžių parduotuvėj. Čia praleidžiam dar valandą ir važiuojam iki kaimelio iš kurio pradedam savo žygį. Čia mūsų jau laukia 4 asilai ant kurių sukraunami visi daigtai... palapinės, miegmaišiai, maistas. Čia nacionalinis parkas, tad prie įėjimo dar tenka papildomai susimokėti. Netrukus įlendam į gan siaurą kanjoną ir juo einam iki pat stovykl... read more

Our first impressions of Peru along the bleak barren coast were now a ten hour overnight bus ride behind us. And what a contrast. Where as a dusty desert defined our last few days, now snowy spiraling peaks and picturesque mountain villages predominated our new Peru. Arriving in Huaraz at 4:00 A.M., we hopped a taxi to the Casablanca Hostel ($15 a night including continental breakfast ) and were surprisingly given early morning check in at no extra cost. We promptly crashed. Huaraz is the place to go for trekking and serious mountain climbers. Just outside town are many towering peaks poking the sky at 20,000 feet and higher. These granite gifts from God seduce you to get outdoors, sign up for treks and spend time wondering how insignificant man is beneath these behemoths. Wasting no ... read more

My first two stops in Peru couldn´t have been more different. After a very bizarre border crossing (the two border posts are a few miles apart, with an entire town in between) and a relatively painless bus journey I arrived in Mancora – a very gringo beach town. I can´t pretend that Mancora is a place with character, or even an impressive beach – but it was sunny. After a 3 weeks in the mountains and the rest of my trip looking to be spent at altitude (followed by my impending return to England in the midst of winter) this was going to be my one and only chance to top up the tan and enjoy the sun. I busied myself over the next few days wandering down to the beach, drinking fresh coconut water and ... read more