Blogs from Ancash, Peru, South America - page 16

Pisac After getting back from Machu Picchu, i had one day free in Cusco, which i spent going to see yet more Incan ruins. This time in Pisac, around an hour North of Cusco, in the Sacred Valley. The ruins at Pisac are actually larger than those located at Machu Picchu and they are spread across a hillside in another spectacular location. Most of them are made up of agricultural terracing. Above are 3 separate sets of building ruins - a military complex, a temple area and a small collection of houses. I spent a couple of hours wandering around the ruins, which i was really impressed with. Particularly the temple area which is much larger than that seen at Machu Picchu. The stonework in this area is really perfectly finished. Also, the views down the ... read more

Day 7 - Lesmahagow to Peru Another early start saw us head off to the airport for our flight up into the mountains to the Cordillera Banca mountains. Nestled in the shadows of Huascaran, the highest mountain in the range is the Girasoles Boys' Centre - Kusi. But first we had to get there - in our 20 seater plane, which would only be able to take 14 on the return journey due to the altititude! The area was a stark contrast to the areas around Lima and further south at Pisco, and also Ica. Now we were in the mountains, where the air was clean and the landscape stunning. You could see how people fall in love with this country. The flight was super - now that I indulge in extreme sports, then a one ... read more

Après que la famille soit repartie (10 jours, c’est vite passé!), nous avons pris plusieurs jours très relax à Lima. Dimanche 22h, nous avons replié bagages, maintenant plus légers grâce à un petit envoi via les valises familiales, à 8 h au nord, à Huaraz. Huaraz bénéficie d’un emplacement exceptionnel : à 3 100 mètres d’altitude, la ville et les environs sont entourés des Cordillères Blanche, Noire et Huayhuash. La Cordillera Blanca est la plus haute chaîne de montagnes au monde après l’Himalaya. On y retrouve plus de 50 pics enneigés de 5 700 mètres et plus, dont le point culminant du Pérou, le Huascarán à 6 768 mètres. Bienvenue au paradis des randonnées en montagne, pour tous les niveaux! Ce magnifique paysage a eu par contre ses revers pour la région. La pire catastrophe fut ... read more

For those that are in an inquisitive mood I can now report, thank jah, I am a million miles away from the desert Metropolis of Lima. While the beach neigborhoods of Miraflores where I roamed are worth a look I was awestruck as it took my bus an hour to reach the ends of town though a backdrop of continuous and mind numbing poverty. The overnight bus ride to the mountain town of Huaraz initiated my next bout of packie syndrome and I arrived with enough energy left to get a cab to a hostal and pass out for 30 hrs, minus toilet time. But hey, no worries, I awoke from my dehydrated state just in time to party through the Halls of Ween with a seriously deranged mix of kids. My memories include running down ... read more

Trek Number 1, Halloween Day: Wednesday morning started off promising. Local transport took us nearly three hours outside of Huaraz, into the Cordillera Blancas. My friend Rachel and I, along with a guide, took a 3 hour trek (and 2 hours back down) to an absolutely stunning lake (called Laguna 69 for anyone who knows the area and/or may have been to this area before). We hiked up a total of 700 meters in some light rain, which, on the final 1/2 hour assent to our destination (and the hardest!), we actually got hailed on! The mountains surrounding this turquoise lake were snow-capped and stunning. We ate lunch by the water, but because it was about 5 degrees, we only stayed about 20 minutes so as not to freeze to death! A quick bite to eat, ... read more