Our most recommended things to do in Ancash

From Trujillo: Temple of the Moon and Sun and Chan Chan

1. From Trujillo: Temple of the Moon and Sun and Chan Chan

Your experience begins with pickup from your accommodation in Trujillo at around 10:00AM. From there, depart for Campiña de Moche, a 20-minute drive away. Once there, begin with the Huacas de Moche Museum, where you can appreciate archaeological remain exhibited in three rooms. Following that, proceed to Huaca de La Luna, a religious architectural complex made of adobe, where the image of their deity Aia Paec is displayed. On top of that, iconography of warriors, dancers, spiders, and snakes can also be spotted. From the highest level of the Huaca de la Luna, you can see the 43-meter-high Huaca del Sol, which is used for administrative purposes for research. Next, travel to a restaurant where you are gifted time to enjoy lunch. Following lunch at 2:45PM, begin your Chan Chan tour with a visit to Huaca Arco Iris. This site is in the district of Hope and is also known as the Huaca del Dragon; dedicated to the rainbow as a symbol of fertility. Later, travel to the Chan Chan Site Museum, where ceramics, textiles, metal works, and construction materials are exhibited. In the second room you can see the pre-Hispanic cultural development of the region, before you finish with the room in which the Chimú story is told through projections of lights and sound effects. At the conclusion of your day, return to the city of Trujillo at 6:00PM.

Huaraz: Nevado Mateo Full-Day Climbing Excursion

2. Huaraz: Nevado Mateo Full-Day Climbing Excursion

Attend a briefing with a mountain guide he day before the trek. Then, start your day at 2:30 AM with pickup from your hotel in Huarez. Heading north, you will soon enter the Ulta Valley at Punta Olimpica, base of Nevado Mateo at 15,420 feet (4700 meters) above sea level. After a brief breakfast stop, start your hike to the summit of the mountain, passing through the moraine. Once at the summit at 16,896 feet (5150 meters), take in breathtaking views of the snowy peaks of the Cordillera Blanca. Nevado Mateo is a mountain of easy access, perfect for beginners. The summit of Mateo offers beautiful views over the highest Peruvian mountains, such as Huascaran, Chopicalqui, Ulta, Contrahierbas and others.

Huaraz: Full-day Tour to Lake Parón with Optional Lunch

3. Huaraz: Full-day Tour to Lake Parón with Optional Lunch

Departing from Huaraz city, you’ll head to the northern part of the Callejón de Huaylas. When arriving at Carhuaz, you’ll make a small stop to buy breakfast and snacks for the road. Drive through the landscapes and cities of the scenic Huaylas valley, with the Santa River meandering through it.  Head to a lookout point for a panoramic view of the Cordillera Blanca, and the snowy mountains of Huandoy Huascarán and Chopicalqui.  Then, continue through Marcara, a city characterized by its traditional customs and clothing. Visit the main square and the San Pedro church. The route continues to the ancient city of Yungay, which was buried by an avalanche during the earthquake of May 1970.  Next, head to Lake Parón, the highlight of the day. Be amazed by the turquoise blue lake, surrounded by glacial peaks that rise to over 6,000 meters (19,700 feet). Lake Parón is one of the largest lakes in the Cordillera Blanca. If you choose the private option, you will enjoy a stop for lunch overlooking the lake. The last stop will be at Caraz, where you can see the Plaza de Armas, the city’s famous candy stores and other main sites. You will then return to your hotel in Huaraz.

Trujillo: Full-Day City Tour with Visit to Chan Chan

4. Trujillo: Full-Day City Tour with Visit to Chan Chan

Enjoy a guided stroll around the city of Trujillo and admire colonial mansions, balconies, and churches. Marvel at the architecture of the Plaza Mayor and the Freedom Monument, designed by the German artist Edmundo Muller. Afterward, continue towards the Archaeological Museum of Trujillo National University for an overview of the region’s pre-Columbian cultures.  Later, visit the Huaca Dragon Temple and admire the 60-meter tall wall that surrounds this imposing complex. Spend some time exploring the interior of the temple, which is dedicated to the rainbow, a symbol of fertility. Afterward, take a ride to the seaside town of Huanchaco and watch the local fishermen on their traditional fishing rafts. Break for lunch at a local restaurant before heading to the ancient city of Chan Chan, which was once the proud capital of the Chimú Kingdom. Enjoy a wander around the city's 10 walled citadels and admire the delicate engravings of geometric figures, birds, fish, and much more. Finally, get dropped off back at your hotel at the end of the day.

Huaraz: Pastoruri Glacier Day Trip

5. Huaraz: Pastoruri Glacier Day Trip

After pickup from your hotel in Huaraz, you will head to the South-East of the Callejón de Huaylas, passing by traditional towns like Recuay, Ticapampa and Catac. Arriving at Huascarán National Park, visit Pumashimin Lake, also known as the Lake of Seven Colors. You will also explore the nearby cave paintings. Next, trek for approximately 40-60 minutes to the Pastoruri Glacier, taking time to appreciate its formation and lagoons. After returning to the bus, you will head to a restaurant in Ticapampa or Catac, where meals cost about 15 soles for lunch. You'll then head back to Huaraz.  If you choose the private option, the bus will stop in a quiet area with a scenic view. Lunch will be served by the guide and the driver.

Huaraz: 3-hour Trek to Laguna 69 with Optional Lunch

6. Huaraz: 3-hour Trek to Laguna 69 with Optional Lunch

Your day will start at 5:00 AM, when your group departs Huaraz to head north. A small stop will be made at 7:00 AM to buy breakfast and snacks for the road at Yungay.  Around 9:00 AM, you will approach the Cordillera Blanca and enter Huascarán National Park via Quebrada de Llanganuco. Here, you will make a quick photo stop at the lakes of Chinancocha and Orconcocha. You will arrive in Cebollapampa and start the 8 km hike to Laguna 69, located at 4620 meters above sea level. The famous Laguna 69 is one of 400 lagoons in the Huascarán National Park. It is known for being a glacial lagoon with intensely blue waters, framed by a snowy mountain range, from where waterfalls flow down to the base of the lagoon. You’ll stay at the lake for about 30 minutes, and use your time to take photos and enjoy the view, as well as to rest. If you choose the private option, you will eat your packed lunch next to the lake. Around 2:00 PM, start your descent back to Cebollapampa, and then return to Huaraz.

Paron Lake Hike Tour

7. Paron Lake Hike Tour

After picking you up from the hotel located in the city of Huaraz (optional), we will start this amazing adventure going towards the town of Caraz, located 32 kilometers from Paron Lake in the Cordillera Blanca. The Huascaran National Park has unique landscapes and it was declared as a Unesco Natural World Heritage in 1985. We will pass through the small town of Yungay, a place that was completely destroyed by a strong earthquake in 1970. Taking the road to the east, we will reach the gorge of Parón, where the lake with the same name is located at 4,170 meters above sea level. At this point, we will start the hike along the lake for about 45 minutes until reach an amazing viewpoint. Here, we will have the chance to admire beautiful landscapes and have panoramic views to the snowy Chacraraju, Huandoy, Artensuraju, Pisco, Piramide and Paria. The lake Paron in Huaraz is considered the largest lake located in the Cordillera Blanca, or White Mountain Range, and it was declared as a National Cultural Heritage in 2010. Also, thanks to its authentic flora, we will find many ferns, orchids and bromeliads during the walk. After admiring this spectacular panoramas, we will take the same road back to the city of Huaraz.

Lake 69 Trek Day Tour - White Mountain Range

8. Lake 69 Trek Day Tour - White Mountain Range

We will pick you up from the hotel to take the north path along the Callejón de Huayhuash, passing through small Andean towns and admiring the beautiful snow capes of the Cordillera Blanca. Arriving to the town of Yungay, we will take the northeast route, where the Valley of Llanganuco is located. After the registration to enter the Huascarán National Park, we will pass near amazing lakes as Chinancocha and Orconcocha, until reach Cebolla Pampa (3,900 meters above sea level) the walking starting point. The Huascaran National Park has been a natural protected area since 1975, also a Unesco World Natural Heritage Site and a Reserve of Biosphere. The national service of protected natural areas is in charge of managing this place with a total extension of 3,400 kilometer squares. We will hike on a flat area for about 1 hour, enjoying the pretty views of the Huascarán Mountain, the highest in the White Mountain Range. We will ascend in a switchback path until we reach a small lake, and there visualize the glacial peaks of Chacraraju, Yanapaccha, Huascarán, Chopicalqui, and the waterfalls in the valley. The Cordillera Blanca surround the Callejon de Huaylas in the east and in the west the Cordillera Negra is situated. The Callejon de Huaylas has a total extension of 150 kilometers and the River Santa goes along the valley depth. Finally, we will arrive at Lake 69 located at 4,600 meters above sea level. We will have a lot of time to take pictures, and delight ourselves with spectacular landscapes and appreciate the crystal clear turquoise waters of this nature jewel. Then, we will begin the descent along the same path, until we reach Cebolla Pampa again, where our transport is waiting for you to take you back to the city of Huaraz.

Glacier Pastoruri and Puya Raimondi Full Day Tour

9. Glacier Pastoruri and Puya Raimondi Full Day Tour

We will pick you up from the hotel or meeting point located in the city of Huaraz, and then we will take the road to the south for 2 hours, until we reach the parking area of Pastoruri Glacier, located in the Huascaran National Park, declared as a World Natural Heritage in 1985. From here, we will begin a 1-hour hike until arrive to the nearest point of the glacier. Our professional guide will explain to us how this place has suffered a strong impact due to climate change, and how it generates a progressive decline of this famous snowy, and raise awareness of this serious phenomenon as a main goal. Also, this place had been used to practice skiing before, however, it is forbidden in order to preserve the glacier. After spending time in Pastoruri taking pictures and admiring the beautiful landscapes, we will back to our transport to go to the Valley of Carpa, where the Puyas Raimondi are located. These huge plants are part of the bromeliad family, and they can reach up to 39 ft. high and live up to 100 years. At the end, we will back to the meeting point located in the city of Huaraz to drop you off.

Tour to Chan Chan, Huanchaco and Pisco Sour Tasting

10. Tour to Chan Chan, Huanchaco and Pisco Sour Tasting

Embark on an exciting adventure from the comfort of your hotel as we immerse ourselves in the magic of Chan Chan, the jewel of adobe architecture! Get ready to explore the largest adobe city in the world, a pre-Inca archaeological complex that spans 18 square kilometers. You will visit the Nik-An Palace, located in the southwest part of the Chan Chan archaeological site, with its impressive ceremonial plazas, mysterious cemeteries, and ancient granaries. You will be transported back in time as you uncover the secrets of this fascinating civilization. But that is not all, our journey continues to the picturesque fishing resort of Huanchaco. Here, you will witness a centuries-old tradition: the legendary Totora Horses. Marvel at the skill and expertise of the local fishermen as they glide through the waves aboard their unique totora reed boats. Afterward, you will have the opportunity to indulge in a unique experience. Get up close and immerse yourself in the preparation of the exquisite Pisco Sour, iconic cocktail of Peru. Learn the secrets behind this delicious beverage as you are guided through the steps to create the perfect blend. Prepare your senses to savor the authentic flavors and aromas of this national treasure. Finally, with our hearts filled with awe and our palates satisfied, we will return to your hotel in the charming city of Trujillo. Don`t miss the chance to live an unforgettable experience filled with history, culture, and culinary delights in northern Peru. Reserve now and let yourself be captivated by the grandeur of Chan Chan and the charms of Huanchaco!

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What people are saying about Ancash

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 9 reviews

What a great day! Gloria was helpful with finding a good departure time and had a great plan for the order of activities once we got there. Lunch was delicious!