Hola from Huaraz in northern Peru,
“I didn’t know there were so many beautiful places in Peru.” “These places are improbably beautiful.” and “Wow”
These are three typical responses to the string of photos from five days in Huaraz in northern Peru. There were more, but if I wanted to paraphrase them, these three do a good job. All of the photos were taken in the Cordillera Blanca, the white mountains on the eastern side of the Santa Valley. See if you have the same response, dear reader.
Like most Peruvian towns (Cuzco excepted), Huaraz has its own charms but serves principally as a jumping-off point for the treks and hikes in the nearby mountains. In fact, the view from the airport is enticing enough.
The Cordillera Blanca is the formidable range, running north to south, as part of the magnificent Andes. The name seems to stem from the white snow caps here and the contrast with the Cordillera Negro on the opposite side of the valley, with no snow caps.
The scenery is breathtaking, and very photogenic. The combination of blue sky, brown dirt, green vegetation, white snow and turquoise water is the striking attraction of the Cordillera Blanca. They represent nature at its wondrous best.
Many of the most picturesque sites in the Cordillera Blanca are accessible only by long treks but some of these photos were taken after nothing more than a leisurely bus ride.
The Cordillera Blanca proves that Peru is much more than Machu Picchu. So many travellers perceive Peru as having one of the big attractions of the world, one that has successfully been marketed on the ardent traveller’s ‘bucket list’. Too often, they tick it off their imaginary list, and move on to another country. This is tantamount to falling for spin. In an era when over-tourism is ruining some destinations, this is a chance for places like the Cordillera Blanca to fill the gap. If you are considering a visit to Peru, Huaraz should be on your list.
See if these undoctored photographs evince the same response as they did for my friends and family.
Gregorio
More photos from the Cordillera Blanca
