About Places

Peru contains some of the most varied geography in South America, comprising three distinct regions: the dry coastal desert, the Andean highlands and the Amazon Basin.
Huaraz is the gateway to the mountains of Peru. Situated on the edge of the Cordillera Blanca and the Huascaran National Park, this area is often referred to as the Switzerland of Peru.


 
The Cordillera blanca is also the mountaineering, hiking, trekking centre for Peru. It contains Huascaran - the highest mountain in Peru at 6,768m above sea level - and 15 other peaks above 6,000m.
The Cordillera Huayhuash in Peru is probably the best thing that hiking in Peru has to offer. The Huayhuash had a rather wild reputation until recently and so it is still comparatively unexplored.