Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [246]
Buses, minibuses and taxis all congregate at the south side of town at the junction of Ricardo Palma and Junín about 500m from the Plaza de Armas. During the day, frequent, inexpensive minibuses (S3) and colectivos (S5) leave from here for Huancayo (50 minutes). Minibuses also leave for Tarma (S7, 1½ hours) and La Oroya (two hours). Colectivos will also leave to these destinations if there is demand: they normally only leave when they have five passengers (that means two in the front seat).
Getting Around
Mototaxis run anywhere in town for around S1.50. Take a mototaxi to get to Laguna de Paca (S3).
Jauja is one of the few towns in the central highlands that sell bicycles. Shops on Junín provide fairly reliable mountain bikes if you plan staying a while.
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CONCEPCIÓN
064 / elev 3283m
South of Jauja, the road branches to follow both the west and east sides of the Río Mantaro valley to Huancayo. Local bus drivers refer to these as derecha (right, or west) and izquierda (left, or east).
From Concepción, a village halfway between Jauja and Huancayo on the izquierda side, you can travel to charming Ocopa village, home to the famous convent of Santa Rosa de Ocopa (admission S5; 9am-noon & 3-6pm Wed-Mon). Admission is by 45-minute guided tour every hour or once groups are large enough (seven person minimum). There is a 50% student discount. The building, set around beautiful gardens and cloistered internal courtyards, was built by the Franciscans in the early 18th century as a center for missionaries heading into the jungle. During the years of missionary work, the friars built up an impressive collection that is displayed in the convent’s museum. Exhibits include stuffed jungle wildlife, indigenous artifacts, photographs of early missionary work and a large collection of colonial religious art (mainly in the escuela cuzqueña – Cuzco School – style, a combination of Spanish and Andean artistic styles). The highlight, however, is the fantastic 2nd-floor library of some 25,000 volumes – many dating back as far as the 15th century.
Frequent colectivos (Monday to Saturday) leave from the plaza in Concepción for Ocopa, about 5km away. Mototaxis charge S15 for the return trip, inclusive of an hour’s wait. Concepción is easily visited by taking a Huancayo–Jauja izquierda bus.
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HUANCAYO
064 / pop 323,050 / elev 3244m
The central altiplano’s megametropolis, bustling Huancayo mixes its modern facade with a strong underlying sense of tradition. For many travelers this sophisticated city will be their first experience of the Peruvian highlands – it stands within a wide, fertile valley at the start of an exciting overland mountain route to Cuzco – and while its charms are less obvious than those of other Andean locales, Huancayo doesn’t disappoint.
Don’t let the tumbledown outskirts fool you: this is an arresting city and a gentle introduction to altiplano life. Some of Peru’s finest dining outside of Lima and Cuzco lies within the teeming streets, yet once you’ve sipped your espresso and sampled the region’s renowned cuisine in well-appointed restaurants, another ancient side to the city reveals itself. Peru’s most interesting handicrafts are sold in Huancayo’s markets and in the valley beyond, and colorful fiestas take place almost daily.
Huancayo is, above all, a center of activity for this whole section of the central highlands and on a local level the Río Mantaro valley. When you have had your fill of handicraft-hunting and market-visiting in the fascinating valley villages, there are opportunities to learn Spanish or Quechua at well-organized language courses, learn musical instruments or dabble in Andean cooking. For the adventurous, the dusty nearby hills hide weird rock formations and spectacular lakes while further afield, Andes trekking, extreme mountain biking and jungle tramping await. The city is also the terminus of the world’s second-highest railway.
Huancayo might challenge at first: then it will bid you to hang around a while.
Orientation