Peru - Lonely Planet Publications [356]
For sweeping panoramas of the valley, keep walking uphill from the El Dorado hotel until you come to a mirador (lookout). A good day hike is to Laguna Purhuay, a beautiful lake about 5km away. An excellent two- or three-day backpacking trip continues past the lake to emerge at the village of Chacas. Another three- to four-day trek trails along the old Inca highway to Huánuco (Click here).
There are several cheap hotels in town, but El Dorado (45-3028; Simon Bolívar 353; r per person with/without bathroom S25/15; ) is the pick of the bunch with hot water, the cleanest rooms, smiling staff and internet on tap. Hostal Paraíso (45-3029; Simón Bolívar 263; s/d S15/25) is up the hill from El Dorado and has more modest rooms and a courtyard with some greenery. For breakfast, try Restaurant Turístico El Milagro (San Martín 589; dishes S3-12; 7am-8:30pm), which also does local food and ceviche (raw seafood marinated in lime juice). For a real treat, look behind the market for Chifa Dragón Andino (45-4110; Magisterial 300; dishes S5-10; 10am-11pm), which serves some of the best Chinese food in the Cordillera.
Buses for Huaraz and Lima leave most days from Plaza Vigil. Sandoval, Chavín Express and Rio Mosna all have 9am, 3pm and 8:30pm buses to Huaraz (S12, four hours). Turismo Andino has daily buses to Lima at 9am (S35) – although you’ll have more options if you got to Huaraz first – and daily buses to Chacas via San Luis (8:30am on Saturday and Tuesday, S10, four hours) as well as buses to Pomabamba (S18, seven hours) at around 10pm on Wednesday and Sunday only. For Laguna Purhuay you can hire a taxi to take you for about S30 return, including waiting time.
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HUARI CATS
The annual fiesta of La Virgen del Rosario (Virgin of the Rosary) in Huari is also known locally as the Fiesta de los Gatos (Festival of the Cats). It’s held in October and the people of Huari have an odd tradition of cooking up miche broaster – roasted cat. Though no one’s quite sure how this all began, it probably arose when an alternative source of protein was needed during a particularly tough growing season and thus a tradition was formed. Locals get quite excited by this fried feline fetish. So much so that one year there was no cat on the menu – too many felines were consumed at a previous fiesta to sustain the cat population. Check out the fountain in the Plaza de Armas, it has eight cat statues pawing and peeing into a central pool.
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San Luis
043 / elev 3130m
This simple municipality is little more than a crossroad blip on the tourist radar. It’s reached by daily buses from Huaraz, via Yungay and Yanama, or by buses between Huari and Pomabamba (you get some super views coming from Huari). The best of several basic hotels here is Hostal San Lucho (83-3435; Calle 28 de Julio 250; r per person with/without bathroom S20/15), with passable rooms around a typical Andean courtyard open to the mountain air.
Regular combis leave for Chacas when full (S2.50 and several buses depart for Huaraz (S18, five hours) throughout the day.
Chacas
043 / pop 2000 / elev 3360m
This ornate mountain town sits atop a hill crest, surrounded by fertile hills and with guest appearances by the occasional snow-capped Cordillera peak. The charismatic main plaza is dominated by a brilliant church built by a religious Italian aid organization (Click here), many of whom use Chacas as their base for helping operations.
White-walled houses around the plaza look idyllic against the mountain backdrop and many have intricate wooden balconies and brightly colored doors and window shutters just screaming to have their picture taken.