Huascarán National Park
Peru ·
Description
Peru's Cordillera Blanca concentrates more tropical glaciers than anywhere else in the world. Huascarán (6,768 m), Peru's highest peak, presides over a chain of 27 summits exceeding 6,000 meters. Intensely turquoise lagoons like Llanganuco and Parón reflect snow-capped peaks. The Puya Raimondi, the world's slowest-flowering plant (up to 100 years), here displays its flower towers up to 10 meters tall.
Why It's a World Heritage Site
Huascarán contains the world's highest and most extensive tropical mountain range, with glacial landscapes of extraordinary beauty. The park protects unique tropical high-mountain ecosystems with endemic species like the Puya Raimondi and vicuñas in their natural habitat.
UNESCO Criteria
Frequently Asked Questions
May-September is dry season with clear skies. Rainy season (October-April) has more difficult trails but greener landscapes.
Santa Cruz (4 days, spectacular), Laguna 69 (one day, iconic turquoise), and the Huayhuash circuit (10-12 days, for experienced trekkers).
Absolutely. Huaraz (3,100 m) is the base. Spend 2-3 days acclimatizing before going to higher altitude. Altitude sickness is real and dangerous.
Buses from Lima (8 hours via spectacular road). No commercial airport. The road includes the Conococha pass at 4,100 m.
Each plant flowers once after 80-100 years, then dies. In Huascarán Park there are always some blooming, especially between May and August.