Peru is a country with great tourist diversity. Lovers of heat and the sea can visit the Peruvian coasts distributed in 10 regions, those who seek a dry climate like that of the mountains have more than one travel option in the country and those who wish to explore the jungle have 5 regions that form part of the world’s first lung.
But, Peru not only stands out for its great vegetation, but also for its large snow-capped mountains that are located in the Andes Mountains. There is a place very close to this area that has been called the Peruvian Switzerland. Find out what the reason is below.
Read also: Check out our coverage on Peru
WHAT PLACE IS THE PERUVIAN SWITZERLAND?
The Peruvian Switzerland is the province of Huaraz which is located at 3090 m.a.s.l. The name of this place comes from the Quechua language ‘waraq’, whose meaning is star. It is approximately 408 kilometers north of Lima and is one of the most modern cities in the Peruvian Andes. It is a place with a lot of history and that at the time suffered one of the greatest tragedies that occurred in Peru. A huge block of ice fell from one of the highest mountains in the world, Huascarán, and ended up burying its neighboring town, Yungay.
WHY IS HUARAZ CALLED PERUVIAN SWITZERLAND?
Among the main attractions of Huaraz are the snow-capped mountains, since on the one hand, there is the extensive Cordillera Blanca and from the town you can see that natural attraction. You can be on the street, in a restaurant, house or hotel and a snowy mountain will be visible.
This also happens in Switzerland, a country that has a large number of glaciers and therefore a considerable amount of water resources. Huaraz is similar in this. It is known that 4% of the entire area of the Swiss country is covered by the most important resource for human survival, water. However, both nations are witness to the impact generated by global warming, generating the melting of snow-capped mountains.
The well-known Pastoruri snow-capped mountain is a clear example of the effect generated by pollution. There, “The climate change route” has been created, showing how the ice has been reduced in a few years. Experts predict that in 15 or 20 years there will be no white crust left in that place.
FACT: During the last 50 years, Peru has lost about 50% of its snow-capped mountains, creating new lagoons and creating avalanche probabilities.
HOW DO YOU CALL HUARAZ?
The Huaraz region receives more than one name. In 1823, it received the title of “the very generous”, for being a region determined to support the Independence of America. The other nickname is that of the Peruvian Switzerland because of the view that you have from the city towards the snow-capped mountains.
WHAT PLACES TO VISIT IN HUARAZ?
There are several places you can visit while in Huaraz, but below we will show you the best known.
1. Cordillera Blanca and its snow-capped peaks.
2. Pastoruri and the route of climate change.
3. The town of Yungay.
4. Puyas of Raimondi.
5. Parón Lagoon.
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