Families Things to Do Houses Food and Drink Trails

Families

When you schedule a visit to Humacchuco, the project families plan with whom you will stay. Each family is unique. Some consist of a husband and wife with only two children while others have six children of varying ages.

Campesinas

The families are all very warm and welcoming. You are invited to help with work and cooking as well as talking around the dinner table and dancing. The families are all fluent in Quechua and Spanish although they speak little to no English. If you are not familiar with either language, don’t worry. Many visitors do not speak any Spanish and are still able to communicate easily through other means.

The women, young and old alike, wear their bright traditional campesina clothing. From a distance they stand out like butterflies on the green and brown hillsides. During the day men, women and children work in the fields and take care of other daily responsibilities. The families share the pleasure of guiding visitors on hikes, fishing, tours and other activities among each other.

Cultural Considerations

As a visitor there are certain responsibilities placed on your shoulders because this tourism project is still in its infancy. This means that you will be some of the first tourists in Humacchuco and therefore you set the example of what can be expected of future visitors. For years Humacchuco has had very little outside influences and many aspects of its culture have remained intact. Part of the charm of visiting a small town like Humacchuco is that they are not used to receiving tourists so they are naturally very inquisitive and may tend to stare or ask many questions. Here are some things to keep in mind during your stay:

• Children (and even adults) may on occasion ask for candy or money. Resist the urge to give such gifts as the money you gave to the project is sufficient and helps the whole community.
• Always ask before taking photos of the people in Humacchuco. It is customary to give 50 centimos or 1 sol to people when taking their picture (except for the families of the project with whom you should not have to pay).
• Be careful about displaying wealth. This might mean not wearing your nicest watch or proudly displaying your latest piece of high tech gadgetry.
• Your style of clothing (or how much of it you wear) is not really an issue for the people of Humacchuco. They are not offended by shoulders showing, etc... That being said, always practice discretion when visiting people in their homes.
• Make your eating habits known to the family you are staying with. If you are a vegetarian let it be known right away. If you are a light eater let it be known as well. Try to avoid leaving food on the plate, especially meat because it is expensive and they do not eat it on a daily basis.
• One of the most important things to keep in mind when staying at Humacchuco is that you are not staying at a hotel or hostal. You are staying with a family that wishes to get to know you and wishes to share their culture with you. The guest houses do provide privacy and you can take time to be alone when you so desire.
• Ask questions. The people of Humacchuco are warm and inviting but sometimes need to be prompted to have conversations.

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Things to Do

Your stay at Humacchuco can be as busy or as tranquil as you desire – the best is a little of both. There are plenty of activities that require varying levels of endurance. For those who are adjusted to the rather high altitudes of the Andes and have some energy to expend, there is a beautiful lake at the end of the rather long hike called Laguna 69.

You can help us with our daily agricultural activities

For those people that would rather take time to adjust to the altitude for the first couple of days or do not feel up to a hike there are opportunities to explore the town of Humacchuco itself and participate in the daily activities of its people. For every visitor there are wonderful opportunities to learn about the incredible variety of trees and plants that the local people put to use in all aspects of their lives.

There are many hikes around Humacchuco that provide access to the beautiful mountains that make up the Cordillera Blanca. They also provide access to Wari ruins and other culturally relevant sites such as the María Josefa trail. Guides will accompany you on your hikes and all the while fill you in on the flora and fauna as well as history of what you are seeing. Below follows a brief description of several hikes that the people of Humacchuco can guide you on, if you want more detailed information please go to the Trails section.

Quebrada Huaytapallana (4 hours, 6 kilometers)

Huaytapallana means ‘to pick flowers’ in Quechua. The trail is easy, the views beautiful, and the walk serves well for acclimatizing to the altitude. It is an ancient route in an excellent state of conservation that is still used by locals for retrieving ice that falls from the glaciers.

Sendero María Josefa (2-5 hours, 3-6 kilometers)

The María Josefa Trail is part of the pre-Inca route from Yungay to Yanama located between the magnificent granite walls at the entrance of Quebrada Llanganuco. About 80% of the species of plants that exist in Huascarán National Park are represented in the ecosystems that are found here. There are two parts to the trail; from Lake Chinancocha to the road, and from the road to Humacchuco. The second is used little.

Laguna 69 (6 hours 10 kilometers)

The trail to Laguna 69 is one of the most popular for tourists. For the adventurous type, it serves well to acclimatize to high altitudes, and for conventional tourists, it is a door easily entered to see the mountains up close. You climb seven hundred meters and reach 4,620 meters of altitude.

A stay at Humacchuco provides opportunities to do much more than just hiking. The local families welcome visitors to work beside them in the fields harvesting the potatoes and corn that you will eat for your dinner. People who like to fish can join locals at the nearby streams catching beautiful and tasty trout. After working for your food, if you wish you can assist in the preparation of the meals. Often they will serve meat or poultry but they are accustomed to having vegetarian visitors so they are flexible about meals as long as you make your preferences known.

We will make sure you’ll have fun with us as well

The people of Humacchuco like to play as well as work. They often have football matches (or soccer for the Americans among us) and visitors are encouraged to participate. Remember that physical exertion is a little more difficult above 3,000 meters. Like many Peruvians, the people of Humacchuco love to sing and dance to musicians playing their drums, guitars, and other local instruments. If you don’t know how to dance their dance, you will learn quickly.

There are historical sites to explore as well. Located on the Quebrada Huaytapallana hike are the ancient Keushu Ruins that date from the Wari Culture, constructed far before the time of Macchu Pichu. Very close to the town of Humacchucho is a cave full of bones that locals say are Incan, but which more likely predate the Incas and are from the Wari as well.

There are great opportunities to learn from local artisans about their arts and crafts. They will play for you and teach you how to play their many types of instruments such as the Peruvian mandolin and drums of various kinds. They also weave wool blankets and clothes, using local plants to dye the fabric. There are opportunities to practice this craft as well.

Plant Biodiversity

What really makes Humacchuco unique from other areas in the Andes is its rich diversity of plant life. So many plants have medicinal applications that a proper study has never been completed on the plants and herbs of the area. Here is but a brief list of some of the medicinal plants and their uses:

Forests of various trees are also found in the areas around Humacchuco. Indigenous quenual trees are found on the María Josefa trail. Eucalyptus trees present in the park and in Humacchuco were planted as part of a conservation project in order to preserve the native quenual trees. Another type of threatened tree (due to use for construction and firewood) is the quishuar tree.

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Houses

The bedroom with a nice view.

The project at Humacchuco consists of five guesthouses maintained by some of the families living in Humacchuco. The houses are located near the residences of the families that will be looking after you. The guesthouses are situated fairly close to one another so if you are in a group that requires more than one house, visiting each other is not a problem. If you are looking for a more solitary experience (i.e. you do not want to bump into other visitors) it is easy to find solitude and immerse yourself completely in the Andean way of life. The houses consist of two rooms and a bathroom. The rooms are spacious and well ventilated.

The bathroom, with running (cold) water and compost toilet.

They have electricity so that when the sun goes down there is still light to prepare for bed. The beds are comfortable and warm. Pillows are also provided.

The bathrooms have a toilet and a sink with running water. The water in the bathrooms, as with all tap water in Humacchuco, is not potable so it is recommended that you use boiled or purified water for drinking and brushing your teeth - the families are more than happy to provide you with boiled water. The toilets are compost so toilet paper is to be put in waste paper baskets and not into the toilet itself. Showers are in the process of being constructed but there is no definitive time table set for completion.

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Food and Drink

Meals come three times a day and are fairly large portions. The first course is usually soup, ‘sopa de trigo’, a sort of wheat-based soup often accompanied by chicken. Potatoes, chicken, and corn are the staples in this part of the world. An especially good appetizer, cancha de maiz, is similar to corn nuts and is often served with cheese. Sometimes you are treated to a Peruvian specialty that makes some visitors a little squeamish. Cuy, or as it is known in English speaking countries, guinea pig, is served roasted whole and is frequently comes in a spicy sauce.

Opening up the Pachamanca and encounter a delicious aroma.

If guinea pig is not your cup of tea, try a cup of tea. The herbs they use for their teas come from Humacchuco and the land near by. Especially good is the menta (mint) tea and it is picked moments before being made into tea. Other types of herbal teas include manzanilla, muña, and mate de coca made from coca leaves. Another popular beverage is ‘jugo de quinua’ which is a sweet drink served warm that has a little gelatin and a wheat like grain called quinua.

Pachamanca: sometimes the people in Humacchuco put together a Pachamanca which is essentially a large feast cooked in the ground. A large pit is dug up and hot stones are placed inside. They cook meats such as pork, beef, cuy, with vegetables including corn, various types of potatoes, and carrots.

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Trails

Each of the numbers preceding the pieces of information corresponds with the numbers on maps linked to below. Trail information, maps, and photos were created and provided through the work of The Mountain Institute and Tim Norris, a resident of Huaraz.

Quebrada Huaytapallana (4 hours, 6 kilometers) (return to top)
See Map for Trail Layout

~ Start ~ Huaytapallana means ‘to pick flowers’ in Quechua. The trail is easy, the views beautiful, and the walk serves well for acclimatizing to the altitude. It is an ancient route in an excellent state of conservation that is still used by locals for retrieving ice that falls from the glaciers.

1 ~ Keushu Ruins ~ This archeological site dates from the Wari Culture, with influences of the Requay Culture (both pre-Inca). The buildings that we see were part of a center used for raising llamas and alpacas. There are remains of an ancient canal, walls of various buildings, and small enclosures, all distributed on the plain to the east of Keushu Lake.

2 ~ Eucalyptus Forest ~ Eucalyptus was introduced to Perú by the Jesuit missionaries at the beginning of the 20th century. Rapid forestation was pushed for 40 years with the objective of developing a paper pulp industry, but the industry never became successful. Now the wood from the tress is used for furniture, construction of houses and fuel.

3 ~ Terraces ~ One can see the terraces that were built in the pre-Inca epoch. There terraces were a part of a complex agricultural system and served to protect and conserve the soil of the hillsides.

4 ~ Tomb ~ One can see a common grave site where there are still remains of human skeletons. There are no skulls because the people of today believe that a skull in the home protects against robbery.

5 ~ Lookout and Canals of Today ~ From here one can see Keushu, and the sectors Huarca and Humacchuco. The nearby canal provides water to the communities below and is more than 100 years old. It is managed by a committee of regents which divides the usage rights and provides maintenance in order to meet the needs of the families.

6 ~ Chacpá and Elm Grove ~ At the entrance of Quebrada Huaytapallana is a large grove of ‘Chacpá’, a bush that can grow with poor soil conditions and little water. The fibers of the bark are used to make baskets. Within this grove it is possible to observe the avifauna dominated by different species of humming birds and finches, and furthermore a diversity of shrubs representing the families Solanaceae, Asteraceae, and Compositae. Near the river we find elm tress forming riparian forests which serve as important corridors for the birds.

7 ~ High Altitude Quenual Forests ~ At the foot of the mountains grow the quenual forests. They are one of the most important ecosystems in the entire Andes range and depend on the water from the glaciers and in turn help conserve the water. The forests provide habitat and refuge for important birds and mammals including bears and deer.

8 ~ Ice Use ~ The people of various communities come to the foot of the glacier to take ice for the markets of Yungay. Nearly twenty people arrive every week taking about 4,800 – 7,200 kilos of ice every month. The ice remains frozen for three days and almost all is used to make snow cones for the Yungay market. All glaciers are important sources and reserves of fresh water that serve the people high in the mountains to the cities of the Peruvian coast.

9 ~ The Keushu Ruins ~ There are indications that show that the leaders lived in this building and conducted ceremonies and rituals in the plaza. This building dates to 1,500 ACE and was built by the Wari Culture with the influence from the Requay Culture. The ruins are managed by the National Cultural Institute with offices in the Plaza de Armas of Huaraz and Ranrairca.

Sendero María Josefa (2-5 hours, 3-6 kilometers) (return to top)
See Map for Trail Layout

1 ~ Start ~ The María Josefa Trail is part of the pre-Inca route from Yungay to Yanama located between the magnificent granite walls at the entrance of Quebrada Llanganuco. About 80% of the species of plants that exist in Huascarán National Park are represented in the ecosystems that we find here. There are two parts to the trail; from lake Chinancocha to the road, and from the road to Humacchuco. The second is used little.

2 ~ The Importance of Water ~ From this viewpoint we can see how the forests follow the water as it descends from the peaks, forming important habitats for animals and birds. The lakes and lakeshores also form unique habitats that provide homes to a variety of avifauna and an abundance of trout. The lakes and rivers of the Cordillera Blanca are the water source for the valleys of the Peruvian coast.

3 ~ Reforested Quenual Saplings ~ Since 1987 the Park has maintained a reforestation project with the ‘Comité de Usarios de Pastos’ in this location using the species Polylepis rasemosa. Every year the sectors of the community ‘Unidos Venceremos’, who have cattle in the park, support the reforestation in this zone. There are two nurseries located in the park and others located in nearby communities. Approximately 5,000 saplings are planted every year.

4 ~ Legend of María Josefa ~ This is the location of the famous 'Gruta María Josefa'. For more on her story click here.

5 ~ Humid Habitats and Ferns ~ Here we find ferns; plants with the oldest DNA in the world. There are also other plants which need the humidity and the special soils found here, for example Llanten whose medicinal use is popular among locals.

~ Orchids ~ Throughout the length of the trail we find eight species of orchids, among the more representative we have the Waqancu species from the genera Pleurothallis. The months of April and May are the nest for seeing them in bloom. Here the orchids, for the most part, are litophytes (live on rocks), or terrestrial (live in soil), needing indirect light to develop well. We ask of visitors to respect the area and not to collect plants or flowers.

6 ~ Humid Quenual Forests ~ The Polylepis forests are important ecosystems providing habitats for various endemic species of birds. Mammals like ‘el tarugo’, a species of deer, also find protection within these areas. The ‘Purush’ or ‘Passion Flower’ can be found in the canopy and produce an edible fruit. Feeding on this flower’s nectar is the giant hummingbird. The families Solanaceae, Asteraceae, and Compositae are abundant beneath the trees. The micro habitats of the crown, branches, and the bark of the quenual, the mosses, and the soils further lend to the diversity of theses areas. For example the Giant Hornbills eat the insects and spiders in the bark.

7 ~ Elm Forests ~ the elm trees are native to Perú but need more water, less altitude, and warmer temperatures than the quenual. We will only find them mixed with quenual in the lower altitudes and in places with more humidity. All the forests provide important refuges for the birds and mammals.

8 ~ Poor Soil ~ The ‘Pucayacu’, or red water, forms when there is little rain and the water is more acidic, drawing the minerals (iron and salt) form the rocks and then depositing them here. For this reason this area has little vegetation.

9 ~ Epiphytes ~ These plants capture water in their structures and receive nutrients from material that covers the branches. They need moisture and direct light. The local population uses the leaves and flowers of these plants, especially Huek’lla and Machito, to adorn crosses.

10 ~ Dry Quenual Forests ~ There are around twelve species of quenual in Perú that occupy different altitudinal zones according to the adaptation of the various species. Polylepis racemosa and Polylepis incana are at the respective limits of Polylepis colonization (2800 – 5000 meters). The forests help form organic soils, help preserve water within the soils, and act as natural filters, all lending to the preservation of the ecosystems below.

11 ~ Ancient Trail ~ The part of the trail that is below this point follows the ancient route, but it is not much used at this time. One can continue walking and see more examples of the forests and the diversity of the canyon. In this section the wildlife is more accessible and has less human impact.

12 ~ Rumi Chaca ~ Once crosses the stone bridge that was build approximately 500 years ago. This bridge had been used for centuries, through which is has accumulated a large history as one of the routes to cross the Cordillera Blanca.

13 ~ Chacpá and Pine Plantation ~ From this ridge one can see a 'Chacpa' grove which forms a special habitat for hummingbirds on one side, and to the other, a forest of pines planted by the residents of Humacchuco 15 years ago. The reforestation project is now in the process of resting the soil, but the planting of exotic trees provides extra income and an alternative to using the threatened quenual wood.

14 ~ View Point of the 1970 Earthquake ~ From this viewpoint one can see the part of Huascarán that fell in 1970 and also the route the rubble carved as it made its way to Yungay. There are survivors of this disaster living in Humacchuco who remember well and recount this day.

15 ~ Tomb ~ There is a small burial site that possibly dates back to the Wari Culture.

Laguna 69 (6 hours 10 kilometers) (return to top)
See Map for Trail Layout

1 ~ Start ~ The trail to Laguna 69 is one of the most popular for tourists. For the adventurous type, it serves well to acclimatize to high altitudes, and for conventional tourists, it is a door easily entered to see the mountains up close. You climb seven hundred meters and reach 4,620 meters of altitude.

2 ~ Cebolla Pampa ~ The pastures of Quebrada Llanganuco are used by local pastorists under the direction of the ‘Comite de Usarious de Pastos del PNH – del sector Llanganuco’ which maintains 150 head of cattle in this region. For the rights to use the park the communities must maintain the pastures and participate in the annual reforestation and nursery projects.

3 ~ Quishuar Forest ~ The native quishuar tree that forms a small grove here is believed to have been much more abundant in the past. It was used for both construction and fuel wood in the past, but with no conservation methods, there are few remaining forests in the Cordillera Blanca today. According to recent studies, during the last 10,000 years nearly 98% of the quenual forest area has been lost in the Andes of Perú. The first people of South America burned the forests as a hunting method, destroying large tracts of tree cover and wildlife. Later, with the domestication of animals, forests were burned to make pastures. To this day wood is cut for fuel and the forest burned seasonally to clear space, both of which remain threats.

~ Medicinal Plants: ‘Huamanpinta’ and ‘Escorzonera’ ~ On the steeper slopes of the mountains one can find medicinal plants that are still used by the local people. Huamanpinta is used as a diuretic, and escorzonera is used to alleviate coughs.

4 ~ Glaciers and the Formation of the Quebradas ~ The glaciers of the Cordillera Blanca have a history of 20,000 years, starting before the last great ice age of 14,000 years ago. Throughout this history, which is written in the ice of the glaciers, there have been many changes in temperature and precipitation. Currently the temperature is rising and the precipitation is diminishing. For this reason the glaciers of today are melting and receding. From this point you can see the glacier above, whose base, more than 20 years ago, covered the small lake now at the foot of the glacier. One can also imagine that 14,000 years ago there was a glacier that filled the entire valley to the level that you stand at. The movement of the ice (like a slow river) cut the walls of the Quebrada (gorge) that you see in front of you.

5 ~ Tzakra ~ In the Cordillera Blanca the cattle graze above 5000 meters of altitude. There are less animals at the higher altitudes and they can only survive here during the dry season. The impacts on the puma, and the fox are enormous, and in fact the cattle still share the pastures with wild animals such as deer and vicuñas.

6 ~ Lookout at Laguna 69 ~ From here one can see Laguna 69 and the mountains Chacraraju, Huascarán, Huandoy, and Pisco. The altitude is 4,620 meters above sea level. Take note that this is a new ecosystem, the alpine. There is less diversity of life and the plants and animals that live at this level are well adapted to little oxygen, cold temperatures, and strong radiation. This is the habitat for the Andean condor, the largest flying bird in the world. Although it does not appear to be so, this ecosystem is very fragile in comparison to those at lower altitudes. Avoid negative impacts.

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