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This relatively easy 3-day trek is so-called because it offers a unique opportunity to use llamas as pack animals, as well as the usual mules and donkeys.
The trek follows ancient pre-Inca and Inca paths along the Southern section of the Cordillera Blanca and finishes in Chavin, where the fascinating ruins of the Chavin culture are found.
At first we follow the Rio Negro along the gorgeous Uquian Valley, passing several pretty Andean villages where Highland people still follow a traditional way of life. Unique flora and fauna may be encountered along the trail, including San Pedro cacti, Andean condors, llamas and vicuñas. While trekking through the vast high-altitude savannahs that lead to the 4700m Yanashallash pass, spectacular mountain vistas open in front of us, revealing the beautiful snow-capped peaks of Uruashraju (5722m), Rurec (5700m), Cashan (5686m), Huantsan (6395m), and Shaqsha (5703m).
Our trek ends at the UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site of Chavin de Huantar, an impressive pre-Inca temple dating back to 1200 BC, where you can marvel at the magnificent Lanzon monolith and finely carved sculptures, and get lost in the mysterious underground passageways.
The short Llama Trek gives the inexperienced hiker a chance to enjoy some of the region’s stunning mountain scenery, to have a glimpse of the Andean culture, and to get acquainted with one of Peru’s oldest major cultures.
All this in the charming company of llamas. |
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