The Central Highlands

We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Central Highlands - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

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  • 1. Ferrocarril Central Andino

    Transportation Site (Airport, Bus, Ferry, Train)

    The Central Highlands' Ferrocarril Central Andino once laid claim to being the world's highest rail route. With the 2006 opening of China's Qinghai–Tibet Railway, the Peru route was knocked down to second place. No matter, though: this is one of the country's most scenic areas, and tracks cut through the mountains and plains all the way from Lima to Huancayo. The line these days is a shadow of what it once was, and trains ply the route only a few times a year. Tickets are easy to come by, but you will have to plan around the infrequent departures if you want the journey to be a centerpiece of your visit to Peru. The railway's website lists departure dates, with Lima–Huancayo service operating just a handful of days between April and November. Trains depart the capital's Desamparados train station for the 12-hour journey to Huancayo, twisting along the 335-km (207-mile) route through the Andes at an average elevation of 4,782 meters (15,685 feet). The engine chugs its way up a slim thread of rails that hugs the slopes, traveling over 59 bridges, around endless hairpin curves, and through 66 tunnels—including the 1,175-meter-long (3,854-foot-long) Galera Tunnel, which, at an altitude of 4,758 meters (15,606 feet), is the climax of the journey. Snacks, lunch, and soft drinks are included in the price. You can request oxygen if you get short of breath over the high passes, and mate de coca flows freely at all hours. The decades-old clásico cars are okay in a pinch, but the newer turístico cars are much more comfortable, with reclining seats and access to the observation and bar car.

    Huancayo Station, Av. Ferrocarril, Huancayo, Junín, 12001, Peru
    01-226–6363

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: S/500 one-way, S/700 round-trip
  • 2. Mines of Santa Bárbara

    Mine

    This ghostly abandoned mine dates from 1563, when the discovery of mercury in the hills south of Huancavelica turned the region into a key cog in Spain's precious-metals machine. It closed in 1786, after one of the mine shafts collapsed, killing 200 workers. If you make the two-hour trek from town, you can see what remains of the former mining village, complete with church and school. The mine itself, however, is sealed off due to the poisonous gases still present inside. You can also pay a taxi driver S/60 to take you and wait as you explore. The mine is tentatively slated to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so to get the jump on the crowds, go now.

    Huancavelica, Huancavelica, Peru

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 3. Ruinas Huari

    Ruins

    Recent excavations at this massive archaeological site have uncovered multilevel underground galleries, burial chambers, circular plazas, arched portals, and other architectural magnificences. Together they make this capital city of the Huari culture one of the most impressive non-Inca ruins in the Peruvian sierra. The Huari flourished from around 700 to 1200 AD, and wandering the quiet alleys of this 5,000-acre complex gives you a sense of how its 60,000 residents lived, worshipped, and died. Especially noteworthy are the temples and communal tombs. There's a small museum on-site with mummies and ceramics, as well as a lounge to rest in after roaming the cactus-covered grounds. The best way to visit is to take a tour from a travel agency in town for S/30, as taxis andcollectivos to the site are sporadic and hard to figure out.

    Quinua Hwy., Ayacucho, Ayacucho, Peru
    066-312–056

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Site: free; museum: S/3, S/3
  • 4. Vilcashuamán and Intihuatana

    Ruins

    Four long hours south of Ayacucho on winding, unpaved roads is the former Inca provincial capital of Vilcashuamán, set where the north–south Inca highway crossed the east–west trade road from Cusco to the Pacific. You can still see the Templo del Sol y de la Luna and a five-tiered platform, known as the Ushnu, crowned by an Inca throne and surrounded by stepped fields once farmed by Inca peasants. An hour's walk from Vilcashuamán (or a half-hour's walk south past the main road from Ayacucho) is the Intihuatana, where Inca ruins include a palace and tower beside a lagoon. Former Inca baths, a Sun temple, and a sacrificial altar can also be seen on the grounds. Check out the unusual, 13-angled boulder, one of the odd building rocks that are an Inca hallmark. Ayacucho travel agencies can organize tours of both sites (S/65), or you can catch a bus or colectivo for S/15–S/20. Ask around to confirm where these public transport options are leaving from, as pickup points change frequently.

    Km 118, Vilcashuamán Hwy. , Ayacucho, Ayacucho, Peru

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: S/5
  • 5. Capilla de la Merced

    Historic District/Site

    In front of the Río Shulcas, the Capilla de la Merced is a national monument marking where Peru's Constitutional Congress met in 1830 and the Constitution was signed in 1839. In addition to information about this historic gathering, the Chapel of Mercy also exhibits Cusqueña paintings.

    Real y Ayacucho, Huancayo, Junín, Peru

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free, Closed weekends
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  • 6. Casa Museo Joaquín López Antay

    Museum/Gallery

    Joaquín López Antay was Ayacucho's most renowned maker of retablos; this lovely museum pays homage to his work. Biographical displays, explications of the retablo- making process, and on-site classes make this a must-visit for art lovers. You can also buy finished works in the museum shop.

    Jr. Cuzco 424, Ayacucho, Ayacucho, Peru
    956-695-466

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: S/4, Closed Sun.
  • 7. Casa Ruiz de Ochoa

    Notable Building

    Across from the Iglesia Merced, one block from the Plaza de Armas, you'll see the colonial-style Casa Ruiz de Ochoa. The intricate, 18th-century doorway mixes European and indigenous techniques in a style known as Mestizo. Climb up to the second floor for a bird's-eye view of the cobbled patio.

    Jr. Dos de Mayo 210, Ayacucho, Ayacucho, Peru
    066-314–612

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 8. Catedral

    Religious Building/Site/Shrine

    The twin bell towers of Ayacucho's catedral, built in 1612 under Bishop Don Cristóbal de Castilla y Zamora, crown the Plaza de Armas. Step inside to view the cathedral's carved altars with gold-leaf designs, a silver tabernacle, and an ornate wooden pulpit, all built in a style mixing baroque and Renaissance elements. Look for the plaque inside the entrance that quotes from Pope John Paul II's speech during his visit in 1985.

    Plaza de Armas, Ayacucho, Ayacucho, Peru
    066-312–590

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 9. Chanchamayo

    Nature Preserve/Wildlife Refuge

    Tarma sits at more than 3,000 meters (10,000 feet), but it's just a stone's throw from the ceja de selva , where many of Peru's citrus plantations lie. For around S/60, you can organize a day trip from town to visit Chanchamayo's magnificent waterfalls, butterfly-filled forests, and local indigenous groups. These tours take you to the major attractions in the area and typically include a refreshing dip in the 30-meter (98-foot) Tirol Falls, a jungle lunch of cecina (cured pork) or doncella (river fish), a visit to the local Ashaninka tribe at Pampa Michi, and a tasting of local coffees and other artisanal products. If you can't otherwise make it to the Amazon during your time in Peru, this is an inexpensive way to experience the pleasures of jungle living (as well as a welcome escape from the cool highland air). Peru Latino Tarma offers daily tours. It's also possible to take a bus directly to La Merced, the main town in Chanchamayo. There are simple hotels and restaurants surrounding the small plaza, and from there you can undertake excursions that go deeper into the central jungle to the fascinating German-Austrian colony of Oxapampa or the coffee plantations near Villarica.

    La Merced, Ancash, Peru
  • 10. Convento de Santa Rosa de Ocopa

    Religious Building/Site/Shrine

    Originally a Franciscan mission whose role was to bring Christianity to the Amazon peoples, the 1725 building now has a reconstructed 1905 church and a massive library with more than 25,000 books—some from the 15th century. The natural-history museum displays a selection of regional archaeological finds, including traditional costumes and local crafts picked up by the priests during their travels. A restaurant serves excellent, if simple, Andean food, and several spare but comfortable accommodations are available in the former monks' quarters. Take a S/25 taxi ride for a round trip to the convent from Concepción's Plaza de Armas. Admission includes a guided tour.

    Concepcíon, Junín, Peru

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: S/5, Closed Tues.
  • 11. Feria Dominical

    Market/Bazaar

    The Sunday market (feria dominical) attracts artists and shoppers from all the nearby mountain towns. It's a good place to browse for local crafts—although you'll get better quality (and sometimes better prices) in the villages.

    Jr. Garma at Jr. Barranca, Huancavelica, Huancavelica, Peru
  • 12. Gruta de Huagapo

    Cave

    Head northwest of Tarma 28 km (17 miles) to Palcamayo, then continue 4 km (2½ miles) west to explore the Gruta de Huagapo limestone cave system, a National Speleological Area. Guides live in the village near the entrance and can give you a basic short tour, but you'll need full spelunking equipment for deep cavern explorations. Numerous tour operators in Tarma offer day-trips to the caves and the surrounding villages. It is also possible to arrive at the caves independently by taking a colectivo at the corner of Jr. 2 de Mayo and Jr. Puno.

    Palcamayo, Junín, Peru
  • 13. Huarihuilca

    Ruins

    This ruined temple was built by the pre-Inca Huanca culture between 800 and 1200 AD. It consists of stone walls enclosing cells where captives were held prior to being sacrificed, as well as underground conduits to bring water to the region. You can still see the sacred spring that flows through the channels; legend says that this spring gave rise to the foreparents of the Huanca people. Several mummies have been discovered at the site. The closest village is Huari, which has a little museum on the main square with ceramic figures, pottery, and a few bones and skulls.

    Huancayo, Junín, Peru

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: S/3
  • 14. Iglesia de San Francisco

    Religious Building/Site/Shrine

    Begun in 1673, the Iglesia de San Francisco took nearly a century to complete. The dual white towers and red stone doorway—carved with regional motifs—make the church one of the most attractive buildings in town.

    Plaza Bolognesi, Godos y Tagle, Huancavelica, Huancavelica, Peru

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 15. Iglesia La Merced

    Religious Building/Site/Shrine

    The Romanesque Iglesia La Merced was built in 1566, possibly by the friar Diego de Porras. Colonial treasures include a silver tabernacle, paintings of the Cusco School (Escuela Cusqueña), and the images of the Virgen Purísima and the Corazón de Jesús that were gifts from King Phillip II.

    Jr. Huánuco at Jr. Valdizán, Huánuco, Huanuco, Peru

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 16. Iglesia San Cristóbal

    Religious Building/Site/Shrine

    Fronting a landscape of steep, grassy mountain slopes, the Iglesia San Cristóbal, with its three-tiered bell tower, was erected in 1542, the first local church built by Spanish settlers. Inside is a valuable collection of colonial-era paintings and baroque wood sculptures of San Agustín, the Virgen de la Asunción, and the Virgen Dolorosa.

    San Cristóbal y Beraún, Huánuco, Huanuco, Peru

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 17. Iglesia San Francisco

    Religious Building/Site/Shrine

    The 16th-century Iglesia San Francisco, the city's second-oldest church, has Cusco School paintings and a few colonial-era antiques. Peek inside to see the spectacular gilt wall and arches behind the altar.

    Jr. San Martín at Jr. Beraún, Huánuco, Huanuco, Peru

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 18. Iglesia Santo Domingo

    Religious Building/Site/Shrine

    The 1548 Iglesia Santo Domingo is now a national monument. The first bells ringing out Peru's independence from the Spanish after the Battle of Ayacucho were sounded from here. The church's facade features Churrigueresque architectural elements, a style of baroque Spanish architecture popular in the 16th century, while the interior is coated in pan de oro (gold leaf).

    9 de Diciembre y Bellido, Ayacucho, Ayacucho, Peru

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 19. Instituto Nacional de Cultura

    Educational Institution

    The best place for contacts on local culture in Huancavelica is the Instituto Nacional de Cultura, which offers language, music, and dance lessons; cultural talks; a library; and details on historical sights and regional history. There's also a small museum.

    Jr. Antonio Raimondi 193, Huancavelica, Huancavelica, Peru
    067-453–420

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Mon.
  • 20. Kotosh

    Ruins

    Considered one of South America's oldest temples, the 4,000-year-old Kotosh is famous for the Templo de las Manos Cruzadas (Temple of the Crossed Hands). Some of the oldest Peruvian pottery relics were discovered below one of the niches surrounding the main room of the temple, and the partially restored ruins are thought to have been constructed by a pre-Chavín culture whose origins are still unknown. Inside the temple you'll see re-created images of the crossed hands. The original mud set is dated 2000 BC and is on display in Lima's Museo Nacional de Antropología, Arqueología, e Historia del Perú. The site was named Kotosh, Quechua for "pile," in reference to the piles of rocks found strewn across the fields. Taxi fare is S/20 for the round-trip journey from Huánuco, including a half-hour to sightsee.

    Huánuco, Huanuco, Peru

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: S/5

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