Pots and potters are recurrent themes in Andean mythts.

Waquru (Opuntia floccosa).

The fruit of this cactus is an excellent thirst-quencher.

Local Belief : But beware ! If you eat too much waquru, the mountain spirits may be offended.

Mountain lake

Local Belief : Beware of these peaceful-looking mountain lakes! They are nothing else but a mean witch's mouth, waiting to eat you up…

Encounters with the puma

17 days / 16 nights

This comprehensive trip allows you to discover wild mountainous terrain (the puma’s habitat), as well as villages, towns and a world famous pre-Hispanic site.

After visiting the beautiful Llanganuco Valley and its turquoise lake, we cross over to the eastern side of the Cordillera Blanca. The famous ruins of Chavín, dating from the 1st millenium B.C., provide us with an excellent opportunity to learn about ancient Andean civilisations. Then we head out to the mountains for a 6 day trek, passing through small villages and dense quenoal forests until we reach the foot of Mount Huantsán (6,395 m), in ancient times one of the Cordillera’s most revered peaks. In the course of a second trek (3 days) in the area of Chacas, we camp in a remote valley under the towering Hualcán (6,125 m), steeped in myth and legend.

Quenoal (Polylepis sp.)

The quenoal tree is endemic to the Andes and grows up to an elevation of nearly 5,000 meters!

Local Belief : The quenoal belongs to the ancestor spirits and is guarded by the fearsome puma.