Our comfortable vehicle takes us via the Pan American Highway along the Pacific Ocean coast, across sand deserts and through coastal valleys to Pativilca. Here we take the Pativilca-Huaraz Highway and drive up into the Andes until we reach Conococha Lake at 4100 meters above sea level. Scenic mountain scapes announce our arrival to the Callejón de Huaylas Valley between the Cordillera Negra (Black Mountain Range) and the Cordillera Blanca. We continue to Huaraz (3100 meters above sea level), the "Capital of Mountaineering and International Friendship." We overnight at our hotel in Huaraz City.

Driving along the Callejón de Huaylas Valley we enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Cordillera Blanca's highest peaks until me arrive at Olleros (3500 m), and then at the picturesque village of Canray Chico. Here we start hiking following the course of the Rio Negro (Black River). On our way we admire the Huantzán Chico and Uruashraju peaks. We camp in Arhuaycancha (3400 m).

We follow the remains of an old Inca road up to Punta Yanashallash pass (4670 m). We enjoy the sight of the impressive Huantzán Grande peak (20981 feet) the highest of this section of the Cordillera Blanca. We camp in Shoncopampa (4100 m).

Our trail continues along the Inca Road as it leads down by the Wacheksa Ravine. Descending this ravine we pass by picturesque villages living traditional lifestyles. We arrive at Chavin (4180 m) town and We explore Chavín de Huántar, South America's oldest and most advanced culture, and one of the six independent centers of civilization in world prehistory. At Chavín we find monumental granite pyramids and ceremonial plazas linked by stone-carved staircases. Subterranean chamber complexes, known as galleries, are the most unusual Chavín architectural style.
We visit the Lanzón Gallery with its supreme deity of Chavín, a large stone idol called Lanzón that is finely carved with human, Jaguar, Anaconda, and Harpy Eagle iconography. Sophisticated stone-carved friezes, columns, giant heads, and astronomic representations are a puzzle for Andean archaeo-astronomers. We return to Huaraz, and to our hotel for overnight.

This morning we depart for Lima enjoying the magnificent mountainscape of the Cordillera Blanca. We drive along the Pan American Highway to Lima, where we arrive in the afternoon.