Trekking Peru by Robert Kunstaetter

Author:Robert Kunstaetter
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781594858734
Publisher: Mountaineers Books
Published: 2017-04-16T04:00:00+00:00

12

HUASQUI TO LAGUNA PACA

FOLLOWING THE CAPAC ÑAN

Rating: Moderately difficult 50-km, 3- to 4-day trek

Elevation: 3400 to 4222 m

Maps: IGN 1:100,000 Tarma (23l), Oroya (24l); ESCALE Junín (Jauja)

Water: Scarce except in towns and at a few springs near estancias; fill your bottles whenever possible.

Hazards and annoyances: Public safety concerns in the peripheral neighborhoods of Tarma and the area around Incapatacuna Pass; camping by the pass not recommended. Permits and fees: None

Services and provisions: Tarma and Jauja have ample supplies and services. Basic provisions are available in towns along the route. Huaricolca has a municipal hospedaje, and Paca offers simple lodgings.

THIS IS SOMETHING OF a bittersweet trek, highlighting both the past glories of the Capac Ñan (The World’s Greatest Road, Chapter 1) and—in places—its current state of neglect and decay. Along the way are beautiful scenery, villages, estancias, and archaeological sites. The hiking is not too strenuous, but navigation can be challenging, especially as more and more modern roads encroach on the ancient one.

Two possible trailheads for the trek are accessed from the city of Tarma. Once a mountain resort and sanatorium for limeños, Tarma has a lovely plaza but is otherwise bustling, noisy, and dirty. At the end of the trek, Jauja is a smaller more congenial place to spend time.

You can start hiking in either Huasqui, 8.5 km west of Tarma, or Tarmatambo, 8 km south of Tarma, along the road to Jauja. The former route has more views and an impressive retaining wall along the Inca road at the beginning; the latter is a day shorter. Past Tarmatambo, the route runs mostly parallel to the paved Tarma–Jauja road, with frequent transport, so you can make the trek as long or short as you like.

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