Peru: Junin department

Location: Center of Perú
Area: 44 410 km2
Capital: Huancayo (3249 masl)
Altitude:
Minimum: 313 masl (Puerto Prado)
Maximum: 4505 masl (Morococha)

Huancayo

Located in the department of Junín, the city of Huancayo, nicknamed the Incomparable, is a busy commercial and tourist city in the midst of the Andes. It is also the living symbol of a proud people

Santa Rosa de Ocopa Convent

It is said that when Friar Francisco de San José -a Franciscan priest from Spain eager to convert the natives to Christianity.

Tourism Junin Region

Huancayo can be reached by bus or car up the Central Highway, some 310 km from Lima (five-and-a-half hours). During the trip, we suggest stopping briefly at Ticlio, at 4,818 meters, the highest inhabited spot on Earth. In Huancayo, we recommend a tour of the city: the Cathedral, the city squares (Constitucion and Huanmarca) and the La Libertad hill overlooking the city and the Mantaro Valley.

Just 22 km away lies Concepcion, an interesting colonial province which features scenic countryside. Also not to be missed is the Santa Rosa de Ocopa convent, which was the base of the Church's efforts to convert jungle natives to Christianity.

There are two good options for lunch: Ingenio, which is famous for its trout farm and outdoor restaurants, or Lake Paca near Jauja, where visitors can take boatrides around the lake.

The road leads on to Tarma, where visitors can feast their eyes on fields of bright flowers. From here on, the landscape changes drastically as the road drops down into the cloud forest. Chanchamayo Valley (La Merced), with its emerald green countryside and steamy heat, lies two-and-a-half hours away. The valley is a well-known fruit-growing area studded with cascading waterfalls and dotted with orchids. The best time to visit is from May to October. Remember to take basic precautions against altitude sickness.