Huancaya is the favorite destination of thousands of tourists, since it is cheap, beautiful, and you can visit it in a weekend. In addition, it gives you the opportunity to experience a different community tourism. Check out how to get to this tourist attraction on a very low budget. This beautiful place is located in Yauyos, seven hours from the capital. Huancaya is one of the towns that make up the circuit of the Nor Yauyos Cochas Landscape Reserve, along with Vilca and Laraos, so it is surrounded by beautiful lagoons and waterfalls. It is undoubtedly one of the most visited places by tourists who long to discover its turquoise lagoons with crystal-clear waters, its culture, ancestral stories, gastronomy, flora and fauna, and its spectacular natural landscapes. Huancaya is located in the province of Yauyos, and offers you a large number of options to spend an excellent vacation. There are tourist places for any type of trip, whether cultural, fun, family, relaxing or even business.
4 Unmissable places during your visit to Huancaya Vilca
a) Hanging Bridge
A tourist attraction that you cannot miss is the walk over the beautiful Cabracancha waterfalls. For this reason, it offers spectacular views of the best landscapes of the Nor Yauyos Reserve, adrenaline, adventure and photographs with exceptional views.
b) Forest of Love
It is a beautiful place that is located as a natural dam with incredible waterfalls that form the Papacocha lagoon. There you can learn the story of lovers and live the magical experience of being surrounded by a beautiful natural landscape.
c) Huallhua Lagoon
This beautiful lagoon can be seen from the Carahuayno and Pucucho viewpoints, it has crystal clear turquoise waters and abundant fauna such as trout, it is considered one of the most beautiful landscapes in Huancaya.
d) Carhuayno Waterfalls
It is made up of beautiful waterfalls with crystal clear waters, you can appreciate it from the top of a viewpoint and you will be enchanted by its natural beauty. Without a doubt, it mixes with the flora and fauna and how its waters continue to flow to intertwine with the other lagoons.
Huancaya: More places of tourist interest
a) The Populated Center
Most of the history of its inhabitants is found: The site museum, the communal church, the main square, the municipal and communal palace and the twin towers. Other places such as the Cabracancha waterfalls, the colonial-style bridge, the Atao waterfalls, mix romanticism in nature and the night walk that can end after 01:00 in the morning. Despite all the carved stones typical of an Andean town, in Huancaya you will find green spaces of real value. In addition, the platforms that are in its surroundings, recognized as “ancestral terraces,” are visible from a large part of the town and you can go up on foot or by bicycle or horseback.
b) Eucalyptus Forest
This forest is to encounter nature and Andean wisdom captured in the pre-Inca platforms.
c) Cantagallo Viewpoint
From the viewpoint you can observe the wonderful landscapes that my Vilca offers you, its beautiful turquoise lagoons, and its incredible flora and fauna. Also listen to the water falls from the waterfalls into the lagoons and disconnect from the real world to enjoy the most incredible landscape of the living nature of our town. In short, Huancaya and Vilca offer their typical meals, buy some souvenirs or stay on the banks of the river. It is also one of the greatest virtues of our community, because it is next to lagoons and waterfalls.
How to get to Huancaya without spending a lot of money?
The most economical route to reach this destination is to take a direct bus to Huancaya. You can hire this transportation at the Yerbateros or Civa terminal. The ticket price is 50 soles and the only departure time is 6:00 a.m. m., so you should take your precautions. Another cheap option, although a little complicated, is to take a bus that leaves you in Cañete (12 soles) and from that point take a taxi to the El Imperial land terminal. At that place you can take a bus to Magdalena and from there one that will finally leave you in Huancaya.
What is the best time to visit Huancaya?
The best time to visit Huancaya is between the months of June and September because the sun is more intense and the temperature is ideal to visit the aforementioned places. Keep in mind that the rainy season in Huancaya occurs between December and the beginning of March, so if you plan to travel between these months, you should take all your precautions.
How tall is Huancaya?
Huancaya is located at 3,549 meters above sea level, so it is advisable to carry pills for altitude sickness in your carry-on luggage to avoid any discomfort.
Tips before traveling to Huancaya
- Pack warm clothing such as jackets, coats, socks, shorts, etc. in your suitcase.
- Use sunscreen to avoid sunburn.
- If you are going camping, bring a special tent for cold places.
- Take pills for soroche.
What can you do in Huancaya?
In Huancaya you can do everything, from camping outdoors and horseback riding through the town, to practicing extreme sports. Likewise, if you like activities that involve water, Huancaya is always blessed by the waters of the Cañete River. Beautiful waterfalls and lagoons emerge from this stream, where you can fish, go boating and canoeing. Truly, a recommended site for personal enjoyment and/or that of the entire family.
Camping in Huancaya
In Huancaya there are not many accommodations, it is a small rural town, which was opened to tourism a few years ago, there is the possibility of camping or staying in small houses of the residents who have made them accommodation, but they are quite basic, the weather at night It is quite cold, it can reach zero degrees, so camping if you are traveling with your family and children can be uncomfortable.
How long does it take to get to Huancaya from Lima?
Getting to Huancaya from Lima takes approximately 8 hours by car. This is because the distance between the two places is 324 kilometers.
Curious facts about Huancaya
- It was the territory of the pre-Inca peoples of the Sierra de Lima.
- It has surprising natural spaces, such as the Papacocha lagoon and the Pariacaca snow-capped mountain.
- It has the popular forest of love, which is famous for being visited by different tourists.