Declared Natural Patrimony of Humankind in 1985 by the UNESCO, this national park extends over nearly all the White Mountain Range, the highest tropical mountain chain in the world, and is located in the department of Ancash, in the provinces of Huaylas, Yungay, Carhuaz, Huaraz, Recuay, Bolognesi, Pomabamba, Huari, Mariscal Luzuriaga and Asunción.With an extension of 340 000 hectares, this National Park holds great richness in flora and fauna, snowcapped mountains and beautiful landscapes. Several lagoons and peaks of this mountain range are known worldwide for their beauty, turning this mountain region into an international tourist attraction. The famous Huascaran rises here with its 22 204,72 feet, being the highest peak in Peru and one of the highest in America. There are seven living zones with a wide range of microclimates that allow for a huge diversity of vegetation. Around 779 species of high Andean flora have been identified distributed in 340 genuses and 104 families.
In this flora diversity, the Bromeliads family is represented by the Puya (Puya Raimondi), species that has the greatest inflorescence in the world. There are also relict forests of queñual (Polylepis spp.), and several gramineae that are part of the puna vegetation or pajonal. Associated to this flora, there are several fauna species which have not been sufficiently studied or inventoried. According to preliminary data there are 112 bird species of 33 families. Among the mammals, 8 types and over 10 species have been detected. There are several threatened species such as the pampas cat (Oncifelis colocolo), the Andean mountain cat (Oreailurus jacobita), the spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus), the Peruvian guemal or taruca (Hippocamelus antisensis), and the South American camelid known as the vicuña (Vicugna vicugna). Among the birds, we have the Andean condor (Vultur gryphus), the torrent duck (Merganetta armata), and the puna tinamou (Tinamotis pentlandii), among others. From April to November the climate is dry and favortable for practicing Andean mountain climbing, hiking and trekking along several circuits.
