Chavin De Huantar Full Day: Your Ancash Excursion Review

So, you’re thinking about hopping on a tour from Ancash to Chavin De Huantar, are you? That ancient ceremonial site high up in the Andes is, it seems, whispering your name, isn’t it? Maybe you’re after a bit of history, maybe just after some stunning scenery. Whatever it is that’s brought you here, hopefully this review helps give you a sense of what to expect on this fascinating day trip.

Booking the Tour: What You Ought to Know

Right, securing your spot. Many outfits provide the excursion, that’s often from Huaraz, which is, like, the jumping-off point for adventures in the Ancash region. A good idea is, before handing over any cash, to check, like, what exactly is included. Are we talking entrance fees? Is lunch part of the package? What about an English-speaking guide? Those are, more or less, the things you will certainly want to look into.

Typically, the tours do cover transport to and from Huaraz, the entrance to the Chavin De Huantar site itself, and, usually, a local guide. Lunch is, quite often, extra, as is the tip for the guide, which, by the way, it’s almost expected if they, like, do a reasonable job.

About that language thing: if your Spanish is, just a little, rusty, check the guide is, anyway, bilingual. That adds, clearly, a load to the experience, and it’s better than just wandering about vaguely, that is for sure. The price? Well, it depends, in some respects, on the operator and what is bundled in, yet you can often get reasonable deals if you shop about a bit, I find.

The Drive: High Peaks and Winding Roads

Right then, the drive itself is, kind of, an adventure, that’s what I would say. It’s, usually, about a three- or four-hour jaunt each way, give or take, depending on the traffic and maybe how fast your driver is feeling. That’s why, basically, you will often find the tour begins really early – like stupidly early, if I am honest – to maximise your time at the site, and before it is too late in the day to make it back. So anyway, you might want to make sure that you bring some coffee to help wake you up in the morning.

The road is, pretty much, winding, and you climb super high into the mountains, yet the views are seriously mind-blowing. You’ll see the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Blanca, tiny villages clinging to the hillsides, and, naturally, herds of llamas and alpacas just, kind of, chilling. The bus will, sometimes, stop at scenic overlooks so people can stretch their legs and snap a couple of pictures. It’s, definitely, worth having your camera ready for this trip, as I would always recommend.

Altitude sickness is, really, a thing, I mean so many people suffer, especially if you’ve, like, just arrived in Huaraz and shot straight up into the mountains. Drink coca tea. And also, just take it easy, if you can. Really.

Exploring Chavin De Huantar: A Step Back in Time

Right, the site itself. Chavin De Huantar is seriously old, and I mean really old. We’re talking about a culture that blossomed something like 3,000 years ago. What is wild, right, is that this spot was, like, a significant ceremonial center for, probably, centuries. So really a lot of history!

The structure is made of, really, stone, that’s what I would say. It includes, naturally, pyramids, plazas, and a series of tunnels and chambers inside. The most iconic bit is, easily, the Lanzón, a huge, carved stone monolith deep in the heart of the temple. Seeing that up close, and being there, wow, it makes you consider those who were in that place thousands of years prior.

The local guide will, almost certainly, regale you with the theories about the meaning and usage of the site, and they’ll offer you lots of the background information. A fun thing can be that they have varying stories as sometimes these change between the guides.

Remember: The tunnels are, sometimes, really narrow and dark, so that might be one that someone who struggles with, I don’t know, claustrophobia, really wouldn’t enjoy, if I am honest.

Lunch and Local Culture: A Taste of Ancash

Now, then, if lunch isn’t included in your tour package, there are, as I said, usually, a few local restaurants near the site where you can eat. These places will, usually, offer fairly typical Peruvian fare, such as trout, soup, rice dishes, and potatoes served in lots of ways that you probably wouldn’t even begin to understand yet. Those options can give you, in a way, a sense of local eats, for real.

Don’t go expecting fancy. The meals tend to be relatively straightforward, yet they’re almost always tasty and filling. You can take the opportunity to chat with locals and find a lot of information about where to eat, that is for sure.

If you have, kind of, particular dietary requirements, it might just be easier to pack your own lunch, that seems like a decent idea. You know, you really can never be too sure, as I was saying. So yeah, might be easier to bring something!

What to Bring: Preparing for Your Excursion

Good, some tips for, what to take. You need a handful of essentials if you wanna get the most out of this trip, I am sure you’d agree.

• Warm layers: You would never guess, but it can get properly cold up in the mountains, even when the sun is out.
• Sunscreen and a hat: The sun at altitude is, sometimes, powerful, as I was just saying.
• Water: Keep hydrated, especially if you are struggling, just a little, with the altitude.
• Snacks: Just in case lunch isn’t included, or you are, arguably, picky.
• A torch: Those tunnels at Chavin can get a little on the dim side, wouldn’t you agree?
• Comfortable shoes: You’ll walk a fair bit, more or less.
• Cash: For lunch, souvenirs, and, you know, tip the guide!

Following these pointers and you really shouldn’t be struggling with anything, at the end of the day. Bring lots of things and be prepared for literally anything! And remember to bring warm clothes, like your mother tells you. Heh!

Following those tips will let you enjoy the whole excursion with a feeling of being calm and not, “oh no what did I do now?!”

Final Thoughts: Is the Chavin De Huantar Excursion Worth It?

Well, to summarise, the full-day trip from Ancash to Chavin De Huantar is, arguably, a seriously amazing experience, that’s what I would say. It’s, clearly, a chance to see one of the, extremely, mysterious archaeological sites in Peru, plus you can drink a lot of coca tea.

It’s a pretty long day, so you will want to be set for an early start and some winding roads, yet the views and the chance to see a place so connected to history and humanity – you know – make it totally worth it. In a way it can bring the history books you read at school to life!

It comes warmly advised from myself if you can cope with getting up really early and perhaps suffering from claustrophobia if the thought of the tunnels worries you.

• Ancient site visit.
• Great photo opps.
• Long travel days.
• Claustrophobia caution!

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