A Rainbow over the Valley of Huancayo

My first trip to Huancayo was many years ago, when I traveled with my husband and his mother and our substantially smaller family of only two daughters, who were at that time just 2 and 4 years old. They were enthralled with Huancayo, as it was their first encounter with farmland and the joy of seeing baby piglets running free in the green fields of the valley. How they chased those little pigs! We stayed at a tourist hotel at the shore of a lake; in the morning an incredible rainbow was hanging over the shimmering water of the lake and we all stood there watching it in amazement. The hills, the verdant valley, the rainbow over the lake…all too much to be real!

It was remarkable to see this city’s incredible combination of both ancient mysticism, colonial influence, and modern commercialism. There were so many things to take in, from the Cerrito de la Libertad, to Torre-Torre, to the La Inmaculada church, the National University of Central Peru, and the Parque de Identidad. Also reknowned for its Sunday markets, I had the chance to purchase unique artisan crafts from the local Indians.

We ate trout at a trout farm where the children ran along the waterways, watching the progress of the trout as they swam. It was a beautiful sunny day and we lolled on the grass far from any of the worries of home. On the way out of the valley, we stopped at an outdoor restaurant and had a lovely dinner under yellow umbrellas in the courtyard style dining area; the papa a la huancaina, a dish that has its origins in Huancayo, was by far the best we had ever tasted. It remains in my memory today as the best still.

From it’s beginnings as one of the great cities of the Incan empire, to its current status as one of the important cultural and commercial centers of Peru, Huancayo has remained a must-see location. Located in the central highlands in the Junin Region, Huancayo is a vibrant and bustling tourist center, nestled in the beautiful green jewel that is the Mantaro Valley. Now that the train service to Huancayo has been reestablished, the trip there becomes part of the incredible adventure crossing the highest rail bridges in the world and traveling through over 50 tunnels. The stunning and colorful beauty of Huancayo is definitely an experience, and I highly recommend it on anyone’s Peruvian travels!