Travel in Ayacucho
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Informations on Ayacucho: history, politics, economy, culture, Did you mean: Ayacucho
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Ayacucho is located in the department of Ayacucho in Peru. The population is about 100,000, altitude 2,700 m. Ayacucho is embedded in a broad sunny valley with mild climate.
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Understand
During the 80's and early 90's, Ayacucho was mostly under control of the Sendero Luminoso, an extreme leftist terrorist group (or liberation group, depending on your point of view). After the successful anti-terror fights under president Fujimori, the influence of the Sendero Luminoso decreased almost completely. In the recent years, some singular activities have come up again. The area of Ayacucho is declared as zona de emergencia (emergency zone), but the only practical restriction for normal tourists seems to be the recommendation not to travel in the area during night time.
The Tourist Office is found in the Plaza de Armas.
Get in
Daily buses to and from Lima on a well paved road. (9-10h)
Daily buses to and from Pisco the same well paved road. (6h)
Daily buses to and from Huancavelica offer 2 alternatives: 1. The direct way via Lircay (dust road) or 2. via Rumichaca and St. Ines. Take the main road from Ayacucho to the coast until Rumichaca (paved and in good condition), then catch a bus to Huancavelica (departure 11am, dust road). The landscape is unique and impressive, the very most part of it is between 4000 and 5000 m sea level.
Daily buses to and from Andahuaylas, run by Molina, Wari (leaves at 5:00am) and others (at least 10 rough hours). The dust road is partly in very poor condition, but the magnificent scenery is more than a compensation for that.
Get around
Taxis run for 3 Soles (0,80 US$) in the city.
See
Do
Day Trips
- Huari is the oldest urban center in the Andes You can visit the ruins and the museum (2 Soles, US$ 0,60) daily. Take a colectivo in Av. Cáceres to come there (0:45h, 2 Soles). On the way back, be sure to get a colectivo before 5:00pm, otherwise it may become difficult.
- La Quinua is a nice village with old buildings. Nearby, you can visit the Pampa de Quinua with its 44m high obelisk, remembering to the famous battle of Ayacucho in the Peruvian war of independence. The colectivos to Huari proceed to La Quinua.
Buy
High quality carpets can be found in Barrio Santa Ana. You come there following the Av. Grau.
In the Plaza Santa Ana right opposite the church you can find the Galería Latina, a family run weaving that produces extraordinarily high quality wall carpets with unbelievably fine elaborated Inca and Wari shapes. The family is very concerned to keep the traditionally way of natural coloring and weaving already in the 4th generation and has been invited for several times to international handicraft exhibitions in Zurich, Switzerland. From outside, it looks like a usual handicraft store, but if you ask, they will be glad to show you their little carpet exhibition and even the weaving rooms in the backrooms. The price for a wall carpet is about US$ 350, but it's worth that money.
Contact: Galería Latina, Plazuela de Santa Ana #105, Phone: 528315, e-mail: wari39@hotmail.com, Spanish preferred.
Eat
- The cafe of the university (UNSH(?)) is located in the atrium of a lovely colonial building besides the Cathedral at the Plaza de Armas.
Sleep
- Hotel Grau, Calle Juan de Dios 192, corner Av. Grau. Clean and safe, sometimes a bit noisy, 15 Soles (US$ 4).