Huancayo Travel Guide 2023: What to Do in and Around Huancayo, Peru

I’ve been living in Peru, specifically in Huancayo in the Central Andes of Peru, for over 10 years now, and I always tell my friends that it’s so worth visiting here if you want a taste of the real Peru that you wouldn’t get in Cusco because Huancayo is still relatively untouched by international tourism. These are the places I’d recommend seeing to get a feel for what it’s traditionally like living in Peru and in the Andes mountains.

In the City of Huancayo, Peru

• Torre Torre – natural clay formations
• Fería de Coto Coto where farm animals are sold (by the Estadio de Coto Coto; most events are on weekends)
• Fería de Yauris where there are llamas (weekends)
• Fería Dominical/Sunday Fair all along Avenida Huancavelica in the Huancayo from Jirón Cusco towards Chilca
• Main Huancayo Markets behind Real Plaza Mall
• Parque de la Identidad Huanca – an outdoor park with sculptures of famous people from the region

Near Huancayo, Peru

• Cochas – including the Parque de los Mates Burilados/Carved Gourds Park – 20 mins away
• Bosque Dorado – 40 mins away
• La Cruz de la Paz where you can hike/walk up the stairs to the cross (behind here is farmland with a view of the Mantaro Valley) – 25 mins away
• León De Los Girasoles (Miraflores) – traditional lunch spot with family-friendly activities (go karting, playground, carousel, zip line, etc.) – 30 mins away
• Lechon at the Saturday Fair (Chupaca) where there’s a whole street of lechon (roasted pig) – get there before 8am – 40 mins away

A Bit Further from Huancayo, Peru

• Trout Farms in Ingenio – 1h away
• Complejo Turistico Piedra Parada (Concepción) where you hike/walk up the stairs to the status of the Virgin Mary – 1h away
• La Casa del Chef (Concepción) – traditional lunch spot with family-friendly activities (billiards table, ping pong, etc.) – 1h away
• Arwaturo Archeological Site where you can find Huancaino ruins – 1h away
• Fresh Ice Cream at Bonanza (Apata) – the area is known for its cattle and fresh milk – 1h away
• Laguna de Paca (Jauja) – 1.5h away
• Huaytapallana – the only snow-peaked mountain in the valley – 1.5h away

Even Further from Huancayo, Peru (Weekend Trip)

• Bosque de Piedras/Stone Forest (Huallay) at even higher altitude where you can hike to identify stone figures – 4h away
• La Merced – the closest Andean rainforest town to Huancayo – 4h away
• Oxapampa – rainforest town known for its German settlement – 6.5h away

Questions about Huancayo or suggestions on places to visit in Huancayo? Help me add to this list!

Updated January 23rd, 2023