Rock Forest

It is a mystic rock forest formed by the erosion of time and one of the most impressive geological attractions of the region. Hatun Machay – which in Quechua language means Big Cave - is a mere 1 ½ hours from Huaraz, situated in the Cordillera Negra (Black Mountain Range) at an altitude of 4290 m.a.s.l.. This zone is home to an amazing stone forest of divers and interesting array of rock formations. The area is over 200 hectares in total and offers in its many sectors caves, ruins, and stone carvings and paintings dating back 10,000 years.

Today Hatun Machay is the largest Rock Climbing Centre in Peru. There is an extensive variety of all levels sport routes from absolute beginner to the truly hard core. Hatun Machay is also a boulders dream with enough problems to last a life time.

On top of climbing, Hatun also offers alternative activities such as mountain biking, trekking, archaeological and mystic tours and horse riding.

This is not all. Hatun Machay now has his own refuge sleeping up to 50 people. The Refuge offer beds, camping, kitchen facilities and bathrooms.

Because of this and much more Hatun Machay is a place you can't miss…

miércoles, 24 de febrero de 2010

CLIMBING IN HATUN MACHAY

Hatun Machay is a sport climber’s paradise with bolted routs ranging from level 4 up to 8a. There is also an impressive amount of all level bouldering within a 15 minute walk from the refuge.

The most equipped area to date is the northern face, that which can be seen from the refuge. With that said, there are also new sectors being equipped every month as we open up the amazing potential of Hatun Machay.

In the lower part of the valley we are currently opening up a new region with rock walls at up to 100m. It’s a 30 minutes’ walk from the refuge and offers a breathtaking view of the rock forest.

In agreement with the local community many areas of Hatun Machay have been declared “nature zones”. The aim is to preserve the ecological balance in the area whilst respecting the community’s land and cultural history.

Hatun Machay now boats more than 150 sport routs in a radias of 1 Km or so. A detailed topographical map is available with rout, names, grades, heights and quality at climbs.

Hatun Machay is now considered the first and foremost rock climbing destination in Peru.










martes, 23 de febrero de 2010

WHERE TO SLEEP & REFUGE SERVICES -- DONDE DORMIR Y SERVICIOS DEL REFUGIO


The place counts with a Refuge, with a capacity of 30 people, with kitchen and main dining room, the car leaves you at the door, Services:

*Use of refuge: It allows the use of the main dining room. This service is for free.

*Rent of Equipment: the refuge counts with all the necessary equipment for rock climbing and camping. You can ask the refuge keeper about it.

* Camp Site: There is only one sector that is next to the refuge. You can use all the facilities of the Refuge for free, but not the kitchen, if you want to use the kitchen you have to pay S/3. - Nuevos Soles.

*Toilets: the use of bathrooms free recommendable to all those that visit the area of the refuge Hatun Machay.

*Dining room: The service of dining room and cafeteria offers drugstore products (cookies, chocolates, cereal bar, etc.) hot drinks (Tea, cafe and hot chocolate) and cold drinks (Gaseosas, mineral water), Wines in bottle, and Beer.

*Garbage: The refuges count on its own garbage baskets, but anyway try to go back to the city with your own garbage and contribute with the cleaning of the Touristic Complex of Hatun Machay.

* Rescues and First aid: The refuge counts on a basic medicine kit. Medicines are not for sale. In case of feeling malaise or ailment, consults to the refuge keeper, who will act consequently. The medicine provision runs on behalf of those who ingest them. In case of serious accidents, the rescues are coordinated by the refuge keepers that summon the people who take part in the initial phase of the operation.

*Rent of Equipment: the refuge counts on all the necessary equipment for rock climbing and camping. You can ask the refuge keeper about it.



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El lugar cuenta con un Refugio, de una capacidad de 30 personas, con cocina y comedor principal, una buena salamandra para la noche, y una mini cafetería. Los Servicios del Refugio son:

* Uso de refugio: Permite el uso del comedor principal. Este servicio es gratuito.

* Acampe: Hay solo un sector de acampe que se encuentra al lado del refugio. Se pueden utilizar todas las instalaciones del Refugio a excepción del uso de cocina, que es de S/3.- Nuevos Soles.

* Sanitarios: el uso de los baños del refugio es libre y gratuito y recomendable a todos los que visitan el Refugio Hatun Machay.

* Comedor: El servicio de comedor y cafetería le ofrece productos de kiosco (galletitas, chocolates, alfajores, etc.) bebidas calientes (té, café) y frías (gaseosas variadas, agua mineral), Vinos en botella, y cerveza.

* Basura: El Refugio cuenta con cestos de basura, de todas formas regrese con sus propios residuos y contribuya con la limpieza del Complejo Turístico de Hatun Machay.

* Rescates y Primeros auxilios: El refugio cuenta con un botiquín básico para efectuar primeros auxilios. No tenemos medicamentos a la venta. En caso de sentir malestar o dolencia consulte al refugiero, quién actuará en consecuencia. El suministro de medicamentos corre por cuenta de quien los ingiere. En caso de accidentes graves, los rescates

son coordinados por los refugieros quienes convocan a las personas que intervienen en la fase inicial del operativo.

* Alquiler de Equipo: el refugio cuenta con todo el equipo necesario para la escalada en roca y campamento. Consulte al refugiero por los precios.

ROCK CLIMBING



Hatun Machay is a sport climber’s paradise with bolted routs ranging from level 4 up to 8a. There is also an impressive amount of all level bouldering within a 15 minute walk from the refuge.

The most equipped area to date is the northern face, that which can be seen from the refuge. With that said, there are also new sectors being equipped every month as we open up the amazing potential of Hatun Machay.

In the lower part of the valley we are currently opening up a new region with rock walls at up to 100m. It’s a 30 minutes’ walk from the refuge and offers a breathtaking view of the rock forest.

In agreement with the local community many areas of Hatun Machay have been declared “nature zones”. The aim is to preserve the ecological balance in the area whilst respecting the community’s land and cultural history.

Hatun Machay now boats more than 120 sport routs in a radias of 1 Km or so. A detailed topographical map is available with rout, names, grades, heights and quality at climbs.

Hatun Machay is now considered the first and foremost rock climbing destination in Peru.

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Es un místico bosque de rocas formado por la erosión del tiempo en una de las más impresionantes atracciones geológicas de la región. Hatun Machay -que en lengua Quechua significa 'cueva grande- queda a solo una hora y media de Huaraz, sobre la Cordillera Negra, a 4.290 m.s.n.m. Esta zona alberga un maravilloso bosque de piedras de diversas e interesantes formaciones. El área tiene un total de 200 hectáreas, que ofrece muchos sectores de cuevas, ruinas, tallados y pinturas rupestres con diseños antropomorfos y zoomorfos, que datan 10,000 años antes.

Hoy en día Hatun Machay es el centro de escalada en roca más completo y organizado del Perú. Hay una gran variedad de rutas deportivas de todos los niveles, para principiantes hasta profesionales en la escalada. Hatun Machay es también un paraíso de Boulders, con suficientes como para que dure toda una vida.

Con la escalada como atracción principal, Hatun también ofrece otras actividades alternas como bicicleta de montaña, cabalgatas, trekking, tours arqueológicos y místicos.

Esto no es todo!! Hatun Machay ahora tiene su propio refugio, de una capacidad para 50 personas. El Refugio ofrece pernocte, camping, servicios de cocina y baños.

Por todo esto y mucho más, Hatun Machay es un lugar al que no se puede dejar de visitar…

CLIMATE -- CLIMA

The climate of Hatun Machay is tropical but quite high; the area has a dry season from May to November, and a wet season, from December to April.

The dry season is characterized by having sunny, warm and dry mornings and afternoons, and cold nights (temperatures drop to 0° C) with clear skies and beautiful starry nights.

The wet season is characterized by having warm, dry and sunny morning (temperatures can reach 35°C with full sun) with rainy afternoon and nights. In this season the temperatures are more stable and don’t fluctuate greatly during the day. From time to time spectacularly violent storms blow it.

The most favorable time for adventure sports corresponds to The Dry Season with about 100 days of continual clear skies. The warmest and driest days belong to the months of June, July and August, but with very cold nights.


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El clima de Hatun Machay tropical pero de altura. Se caracteriza por tener una época seca de Mayo a Noviembre y una época húmeda de Diciembre a Abril.

La época húmeda se caracteriza por tener mañanas soleadas, secas y cálidas (hasta unos 35°C pleno sol) con tardes y noches lluviosas a veces violentas y con temperaturas más templadas.

La época seca se caracteriza por tener mañanas y tardes soleadas, secas y cálidas y noches frías (temperaturas cercas de los 0°C) con un cielo despejado presentando lindas noches estrelladas. La época favorable a los deportes de aventura corresponde por ser la época seca que cuenta con unos 100 días exentos de lluvias.

Los días más cálidos y secos son junio, julio y agosto. La diferencia de temperatura y de luminosidad es muy fuerte de un lugar expuesto a los rayos solares a un lugar de sombra. Los vientos pueden ser violentos con remolinos que levantan polvo.

HOW TO GET THERE -- COMO LLEGAR

The archaeological complex of Hatun Machay and the stone forest is located near the Farmer Community of Pampas Chico, Pampas Chico district, province of Recuay, Department of Ancash, at 4290 m.a.s.l.

Andean Kingdom offers private transport to Hatun Machay every day.

From Huaraz, Private Transport:
The turn off for Hatun Machay is 69 km from the town of Huaraz.
Leave Huaraz on the main road towards Lima passing through the towns of Recuay and Catac until you reach Km # 131. (This will be on your right hand side and will be approximately 35 – 40 minutes from Catac)
Turn right onto a small dirt road which goes up the hillside in many switchbacks. After approximately 6 Km’s you will come to a road junction, turn left and follows this road up and over the hill and down into the valley. You won’t see the refuge until you are almost there, so have faith and keep on going.

* From Huaraz there is no direct public transportation to the refuge.
You can take a kombi / shared taxi to Catac; 3-5 soles, and from there hire a taxi to the Refuge of Hatun Machay 40 – 50 soles each way.




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El complejo arqueológico de Hatun Machay y el bosque de piedras está ubicado cercano a la comunidad campesina de Pampas Chico, distrito de Pampas Chico, provincia de Recuay, Departamento de Ancash, a una altitud de 4.290 m.s.n.m.

Andean Kingdom ofrece transporte privado hacia Hatun Machay a diario.

Desde Huaraz, Transporte Privado:
El desvío hacia Hatun Machay is a 69 Km de la ciudad de Huaraz.
Tome la pista principal de Huaraz – Lima, pasando por los pueblos de Recuay y Catac, hasta alcanzar el Km # 131. (el monolito y el desvio se encuentran a mano derecha de la pista, y son unos 35 – 40 minutos desde Catac) Doble a la derecha por la cortada de tierra, camino arriba con muchos zig-zags. Despues de aproximadamente 6 Km, nos encontramos con otro desvio, tome el de la derecha y siga por este camino arriba, sobre el cerro y adentrándose al valle, No se vera el refugio hasta estar muy cerca de el mismo, por este motivo, tenga fe y vaya para adelante!

* Desde Huaraz no hay transporte publico hasta el refugio.
Puedes tomarte una combi o un taxi compartido hasta Catac, S/3-5 Nuevos Soles, y desde aquí un taxi hasta el Refugio de Hatun Machay, S/40-50 Nuevos Soles por tramo.