Nicknamed the ‘Peruvian Switzerland’ for its glacial lakes and snow-capped peaks, Huaraz is the departure point for treks and expeditions to the Callejón de Huaylas. Huaraz hosts the annual Semana del Andinismo, including international ski events on the Pastoruri Glacier. The Huascarán National Park, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985, protects the area’s biggest indigenous plants, the Puya Raymondi (giant bromeliads that grow up to 15m high and live for over 40 years) and is the home of the native viscacha, puma, vicuña and the rare spectacled bear. The nearby Chancos thermal baths, known traditionally as the ‘Fountain of Youth’, are located 28km north of Huaraz. There are also many archaeological sites nearby, especially remarkable is the pre-Inca stone complex of Chavín de Huántar, situated 110km (69 miles) from Huaraz, dating from approximately 1200 BC. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.