The Turquoise Waters of Huancaraylla are a desirable tourist destination that hides one of the greatest landscapes in Ayacucho and Peru. Read below to find out all the information you need to travel and enjoy these magnificent natural pools.
The most beautiful natural pools in Ayacucho and Peru
With a total of 20 turquoise and green pools (depending on the time of year), this treasure of nature is adorned by the vegetation of the Peruvian mountains, forming a landscape worthy of a paradisiacal postcard. The color of its waters is produced due to sunlight and the minerals carried by the river.
However, the large number of tourists who enter and bathe in the Turquoise Waters of Huancaraylla have begun to damage and change the color of such magnificent natural beauty. When tourists bathe, they raise the dust that rests at the bottom of the pools and cloud the color of their waters. For this reason, Dircetur has decided to prohibit tourists from entering the pools, at least until the end of 2019. It is expected that with this decision the Turquoise Waters can recover their original colors.
How to get to the Turquoise Waters of Huancaraylla?
Your first stop to see the Turquoise Waters of Huancaraylla should be Ayacucho, also known as Huamanga. If you are in Lima, you can take a plane for around $70 and be in the city in an hour, or take an overnight bus and arrive in about 10 hours. These have a cost close to 50 soles. There are also some bus services (Movilbus, Palomino) that connect Ayacucho with Cusco in 14 hours, with an approximate cost of 70 soles. From Ayacucho you can take a bus to the town of Circamarca, from where you must walk no more than 30 minutes to reach the circuit that runs through the natural pools.
However, one of the most comfortable options to get to know them is by hiring a tour to the Turquoise Waters of Huancaraylla from Ayacucho.
One of the advantages of visiting through a tour is that an expert guide will accompany you throughout the journey, who will give you all the information about the place in addition to providing greater safety when walking. The terrain where the natural pools are located is rocky and not entirely easy to navigate, so you must be very cautious and not walk outside the established route.
When to visit the Turquoise Waters of Huancaraylla?
The best time to visit the Turquoise Waters is between May and September, when the dry season occurs and there is a lower chance of rain. Additionally, the color change of the pools changes drastically depending on the time of year. We recommend avoiding your visit during the months of January and February, as the torrential rains cloud the color of the water until it is practically unrecognizable. You can see the color change depending on the month in the image above.
Visit the Turquoise Waters of Huancaraylla during Holy Week
If your idea is to take advantage of the long Easter weekend to get to know Ayacucho and the Turquoise Waters of Huancaraylla, you should take into consideration some recommendations. The influx of public during this religious festival, national and foreign, increases considerably. It becomes necessary then that you plan your visit months in advance, especially if you plan to hire a tour, since these sell out quickly during these dates.
Tourism in Ayacucho
Ayacucho has other excellent attractions so you can enjoy the city for several days. Also known as the City of Churches, it is totally worth taking a historical tour through its streets and colonial buildings.
Another of the secrets that Ayacucho hides is the Qorihuillca Canyon. It is a large crack formed by the passage of a river that eroded the terrain. It is 2 km long and can be covered in approximately two hours. Along the path you pass through illuminated areas and other completely dark ones, located underground. We also recommend the Grieta de las Golondrinas. There are hundreds of meters of immense walls covered by green moss caused by humidity. In the sector there are also caves where parrots, bats and swallows live.
Machu Picchu Travel Tours
Reserve our guided trips to Machu Picchu by contacting our travel experts and you will be closer to completing your adventure:
- Cusco Tours
- Machu Picchu Day Trip
- Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu
- Machu Picchu Peru
- Machu Picchu tours from Lima
- Inti Raymi Festival and Machu Picchu
- Combo Sacred Valley to Machu Picchu
Best Tours in Cusco
Many are the routes that take you to Machu Picchu, but none is like the Inca Trail Tours, the most famous pedestrian path in the Americas. After flying from the capital of Perú, Lima, you will arrive in Cusco to walk for four days along a path through forests and dense fog, millenary stone steps and discovering the ruins of ancient fortifications and Inca cities, and all the time enjoying majestic views.
- Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu 5 days
- Hiking the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu 5 days
- Inca Quarry Trail 4 Days
- 2 Day Inca Trail Tour
- 2 Day Inca Trail with Camping
- 3 Day Inca Trail
- Vilcabamba Hike to Machu Picchu 6 days
- Choquequirao trek to Machu Picchu 9 days
- Ausangate trek 7 days
If you want to visit Machu Picchu, we recommend you to book your Machu Picchu Ticket in advance, so you will enjoy your Vacation in Machu Picchu without any problem.