Ayacucho
Table of Contents: Culture and History / Travel to Ayacucho, visa requirements / Get around / Ayacucho attractions and sightseeing / City tours / Shopping, Ayacucho souvenirs / Good restaurants and cheap meals / Ayacucho nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs. / Hotels, youth hostels, lodging / Get out More from Ayacucho %28department%29: Ayacucho |
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. It is home of the Morocucho people, a group of the Quechua.
Culture and History
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.
Travel to Ayacucho, visa requirements
The Airport has flights from Lima. Small airlines in Peru are a bit sketchy, but a good alternative for those who don't like a rough long bus ride.
Daily buses to and from Lima on a well paved road. (9-10h) - It goes over some high mountain passes which make some people sick
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$) in the city.
Ayacucho attractions and sightseeing
City tours
Willy Del Posa Posa runs a Tourist Agency Near the Plaza de Armas. He proved honest and helpful on a few occasions.
Shopping, Ayacucho souvenirs
- High quality carpets can be found in Barrio Santa Ana. You come there following the Av. Grau.
- Galería Latina, Plazuela de Santa Ana #105, Phone: 528315, e-mail: wari39@hotmail.com, Spanish preferred. In the Plaza Santa Ana right opposite the church you can find the Galería Latina, a family run weaving that produces extraordinarily high quality wall carpets with unbelievably fine elaborated Inca and Wari shapes. The family is very concerned to keep the traditionally way of natural coloring and weaving already in the 4th generation and has been invited for several times to international handicraft exhibitions in Zurich, Switzerland. From outside, it looks like a usual handicraft store, but if you ask, they will be glad to show you their little carpet exhibition and even the weaving rooms in the backrooms. The price for a wall carpet is about US$ 350, but it's worth that money.
Good restaurants and cheap meals
- The Cafe of the University (UNSH(?)) is located in the atrium of a lovely colonial building besides the Cathedral at the Plaza de Armas.
- Magino Negra (Black Magic) - a few blocks from the Plaza de Armas. Serves Pizza, is a bit upscale and comfortable for Americans and a foose ball table
- Don't miss the best hamburgers ever, served by the street vendors near the plaza at night. Perfect drunken food. You should get the 'triple'. You can get it with a cheap thin hamburger, egg, hotdogs, potatoe sticks, olive mayonase. It is recommended to get it "sin lechuga" (without lettuce) as lettuce is supposed to particularly harbor micro-organisms. Don't eat too many.
Ayacucho nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.
- Centro Turístico Cultural San Cristobal, a block and a bit from the Plaza de Armas, 28 de Julio 178. The best place we found for caffeinated beverages (i.e. it actually has cappuccinos, Americanos, etc.). There are a few little cafes here. As the name of the centre suggests, the area is intended for tourists and is a bit pricier than other areas.
Hotels, youth hostels, lodging
You can stay at the Plaza Hotel for as long as you need.
- Hotel La Crillonesa, one block from the main Mercado and just a few from the Plaza de Armas, Nazareno 165. They asked for 35 Soles for a room with private bathroom and double bed, but readily accepted the 30 Soles we counter-offered. Rooftop terrace (great view), cafe, cable TV in most rooms, 24hr hot water, friendly service. We really liked being near the market and the bustling pedestrian-only street that goes by it.
Get out
- Huari/Wari 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.
- Expreso Los Chankas, Pje Cáceres 150. As far as we could tell, the only place to offer direct service to Cuzco. 55 Soles each for a 22-hour ride on a semi-cama bus. Buses at 6:30am and 7pm.
More from Ayacucho %28department%29: Ayacucho |
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