72 The provincial capital of Huaraz in northern Peru draws lovers of the outdoors and those who appreciate breathtaking scenery and natural beauty. It is the springboard town for access to the Huascaran National Park, a Biosphere Reserve and UNESCO World Heritage Site, with 30 peaks over 5,000 metres (over 15,000 feet), dozens of lakes and groaning glaciers. To the southeast of Huaraz, the Chavín de Huantar archaeological complex includes temples, tunnels, stone buildings and plazas. It was once the ceremonial centre of the ancient Chavín culture, which in? uenced great swathes of Peru for centuries. Discovered in 1843, Kuélap is a hugely-impressive stone fortress perched on a mountaintop amid the mist and trees of the cloud forest. It was built by the mysterious warrior culture of the Chachapoyas, who defended its territory from the Incas until ? nally succumbing to their northern expansion in the 14th century, just decades before the arrival of the Spanish troops lead by Francisco Pizarro. Kuélap is just one of dozens of ruins which are still being discovered in this cloud-raked land. Kuélap Kuélap fortress Huaraz Trekking in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range