Junin and Mantaro River valley

Junin has a very heterogeneous topography. The western cordillera located near the border with the Lima Region, has snowy and ice covered peaks. On the east, there are high glacier valleys, which end up in high plateaus (Altiplano). Among them is the Junin Plateau that is located between the cities of La Oroya and Cerro de Pasco.

The city of Huancayo is located in the Mantaro River valley, one of the most productive valleys in the central Andes. Its population lives from agriculture, raising of cattle, trade and tourism. Years ago, the area was the land of the Huancas, a tribal enemy of the Incas who according to legend were finally dominated by Pachacutec after strong resistance.

Just thirty minutes away from Huancayo, in the province of La Concepcion, you arrive to the Convent of Santa Rosa of Ocopa. Franciscan missionaries built it in 1725 for the purpose of establishing a place for evangelizing the jungle people. There are still preserved Colonial monastery and an extraordinary library with more than 25,000 volumes.

From the city of Jauja, you can visit the beautiful Paca Lake. The city of Tarma, also known like the city of flowers, is celebrated for its attractive countryside and excellent climate. However, the department is not only mountainous. It also contains jungle valleys with splendid landscapes and typically tropical climate like Satipo and Chanchamayo, where the cities of San Ramon and La Merced are located.

The region is besides home to the Chacamarca Historic Sanctuary and the Junin National Reserve, which protects the second largest lake in Peru where the zambullidor of Junin lives, a bird almost extinct.