Hello, traveller! If you are reading this, you probably already feel the adventure bug waking up and you picture yourself surrounded by Peru’s most impressive snow-capped peaks. Before you lace up your hiking boots, let me tell you something important: Yungay is not just a dot on the map, it is a living story.
People often pass through on the way to the lakes and only see the scenery. But once you know what this land has lived through, your connection to the place changes completely. At Comtury Lodge we believe travelling is about understanding the soul of the place where you wake up.
A little history, told with respect
On 31 May 1970 a magnitude 7.9 earthquake shook Peru. A huge mass of ice, rock and mud broke away from Huascarán and, within minutes, buried the old town of Yungay. Casualty figures vary by source, but all agree it was one of the worst tragedies in the country’s history.
What came next defines its people: resilience. Survivors and later generations rebuilt their home a short distance away, on safer ground, and raised the New Yungay you walk today. If you want the full story, we tell it here.
What makes the New Yungay special?
1. The Plaza de Armas and its views. From the square you can see Huascarán and Huandoy as if they were in your own back garden. It is a perfect spot to sit, breathe clean air and feel grateful to be here. From Comtury it is about an 8-minute walk.
2. The Campo Santo. It is the site of the old town and today a place of peace, with roses, an open-armed Christ and the four palm trees that survived. It is not a place of sadness but of memory: it puts life in perspective.
3. The gateway to the mountains. Yungay is the door to Huascarán National Park, the Llanganuco lakes and hikes such as Laguna 69. Find a full guide in Things to do in Yungay.
Why stay in Yungay?
Because you are at about 2,450 m above sea level: a kind altitude to acclimatise before going higher (we share tips here). Because the pace is gentle, the air is clean and the people are warm. And because everything is within reach from here.
Tips for your first visit
- Spend your first day strolling the town slowly and drinking water.
- Visit the Campo Santo unhurried and in silence.
- Talk to people: in Yungay the best tips come in the plaza.
- Book ahead in the dry season (roughly May to September).
If you are looking for a place to sleep with a garden, hammocks and the mountains beyond, meet our bungalows. We would love to welcome you.
Want to live it in person?
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