Glaciar Pastoruri

Description

The Pastoruri glacier is one of the most visible examples of glacial retreat in the tropical Andes.

For years, Pastoruri hosted Perú's only skiing competition, until it stopped being held because of ice loss. In recent decades, the glacier has lost much of its area, and some studies predict that its snow could disappear within the next 15 or 20 years. To learn about this process first-hand, the Ruta del Cambio Climático was created: an interpretive route showing how global warming is transforming the mountains.

In addition to the glacier, the route passes through high-Andean wetlands, vast plains and stands of puya Raimondii, one of the Cordillera Blanca's most emblematic species. This plant can grow more than 10 metres tall, live for over 100 years and take several decades to flower. When it finally does, it can produce up to 12,000 flowers. It is currently endangered.

There are also other attractions along the route, such as cave paintings and dinosaur footprints. Fossils of 12 dinosaur species have been found nearby, considered the world's highest-altitude dinosaur discoveries.