Carhuaz

A tiny Peruvian city in the Callejón de Huaylas valley of Áncash, Carhuaz sits a short drive from Huaraz and offers a café and restaurant scene that punches above its size. Founded as San Pedro de Carhuaz — its Quechua name meaning "yellow" or "golden" — it sits at moderate elevation with a mild climate year-round. Nearby thermal springs at Chancos and the Anta airport add practical appeal, and the wider region is ringed by UNESCO World Heritage sites. The 19th-century explorer Antonio Raimondi nicknamed it "Carhuaz Borrachera" for the exuberant celebrations he witnessed in honour of the Virgen de las Mercedes.

• Population5,044
• Nearest water from center0.5 km
• Nearest mountain from center2.9 km
• UNESCO within 50 km1