huaraz is in north-central peru, about 420 km north of lima, and at an altitude of . it is the largest population center in the agriculturally important callejón de huaylas valley. the callejón (in spanish roughly meaning large valley or corridor) is a north-south valley bounded on the east by the cordillera blanca (permanent "white" snowcaps and glaciers) and on the west by the cordillera negra (no permanent snowcapped peaks or glaciers, hence "black"). the cordillera blanca includes huascarán, the highest mountain in peru at and the third highest in the western hemisphere. huascarán and the adjacent peak huandoy in fair weather are clearly visible from huaraz.