Photo Essay: Hiking the Andes with Mountain Lodges of Peru

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Celaque means "box of water" in the indigenous Lencan tongue—with good reason. The nine rivers and many streams that are born in the mountain not only provide water to people throughout the area, but also make for stunning scenery as you hike through this park. Want to go to the top? Not a problem, though it is a physically demanding climb, and hiring a guide is recommended. The entrance to the park is just five kilometers from the town of Gracias, and you can stay just outside the park in the Villaverde cabaqas, or inside the park at the visitors center. Located at the site of an old hydropower plant that ceased operation in 1981, rough beds sleep 16 people and potable water is available in the kitchen.