Huancavelica is the capital of the department of Huancavelica. The population is about 37,000, altitude 3,680 m. Huancavelica is surrounded by about 4000 m high mountains that give a fantastic panorama. Around the plaza, many colonial buildings dominate the view.
The '''Tourist Office''' is very helpful, Jr. Victoria Garma 444 (next to the marked hall), Tele-fax 064-752938.
There are daily trains from Huancayo, leaving Huancayo at 6am and 1pm during the week and 2pm and 6pm Sundays. The journey takes about 5 hours.
From Huancayo, there are buses too but you should have a good reason if you decide to travel for hours on the dust road.
Daily '''buses from Ayacucho''' offer 2 alternatives: # The direct way via Lircay (dust road) or # via Rumichaca and St. Ines. Take the main road from Ayacucho to the coast until Rumichaca (paved and in good condition) then catch a bus to Huancavelica (departure 11am, dust road). The landscape is unique and impressive, most of it is between 4000 and 5000 m above sea level.
'''Daily buses to Ayacucho''' Buses leave at 4.30pm (!) from Plaza Tumpac Amaru del Barrio de Yananaco to Rumichaca (dust road, very impressive landscape, 6h) and arrive there at 10.30am. The bus company ''San Juan Bautista''at Plaza Tupac Amaru sells tickets. From Rumichaca, take one of buses that go from the coast to Ayacucho (paved road).