Chavín de Huántar is a small highland town in Ancash, best known for the archaeological site on its edge. The mountains are close, the air is thin, and the road from Huaraz crosses serious Andean country before dropping into the valley.
The old ceremonial centre is the reason travelers make the trip. Long before the Inca, Chavín priests built temples, plazas, drainage channels, and underground galleries that helped spread a religious and artistic style across much of ancient Peru. The Lanzón, still in its stone chamber, is one of the most unsettling and powerful objects in the Andes.
Most people come as a long day trip from Huaraz, but staying overnight gives you time for the museum, the town, and short walks above the valley after the tour groups leave.