Many Peruvian towns have a cross on a hill with a path leading tantalizingly to the top, but no others have a pinch-yourself view of the snowy Huayhuash range rising above a sea of lesser peaks. To get to the giant cross above Chiquián, follow Jirón Tacna from the Plaza de Armas, take the staircase uphill, veer right at the top and follow the path round.
The tallest peak, Yanupajá (the second-highest mountain in Peru), rises like an icy meat cleaver above all opposition. The peak to the right is the infamous Siula Grande.