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Voykit pocket guide · Peru
Cerro de Pasco
Skip unless you are fascinated by mining towns and urban decay: half a day is enough to see the open-pit mine and main square, then move on.
Cerro de Pasco is a high-altitude mining city at 4,330 m, one of the highest in the world. Its centre is dominated by a huge open-pit mine, and pollution and lead contamination make it a tough place to linger. Most travellers pass through on the way between Huancayo and Huánuco, stopping for an hour or two.
- Country
- Peru
- Best months
- May–Sep (dry season)
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (rain, mud, cold)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PEN
- Money
- Currency is the Peruvian sol (PEN, S/). Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants in Lima and Cusco; markets, small towns, taxis and entrance fees in villages need cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget S/ 40–70 · Mid S/ 70–120 · High S/ 120+ (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Claro, Movistar, Entel and Bitel sell prepaid SIMs; register with your passport at official shops.
- Emergency
- Police 105 · Fire 116 · Ambulance (SAMU) 106
- Plugs
- Types A, C · 220 V · 60 Hz · US devices need to be dual-voltage (most chargers are).
- Tipping
- Restaurants: About 10% if service is not included.; Inca Trail porters and cooks: Per the operator's guidance; pooled at the end.; Guides: S/ 20–50 per person for a day tour.
- Water
- Not safe from the tap; bottled or filtered.
- Toilets
- Paper in the bin; carry tissue and coins for public toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Collectivo Huancayo → Cerro de Pasco | S/ 15–25 |
| Collectivo Huánuco → Cerro de Pasco | S/ 15–25 |
| Simple meal (menu del día) | S/ 8–15 |
| Bottle of water | S/ 1.5–3 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
Typical fares
- Collectivo Huancayo → Cerro de Pasco
- S/ 15–25, about 2–3 h (check)
- Collectivo Huánuco → Cerro de Pasco
- S/ 15–25, about 2–3 h (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walkable centre. Collectivos to nearby towns leave from the Terminal Terrestre.
See and do
Known for
- Open-pit mine in the city centre
- Extreme altitude (4,330 m)
- Bosque de Piedras de Huayllay
- Plaza Daniel Alcides Carrión
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bosque de Piedras de Huayllay | Collectivo from Terminal Terrestre, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Huánuco | Collectivo from Terminal Terrestre, about 2–3 h | About 2.5–3.5 h |
| Huancayo | Collectivo from Terminal Terrestre, about 2–3 h | About 2.5–3.5 h |
Sleep
- Near the bus station (Terminal Terrestre)
- Where collectivos arrive; basic hotels like Hotel Wong. Hot water is unreliable — ask before booking.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HolaOH-lah |
| Thank you | GraciasGRAH-see-ahs |
| How much? | ¿Cuánto cuesta?KWAHN-toh KWES-tah |
| Where is the bus station? | ¿Dónde está el terminal terrestre?DOHN-deh es-TAH el ter-mee-NAHL te-RRES-treh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; one cheek kiss among acquaintances; avoid: Skipping greetings
- Food pride: Ask about local dishes; avoid: Comparing pisco or ceviche unfavourably with Chile's
- Photos: Ask and pay if asked; avoid: Photographing people without asking
- Politics: Listen; avoid: Taking sides in protests
Scams and watch-outs
- Altitude sickness: 4,330 m is extreme; spend 2+ days lower (Huánuco or Huancayo) first.
- Lead contamination: do not touch or eat anything from the mine area.
- Hot water is often unavailable or only available mornings and evenings.
- Freezing nights even in the dry season; bring a warm jacket and hat.
The main risks are altitude sickness and lead contamination from the mine. Avoid touching soil or water near the pit. Crime is low but standard precautions apply after dark.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Cerro de Pasco yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Open-pit mine in the city centre
- Extreme altitude (4,330 m)
- Bosque de Piedras de Huayllay
- Plaza Daniel Alcides Carrión
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Cerro de Pasco, revision 4484686 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4484686
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/cerro-de-pasco). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.