Tour bus on the way to Pastoruri glacier.
Children look for tips at a stopping place.

There is no plane service from Lima to Huaraz. The road distance is 400 km., first north along the coastal dunes and plain to Barranca, then inland climbing 13,000 feet into the mountains before descending to 10,000 feet at Huaraz. The bus time is 7 or 8 hours.

Movil Tours and Cruz Del Sur run at least two buses a day each from Lima. Each stops in Los Olivos, not far from the airport on the Pan-American Norte. The cheapest and quickest way to Huaraz is by taxi directly from the airport to Los Olivos, and then onto the morning or overnight buses which leave around nine, tying in conveniently with flight arrivals around five. Movil Tours is said to have the better buses. Its overnight bus has sleepers on two decks. The lower deck is more comfortable. Prices range from S/.30 to S/.55 ($9 to $17).

Check the Lima link for more help on the Lima piece. 

When you get to Huaraz on any of these buses you will be facing north and you will be a block north and a block east of the Cafe Andino (closed on Monday), a favorite hang-out of the trekking crowd, and a great place to stretch your legs and get a cup of hot chocolate. Or you can get one of the many cabs to take you to your hostel. Just make sure to get a look at the cab before you let the driver take possession of your bags or bag check ticket

Walking and taxis are the main way of getting around Huaraz. Most anywhere in town the regular fare is S/.2. You have but to lift a finger and a taxi will be there to pick you up. Until you are acclimated, you may well choose to walk downhill into town and take a cab home . There is a collectivo (small bus) route from the cemetery to Monterrey which is cheaper still. For a trip to some of the villages in the surrounding hills, or north up the valley to neighboring towns like Caraz, Yungay and Carhuaz you can take a combi from the Rio Quillcay bridge on Av. Luzuriaga. This will cost one to five soles depending on the distance, and the conditions will be cramped. To get further up one of the valleys on terrible roads, it is sometimes possible to negotiate a taxi ride, but the cost will be steep, over S/.50. You can get to Chavin on a regular bus of Rio Mosna or Chavin Express, leaving about 9 in the morning a block west of Plaza San Martin for a cost of S/.10, which for a 3 hour ride is pretty good.

Most tourists hit the highlights by signing up for tours using 25 passenger buses of good quality. A guide is provided on most tours, but may not speak English. The cost is higher than using public transport, and there may be frustrations as the bus runs around town picking up more passengers, stops at rest stops where the guide gets a kick-back, waits for passengers who do not keep track of the time, or simply gets held up at a check point by law enforcement.

Remember that in Latin America, toilet paper is a valuable commodity and you are expected to carry a personal supply. Also remember that coins are counterfeit as well as bills. Look for good milling on the edge of any coin and learn the slight color differences between real and false. Check for watermarks on all bills. In particular check for counterfeit $100 bills if the serial number starts with CB-B2. They would not fool someone who is accustomed to good bills, provided they are aware and on the lookout.