It was created in July 1975 on a total area of 340,000 hectares and includes almost all the mountains in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range that top 4000 m. It is also an UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (1985) and its main objective is to protect the immense natural and cultural riches found in the longest tropical mountain range in the world. There are 663 glaciers, more than 200 mountains, 296 lakes, and 44 large rivers that form the home of a huge variety of wildlife, some that are endangered like the Andean bear, puya Raimondi, the taruca or Andean deer, and the Andean condor. A few of its major points of interest from a tourist perspective are the beautiful Llanganuco Lakes within a valley between Mount Huascaran and Mount Huandoy, the Pastoruri Glacier, the puya Raimondi forests, Lake Paron, and Lake Churup. There are, as well, several trekking routes that cover the best parts of the range and that last from 2 and 3 to even 12 days.

These are two beautiful glacier lakes - one is male (Lake Orconcocha) and the other female (Lake Chinancocha) - formed by meltwaters from Mount Huascaran and Mount Huandoy. They are in the midst of a deep glacier valley with the two impressive, snow and ice-covered mountain peaks overlooking them. The waters are crystalline, and the area has been somewhat developed; for instance, there is the Maria Josefa Footpath that winds its way through pristine queñual tree forests to the shore of Lake Chinancocha. A great place for trekking, bird watching, and photography.