With the magnificent Cordillera Blanca and stunning Huascarán National Park on its doorstep, Huaraz is the hiking capital of Peru.
On my first trip to Peru in 2017, I’d wanted to go to Huaraz – I’m a lover of epic landscapes and beautiful treks and Huaraz really fit the bill! However, my friend and I simply didn’t have the time to detour northwards from Lima.
My main reason for returning to Peru for a second time was to explore the northern part of the country, especially Huaraz where, with so many hikes to do, I was thinking to spend at least two weeks.
For a couple of day hikes and two multi day treks, I spent just under three weeks. Here are the hikes I did (I loved them all and even celebrated my 24th birthday on one them!!!)…
Laguna Parón
Laguna Parón was the first day hike I did in Huaraz. It is the largest lake in Huascaran National Park and seriously the most turquoise lake I’ve ever seen! So so stunning!
At 4200m, it is a great option for an acclimatisation day hike as you can get used to the altitude without a hard hike. The walk to the mirador viewpoint only takes around half an hour.
I went with a tour which is definitely the easiest way. Tours cost 50 soles (£12 approx) and depart at 8am with hostel pick up. Be ready a bit before the pick up time as it’s not unheard of for them to be early – I was the first one in the van and picked up 15 mins early which meant I had to scramble to pack my breakfast!
Most of the trip is driving to and from Laguna Parón. On route to the lake, we had one half an hour stop at Carhuaz where we could grab snacks, go to the toilet and try its famed ice cream if you fancied.
From Carhuaz, we continued on to Caraz and then went up into the mountains along windy bumpy unpaved roads for 2 more hours. We stopped briefly to pay the 5 soles (£1.50 approx) entrance fee which our guide collected in advance and isn’t included in the tour price.
Once at the lake, we had two hours to explore. There are three options: you can walk the trail along the lake’s shore, go out on the lake in a row boat or walk up to the mirador. You could possibly do two of the three; however I didn’t want to rush so only chose one: the walk to the mirador.
The view from the top is just gorgeous!!! I sat up there for most of our visit! For the majority of the walk up there is a trail, towards the top the trail merges in with big rocks which need walking/climbing over.
After 2hrs, it was back in the van for the drive back to Huaraz. Our drive ended up taking 4hrs as we stopped to help the van in front of us which had got a flat tyre. Without that stop I reckon it would have taken us an hour less to get back.
Whilst it’s a long day of driving, I found Laguna Parón to be one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve seen in a long time. I can keep talking about its colour for ages! I really recommend!
Laguna 69
Laguna 69 is probably the most iconic day hike to do in Huaraz. The lake is beautiful and the views throughout the hike are gorgeous – waterfalls, purple flowers, smaller lakes, snow capped mountains…
Tours cost between 30/35 soles (£7 approx) and leave early in the morning. Hostel pick up is from 4.30am, this time around I was one of the last ones to be collected at 5am.
It’s about a 3.5hr drive which includes a stop for breakfast. The guide will also collect 30 soles (£7 approx) for the day entrance fee to Huascaran National Park. It’s a 14km return hike and approximately 5hrs of walking (3hrs up and 2hrs down) with an hour or more to spend at the lake depending on your pace.
At 4600m high, it’s an altitude challenging 7km hike up which will leave you breathing hard and stopping multiple times to catch your breath. I was happy to reach the top in 2hrs15. Doing the 4 day Santa Cruz trek beforehand definitely helped me I think!
Whatever you do walk at your own pace!! Although you are in a tour group, you don’t need to walk together. The guide is there to help if you’re struggling with the altitude and to keep everyone roughly on track timewise but he’s not there to keep everyone together. I really liked this as it felt less like a tour and meant I chose my own pace.
At 12.30pm we started the walk down which is quicker and took me just under 2hrs. We started the drive back at 3pm, arriving in Huaraz at 6pm.
Tip: Don’t underestimate the power of altitude, especially if coming from sea level Lima and you haven’t spent time at altitude previously! Do give yourself a few days to acclimatise in Huaraz. Your body and head will thank you for it and make the experience much more enjoyable!
Multi day treks
I did two multi day treks during my stay in Huaraz: 4 day Santa Cruz and the 8 day Huayhuash. I started off with the Santa Cruz trek. Firstly, I was really keen to do a hike on my birthday and secondly, as a bit of a test to see how I’d cope and whether an 8 day Huayhuash trek would be a possibility at all.
I’ve written separate posts about my Santa Cruz and Huayhuash experiences so if interested follow the links for a read!
How to get to Huaraz
Your route to Huaraz will depend on whether you’re travelling south to north or vice versa. If you’re coming from the south, you’ll most likely be coming from Lima.
There are multiple departures daily as well as multiple bus companies (Cruz del Sur, Oltursa, Movil, Linea) to choose from. The journey takes around 9hrs and will normally leave in the morning, early afternoon or at night. I went with Cruz del Sur at night and paid 60 soles (£15 approx). There are cheaper options!
From the north, you’ll most likely be coming from Trujillo. It’s around a 9hr bus ride with departures in the morning or at night. They usually cost from 40 soles (£10 approx) for day buses and standard seats. Expect to pay more for better seats and night buses.
Final thoughts
I’ve loved all my hikes in Huaraz and am so glad I finally made it! The Cordillera Blanca, Cordillera Huayhuash and Huascaran National Park are extremely beautiful!
Huaraz itself isn’t anything special but the hikes you can do from it are really amazing!! It honestly is the place to go for hiking!! So many epic landscapes!! It’s been brilliant to turn 24 here and spend the first two weeks of being 24 hiking in some seriously breathtaking places! I’m so happy I made it to Huaraz!
