Huaraz
Huaraz is a city up north from Lima, about 8 hours by bus. It's nestled in the Huaylas valley, high up at over 3000 meters above sea level. From here, you can see the snowy peaks of the Cordillera Blanca range, including Peru’s tallest mountain, Huarascán.
This city is a great base to explore some of Peru’s most stunning spots, especially if you love hiking. Compared to bustling Cusco, Huaraz is much quieter, making it a perfect place to chill for 5 to 7 days or even more!
Huaraz itself is a cozy little town with cool bars and fun local markets. Since it's not overrun with tourists yet, you get a real taste of Peruvian life here.
What to do
Huascaran National Park is one of the hidden gems of Peru. It is a region of more than 340.000 hectares. The park is named after its snowiest mountain, called the Huarascán, which is also visible from Huaraz. The mountain is the highest one in Peru, counting 6768 meters.
In the park, you will see the Puya Raimondii plants. They can grow up to 15 meters tall and are only to be found in Peru or Bolivia.
All following places are located in the park. All prices for the tours are excluded the park entrance fee, which is about 6 to 10 euro, depending how far into the park you have to go. Booked all tours with Atusparia Tours Huaraz.
Laguna Paron
Laguna Paron is a real gem in Peru. It's about three hours north of Huaraz, nestled in Huascaran National Park, sitting at 4200 meters above sea level. If you're not up for the challenge of reaching Laguna 69 due to its high altitude, this lake is a perfect alternative.
To make it easy, just book a tour in Huaraz. They'll take you there in a minivan, with some fun stops along the way. It's a full-day adventure.
The minivan drops you off near the lake. Then, it's a 30-minute hike to reach the viewpoint, the best spot for stunning photos of the lake and the mountains around it. Take it slow though, because the altitude can hit you hard.
Fun fact: On a clear day, you might catch sight of the mountain used by the movie studio Paramount.
Don't forget to bring some cash, sunscreen, a poncho, an extra jacket, snacks, and, of course, your camera!
Pastoruri Glacier
Pastoruri Glacier is down south from Huaraz, about three hours away and 5000 meters above sea level. It’s one of the few glaciers left in South America, but it’s melting fast. Even in winter, the glacier doesn’t get more ice. So, it’s shrinking all the time and might vanish in a few years. These photos I have are all from January 2019.
Once you’re near the glacier, starting from the parking, you can choose between two different hikes. If you go left, the hike is more than an hour. Taking the path that goes to the right is a little shorter, about 40 minutes, but it’s tougher because of the altitude.
Don’t forget to bring some cash, a scarf, gloves, a poncho, an extra jacket, snacks, and of course, a camera.
Oh, and there’s an extra fee to get into the park. Just ask your guide how much it is.
Llanganuco Lagoon
Llanganuco Lagoon is a beauty spot, about 2.5 hours north of Huaraz, sitting at 3800 meters above sea level. The water's a stunning turquoise green, surrounded by towering cliffs.
But here's the thing: there's no real viewpoint. You mostly just stroll by the lake. It was a bit of a letdown for us because the tourguide didn't give us much time to to explore the area.
Honestly, if you're short on time in Huaraz or Peru, you might want to skip this one.
Oh, and don't forget, there's an extra entrance fee of 2.5 euros (or 10 soles) for the park.
Where to stay
One of the best places I’ve ever stayed, ZR Home! Location in Huaraz is great, the host is amazing and the view is from another world! The mountain you see on the first picture is Peru’s tallest mountain, Huarascán. Not bad to wake up with!
