Hiking in Huaraz (Peru) | Tips, walking routes, tours and information

Huaraz is the hiking village of Peru! If you like hiking and visiting Peru, you really can't miss this city. Of course you have to have the time for it, but I can tell you that it is definitely worth it. In this article I start with some general tips and information and then I explain the most beautiful hikes in Huaraz. I do this in an order from easy to difficult and from low to high, so that your body can get used to the heights.

Tour in Peru (backpacking)

Peru; the land of the Incas, mysterious discoveries, colonial cities and the traditionally dressed population. Peru is the country of the impressive Andes mountains, deserts and high-altitude lakes. Are you looking for inspiration or information about Peru or are you already backpacking in the country? Then read the articles below packed with information, travel stories and practical tips…

General tips and information

The city of Huaraz

The city of Huaraz (location here) itself isn't much to it. Although it was bigger than I expected. It is quite walkable, but a very chaotic city. With shops everywhere (of which strangely enough not so many hikers shops) you can hardly find a quiet street.

Fortunately, you can find peace outside the city. Huaraz offers a lot of possibilities, such as day trips and multi-day treks (here to book). I would like to take you through the possibilities, so that you can make the right choices. Or of course like us, just do them all! 

Altitude sickness and its prevention

Huaraz is located at an altitude of 3.052 meters. If you have never been to this height or higher before (like us!), your body really needs to get used to it. 

You really don't want to get altitude sickness. Symptoms of altitude sickness include headache, shortness of breath, nausea, tiredness, dizziness and lack of appetite. Altitude sickness is caused by a lack of oxygen in the body. I don't think you can prevent it completely, but there are a few things you can do to try.

First of all, it is important to let your body get used to this height. Sometimes that simply means staying the same level for a day. It is also important to ascend slowly to the altitude. Furthermore, it is important to drink a lot of water, more than you normally need! Consuming alcohol, on the other hand, is unwise.

The right equipment

To make it as easy as possible for yourself, I definitely recommend that you get the right equipment. Of course it differs per person what you really like. Of course you want to do hiking with comfortable clothing. For me, good hiking pants, somewhat thicker sports socks, high hiking boots, layers of comfortable outerwear and a nice daypack.

About hiking boots you probably hear many different stories. I've heard it too. There are certainly hikers who have done the hikes on sneakers. In any case, I can recommend good walking shoes. If only because I didn't have any pain in my feet, I could easily walk everywhere, whatever the surface of the path, and they are waterproof!

Also about a daypack (daypack) I read so many different stories. I have a daypack with a good sturdy hip belt and a capacity of 30 liters. The hip belt in particular is very nice, so that you don't carry everything on your shoulders. In addition, the size is nice, so that any clothing fits easily in the bag.

Finally, I was very happy with the (bought in Huaraz) walking stalk. It took some getting used to at first, but what a difference for your knees. What a recommendation! You can only find them in a few places. For example, we bought them for 70 soles per pair (€ 17,50) at Sierra Aventura Outdoor Equipment. You can find this store between Periodista Park en Avenida Mariscal Toribio de Luzuriaga.

Also read: Attention hikers: These are the 8 most beautiful hikes in the world!

The most beautiful hikes in Huaraz

As indicated above, we have undertaken several activities. We did two day tours through a tour operator, took two day hikes ourselves and did an eight day trek.

Below I will go through the day trips in detail, one by one, so that you can choose which ones you want to do. Would you like to read more about the eight-day trek? Then read my next blog about Huayhuash!

Laguna Wilcacocha

Laguna Wilcacocha (Location here) I scale under the heading of day hike. You can undertake this hike entirely on your own, so you do not need a guide or tour operator. It is an ideal first hike, because it is not far away from the city, but also because the top is the least high!

Via a collectivo, that is what the local buses are called here, you are at the location where you will start the hike in about 25 minutes. You take this collectivo in the center of Huaraz. There are two buses that go in the right direction, namely bus E and bus 10. You can catch this bus at the corner of Avenida Antonio Raymondic en Jiron Hualcan (Location here).

You do not pay here when boarding, but when asked for during the bus ride or when getting off. It all depends on what they're in the mood for. The costs for this are 3 soles per person per ride. So for a return ticket you only spend 6 soles per person for this bus, which is equal to €1,50. When boarding, you indicate that you want to get off at Laguna Wilcacocha. They inform you when you are almost there and then stop for you.. 

The lake is located at an altitude of 3.750 meters. Because this is quite an ascent from Huaraz, I recommend that you stay at the top for at least an hour. The lake itself isn't the prettiest thing you'll see in Huaraz, but it's worth it. On top of this mountain you have a beautiful view of the city of Huaraz and some surrounding mountains. That view is really worth it! If you also walk around the lake, you can easily spend an hour at the top.

The route is very easy to follow via the app maps.me. You have to pay attention that you do not go via the highway, because then you walk unnecessarily. You can make two choices on the way and that is via the village or not. We did not walk through this on the way there, but did so on the way back.

Because the lake and the mountain are not in one National Park there are no additional costs for this hike. A cheap, fun hike to start with!

Laguna Paron

Another lake that you can visit and which is a step higher is Laguna Paron (Location here). This lake is located at an altitude of 4.200 meters. You can also visit this lake on your own, but I do not recommend that. This is because it is a three-hour drive there and back.

I have to say that I didn't really think this was a hike. The reason for this was that you could already see the lake after getting off the bus and didn't even have to take a walk in front of it. Did you want that? Then you would have a nicer view over the lake, but it was only a hike of about 20 minutes. Incidentally, I have also seen many people take a little longer, so count on 30 to 40 minutes, then it is always not that bad! 

The hostel where I slept offered this tour and that's why I took it there too. The tour costs 50 soles per person (€12,50). You can also take the tour with them if you don't sleep there. This hostel was Krusty Hostel (here to book). Along the way you will still have to pay 5 soles per person (€1,25) for the National Park you enter. 

I was picked up from the accommodation around 8.30:18.30 am and was finally back in Huaraz around XNUMX:XNUMX pm. Please note, you will not be dropped off at your accommodation, but right in the center. Not so customer-friendly in my eyes, but they think that's normal there. 

Laguna Churu

Our third day trip went to Laguna Churu (Location here), where we got a little higher again. This lake is located at an altitude of 4.450 meters. Just like Parón and 69 (below) you see this hike often offered as tour, but this is certainly not necessary. You can easily undertake this hike on your own and I recommend that.

Just like towards Laguna Wilcacocha you take a local bus, a collectivo, in the center. The collectivo you need now has no number, but the front of the bus is very big Pitec/Churup. You can find it on the corner of Avenida Agustin Gamarrac en Avenue Las Americas (Location here).

By the way, he wasn't there with us, but drove up and down Avenida Agustín Gamarra a bit, looking for tourists with whom he could fill his van. The bus driver leaves as soon as the van is full, so it's actually ideal if he's looking so actively.

We were already at the van before 07.00:07.00 and because we were not the only ones, we left exactly at XNUMX:XNUMX. The advantage of going so early is that it is not so hot during your hike, that you have enough time to enjoy the view and hike back slowly.

You agree with the driver what time the van will pick you up again. For 20 soles per person, or €5, you have recorded the outward and return journey. We paid for the way back immediately at the drop-off, at the start of the hike. 

This hike does not need a route description, because it is really very simple. There is only one point on the route where you have to make a choice and that is towards the end. You can walk there in a loop. We recommend walking the loop as well and not walking up and down on one side.

Our advice is to turn right. This way you walk the loop in the best way, because you are going to climb a bit via the right side and you prefer to climb up with your hands on a rope, than down. The other way back is without climbing and is therefore (in our view better for the way back).

By the way, you will come across a house on the way where someone from the National Park is sitting and you have to pay 30 soles per person (€7,5) as an entrance. You can also buy a multi-day card for 60 soles per person, but it is only valid for a few days. It is wise to take the money with you in cash and appropriate, because it is not so touristy here and therefore there is hardly any change.

The lake is not as blue as that of Laguna Parón (the trip from before), but we still thought this lake was actually the most beautiful lake so far! The water had different shades of green and blue, the mountain with snow next to it was beautiful and the silence around you was fantastic!

It is a hike that is done less often than the well-known Parón en 69, but this lake and this hike is so worth a visit!

Additional tip: provide lunch. You can then eat it with this beautiful view. Especially if you are the first at the lake that day, like us, then it is really a lot of fun!

69 Lagoon

This is perhaps the most famous day hike in Huaraz. As with Laguna Parón, you can do this on your own, but we don't recommend it. Also for this hike you will be in the bus for a long time and for that reason alone we recommend a tour operator .

Also now we had taken the tour at our hostel and it costs 50 soles per person (€12,50). By the way, there are two types of hikes that you can make to Laguna 69, namely the classic route and the panorama route.

Until now (August 2022) the panorama route is only offered by the Hostel Akilpo. The difference is that with the panorama route you don't walk up and down the same road and you are at the location very early, so there are fewer tourists around you. The only drawback is that you will be picked up in the middle of the night, approximately at 02.00 am.

Also with the classic route, which we have done, you have no chance of sleeping in. The pick up time is 05.00:7 am. With the classic route you walk the same route as back. To be precise, this means 7 kilometers there and XNUMX kilometers back. 

The hike is quite tough and that is partly due to the altitude. The lake is located at an altitude of 4.600 meters. The route is very easy to find, because there is no sign of left or right turning. It's all straight ahead and up.

Also read: First time to Peru | 5 must-visits

The guide does accompany you on the route, but you don't really need it. He actually only walks along to indicate in time that people have to walk back, so that there are no stragglers or latecomers.

We had to keep going. You simply had three hours to get there. One hour to enjoy the lake (and possibly have lunch there!) and two hours to return. We thought one hour at the lake was not enough, because it was so beautiful. In our opinion, that is the disadvantage of a tour, but the advantage is of course that you don't have to arrange anything afterwards and you can completely relax in the bus.

It is good to know that this lake and the route to it are also located in a National Park and you again have to pay 30 soles per person (€7,5) for the entrance on the way. If you are going on a tour, the tour operator will collect this along the way and pay it at the entrance gate. So smart to take it with you! 

Tour in Peru (backpacking)

Peru; the land of the Incas, mysterious discoveries, colonial cities and the traditionally dressed population. Peru is the country of the impressive Andes mountains, deserts and high-altitude lakes. Are you looking for inspiration or information about Peru or are you already backpacking in the country? Then read the articles below packed with information, travel stories and practical tips…