Hiking Huarez

Sitting at approximately 10,000 feet (3,000m), Huarez is one of the most outdoorsy towns in Peru. It is a great place to buy affordable outdoor gear and meet like minded travelers. For avid hikers, mountaineers and naturalists, one week in Huarez might not seem like enough. In this post find insight on what to do while visiting the mountains.

When arriving to Huarez, be sure to give a few days to acclimate to the altitude. Many people suffer from altitude sickness. See a pharmacist or doctor if severe symptoms of altitude sickness do occur. If a person is prone to altitude sickness this post was written from easiest to most difficult things to do around Huarez.

Mirador de Rataquenua

A viewpoint along the eastern ridge overlooks Huarez and is easy walking distance from the town center. The walk takes about 2 hours to complete, but plan plenty of time to enjoy the top, as there are great views of Huarez, as well as staggeringly high mountains in all directions.

Laguna Puron

Laguna Puron is a stunning turquoise lake closely surrounded by steep mountains. From the incredible drive to the lake, the rock scramble up to a viewpoint or rowing across the water, this lake is spectacular and requires little physical effort. It is highly recommended to hire a guide and to go with the tour leaving earliest in the morning. Once the sun sets behind the mountains, the lake is shadowed and the colors fade.

Laguna Wilcachoche

Wilcachoche hike is a great place to explore a small community, hike up to a duck pond, and enjoy views of the tallest mountain in Peru. This hike is a great hike to help acclimate for more intense hikes in the area. To get there, take a taxi to Ancash and there's a trailhead at the bottom of a hill by a bridge. There is an option to hike along the road or up a steep trail. There is over 1,500 feet (500m) of elevation gain along an approximate 4 miles (6.5km) hike that takes about 3 to 4 hours to complete.

Pastoruri Glacier

When visiting Pastoruri Glacier, altitude reaches to 17,224 feet (5,250m) making this an incredibly thin air adventure. Due to a changing climate, Pastoruri Glacier is predicted to be completely melted around 2032, so visit while it's still possible to. The hike to the glacier is about 650 feet (200m) of elevation gain. The hike is overall pretty mild and could be a good activity to acclimate to the altitude. If hiking is too difficult, there are sometimes horses that can be taken uphill. Hop on a tour bus to get to the glacier, visit 7 Colors Pool, and Carbon Springs (a natural bubbling spring) on the way.

Laguna 69

An outstanding hike to a brilliant blue glacial fed, high alpine lake. The water of Laguna 69 makes for a great challenging acclimation hike for anyone looking to summit one of the incredible snow capped mountains or looking to go on a backpacking trip. Round trip this hike is about 9 miles (14km) and has an elevation gain of around 2,600 feet (800m). For this hike, it's recommended to hire a guide or get on a tour bus (guides allow guests to hike at their own pace).

Backpacking Santa Cruz

There are several popular long treks to chose from in Huarez for true backpackers, Santa Cruz being the most popular trail (for good reason). The trail goes through a portion of the Cordillera Blanca mountain range in Huascaran National Park, so enjoy breath taking views of rugged mountains with snow capped peaks. The trail is doable without a guide, but guides are available if need be. If hiking solo, it is recommended to go from east to west. Take a bus or taxi to the starting point and there tends to be rides waiting around the end of the trail for pick up.