Turquoise lakes, mountains, glaciers and altitude sickness: A week in Huaraz, the hiking capital of Peru
- Cecilia Markley
- 7 days ago
- 7 min read
After nearly a month in Peru, I have learned that it has everything. Marijn and I have been to cities, mountains, deserts, beaches, and we will even be going to the Amazon rainforest. When thinking of Peru, you might just picture Lima and Cusco, but the country also has the city of Huaraz, located in the department of Ancash, north of Lima. In this lesser-known region lies the tallest part of the Andes Mountains in Peru, the Cordillera Blanca, or white range.
The Cordillera Blanca range, spanning over 100 miles, contains Peru’s highest mountain, Huascarán, and dozens of other high, snow-covered peaks. Much of the range is covered by a national park. The city of Huaraz is the major access point for day trips and treks to the nearby mountains. When researching Peru for our backpacking trip and seeing pictures and videos of the hikes in this region, Marijn and I knew this had to be on our itinerary.
The city of Huaraz, Ancash
Huaraz is the capital of Ancash and has over 120,000 residents. While it takes a few hours to get from Huaraz to the Cordillera Blanca, and thus most of the major hikes and attractions in the region, it is the main hub in which tourists stay due to it hosting major tourist infrastructure, mountaineering and adventure sports gear, having direct buses to and from Lima, and being a large city with many accommodations.
Day trips and treks from Huaraz
Some of the most common day trips from Huaraz include tours to lakes Parón, Rocotuyoc, 69 and Llanganuco, Pastoruri Glacier, Punta Olimpica tunnel and the archaeological site Chavin de Huantar. Many of these tours cost S/80 (approx. $23) or less.
There are also multi-day treks from Huaraz. The four-day Santa Cruz trek and week-plus Huayhuash circuit are two of the most popular.
The altitude, acclimating and dealing with altitude sickness
Huaraz is located at approximately 10,000 feet (3,048 meters) above sea level, and the hikes are even higher. That’s why, unless you are very used to high elevation, it is important to acclimate upon arrival. This means you should take at least one day to acclimate before doing a day trip to higher elevation, and two to three days before a trek.
Marijn and I are taking our time in Peru, so we ended up staying in Huaraz for over a week despite doing just two day trips. We spent our first three days relaxing and acclimating, and we still both felt sick from the altitude on our tours.
We came to Huaraz from Lima, which is located just above sea level, so it was a major adjustment, but there are remedies you can use to help with altitude sickness. We got prescription altitude sickness medicine before our backpacking trip, since much of our time in Peru and Bolivia will be spent at high altitudes. We also picked up natural medicine from a pharmacy in Huaraz.
On our tours, we were also offered coca tea, which contains coca leaves derived from the coca plant native to South America. Yes, this is the same plant that cocaine comes from, but there is no evidence that it gets you high nor causes addiction. It is a commonly used remedy in the Andes, although scientific evidence is mixed as to its effectiveness. It is up to the individual if they want to try it, but Marijn and I have both drank the tea and used coca chews.
There are other natural remedies like herbs and essential oils. However, it is important to remember that if suffering from severe altitude sickness, you should seek medical attention immediately.
Lake Parón: a glacial lake surrounded by snow peaks
Of the many day trips to choose from in Huaraz, we decided on lakes Parón, Rocotuyoc and 69. We went with a tour company located on the first floor of our hostel and got a package deal for S/180 (approx. $52) each for three tours. Breakfast and lunch were not included in the prices and could be purchased for an added price at the restaurants where we stopped on the way to and from the lakes.
The first tour was to Lake Parón, located about four hours from Huaraz within Huascarán National Park. The tour picked us up from our hostel at 6:30 a.m. We stopped for breakfast and at some viewpoints on the way, including a view of the highest mountain in Peru.
Our tour guide told us we would be arriving at the lake, situated at 13,632 feet (4,155 meters) by 11 a.m., but at 10:15 we had yet to even reach 12,000 (3,657 meters). Then began the final ascent. In the last 45 minutes, the van meticulously navigated around switchbacks up a thin, unpaved road to land us safely at the lake right at 11 a.m., keeping the vow that we would reach the promised elevation.
We were met upon arrival with the sight of a bright turquoise lake with a picturesque mountain in the background topped with snow. If you get lucky and have a cloudless day, you can see the very top of the mountain, which comes to a point. While it was slightly covered with clouds when we were there, the view was still one of the best I’d ever seen.
From the lake itself, you can then hike up to a viewpoint to take in the entire landscape in all its glory. The hike up to the viewpoint and back is a little over a mile (1.6 kilometers) round trip. The hike is moderate, but the altitude certainly makes it tougher. I found myself having to stop every couple of minutes to catch my breath. It is all uphill and the last five to 10 minutes are over very rocky terrain. The climate also changes quickly. I started out in my coat, hat and gloves, but midway through the hike I was down to my base layer. Then, at the top with the heavy winds raging, I had my layers back on.
The hike up took us about 30 minutes. We then spent over 45 minutes at the 13,800-foot (4,200 meter) viewpoint admiring the unbelievable views and taking loads of pictures before descending to the lake in about 15 minutes. We spent some time at the lake itself, where we had the option to kayak but opted instead to walk around the lake for a bit.
It was at this point that things went awry. Both Marijn’s and my stomach began to feel funny, and by the time we had to board the van for the 4-hour ride back to Huaraz, I knew my stomach did not like the altitude, making the ride home an unpleasant experience.
Despite getting altitude sickness, the fun of the journey there through the Andes, lake and mountain views, and the breathtaking hike (literally) combined to make the trip to Lake Parón an extraordinary experience.
Lake Rocotuyoc: seeing a glacier for the first time
After taking a rest day, we were picked up at 8 a.m. for our day trip to Lake Rocotuyoc, also in Huascarán National Park. On the way there, we again stopped for breakfast and also stopped at a waterfall. Hanging out at the waterfall were domesticated donkeys who some of the others in our tour group approached and pet. I always try to be careful petting animals, even domesticated ones like these donkeys, but others were petting them and were okay. I cautiously pet one of the donkeys who another woman in our group was petting. The donkey was friendly until, seemingly out of nowhere, he bit me on the stomach.
Luckily, the bite was outside of my clothing and did not break any skin. I was wearing a base layer shirt and warm, thick pants, and he bit the waistband of my pants where my shirt was tucked in. One woman in the group was a doctor and gave me a cleaning solution, but I was worried about rabies, so Marijn and I did end up going to the hospital after the tour to have it examined.
The drive to Rocotuyoc was shorter, and we arrived at around noon even with stops and were given two hours. We were greeted with our first sighting of llamas and alpacas in the wild! Throughout our time in Peru and even in Colombia, we have seen them on leashes in cities and tourist destinations for photo opportunities.
In addition to Rocotuyoc, a glacial lake similar to Parón with its bright turquoise color and snowy mountainous surroundings, this destination had another draw: a frozen lagoon hidden behind Rocotuyoc. To get to the frozen lagoon requires a 30-minute hike around Rocotuyoc, climbing over rocks and stopping frequently to catch your breath at the 14,665-foot (4,470 meter) elevation. There was also the option to pay extra for a boat to take you across Rocotuyoc instead of hiking.
During that journey, we increased our elevation further still, peaking at 14,900 feet (4,550 meters), and dealt again with changing weather conditions, eventually needing to add rain coats on top of our warm top layers. When we turned the final corner and the frozen lagoon backed by glaciers came into view, I was stunned. I had never seen a glacier this close up. The lagoon itself was small, but throughout it were floating ice chunks from the glacier. We were prohibited from getting too close or touching the lake or glacier, a small fence preventing passage.
We took our photos and videos and enjoyed the view before beginning the return hike. A few minutes in, my head started to hurt slightly. A woman we had befriended gave me an essential oil which helped temporarily, but by the time we arrived back at the start of Rocotuyoc 30 minutes later, I had a full-blown migraine. It came on very quickly, and it was clear to me that it was caused by the altitude.
We got in the van where, unfortunately, Marijn and I were seated in the very back, the worst place to be during a 3-hour ride consisting of rough road, switchbacks and sudden loss of elevation. Within minutes of our journey home beginning, I asked to move to the front, and only moments after that, I was vomiting. This continued on and off for the next hour or so until I passed out and slept until we arrived at the restaurant. The rest of the way back to Huaraz, I tried to sleep, and the pain had mostly subsided when we were dropped at the hospital for someone to examine my donkey bite (which we were told was okay).
The following day, Marijn and I decided it was for the best to cancel our hike to Lake 69, the lake located at the highest altitude of the three (15,100 feet or 4,600 meters) and the longest hike (five hours minimum). It was disappointing, but we agreed it wasn’t worth it to risk a repeat of what happened.
We could have spent weeks enjoying Huaraz and going on excursions to the surrounding mountains, glaciers and lakes, but the two we did blew our minds. Despite getting sick both days and having to cancel Lake 69, I am so happy I went to Huaraz. The high altitude is not something to take lightly, but if you prepare properly and take care of yourself, you too will leave Huaraz having experienced perhaps some of the most unforgettable hikes and views of your life.
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