What You Need To Know
Huaraz Travel Guide
Huaraz Unveiled
Your Go-To Huaraz Travel Guide to Peru's Highlands
As an avid hiker, when I heard about this stunning town in northern Peru that sat in the Cordillera Blanca mountain range, I didn’t need much convincing to visit. Anyone interested in hiking absolutely must go to Huaraz! Be prepared, it sits more than 3,000 meters above sea level so you will likely experience some altitude sickness. Please take a few days acclimatizing before you attempt any of the hikes!
I think people tend to skip it because it’s a bit out of the way – you’ll need to head north from Lima then return back to Lima to head south. I will be honest though and say if you have no interest in hiking, then it wouldn’t make sense for you to go, since all the activities and must-dos here are just hikes.
Vanessa's Insider Tips
My Travel Tips for Huaraz
- When to Go: April – September is the best time to visit for hiking in Huaraz because it’s the dry winter season. So while it’s good for hiking, come prepared because it will be cold!
- Where to Stay: Huaraz is tiny, so there isn’t really a best area to stay in. Since there’s isn’t much to see in the town itself, I’d say you’re fine to stay anywhere in the town. Everything is walking distance!
- How to Get Around: You can walk everywhere in Huaraz since it’s tiny. For the hikes of course you’ll be picked up by your guide or have a meeting point in town.
- Huaraz Solo Female Travel: For solo female travelers in Huaraz, the town is very safe. You’ll sign up for guided hikes with others, so don’t worry about meeting people! There’s a big backpacker population in Huaraz, so it’s a great destination for solo female travelers. However, since people are mostly here for hiking, don’t expect a busy nightlife since everyone starts their hikes early in the mornings the next day.
Discover Huaraz
My Recommended Itinerary for Huaraz Travel
Laguna Parón:
This was the first hike I did in Huaraz and was done as a day trip. I went with a guided tour group and after an hour on the road, we stopped in a charming little town called Carhuaz. They gave us enough time to get snacks and walk around the main square. From there, it was another two hours to reach Laguna Parón.
Because I went on a guided tour, the bus dropped us off directly at the lake’s shore. If you go independently, you can start from the village of Pueblo Parón and hikes a few hours to the lake. However, just because you get dropped off at the lake’s shore if you do the guided tour, it doesn’t mean you don’t get any hiking in – there’s a viewpoint!
Mostly everyone will be heading straight to the viewpoint once off the bus (your guide will point out where to start) and that’s what I recommend doing first. It took me about 20-30 minutes but MY GOODNESS I was panting so hard – remember the altitude!
Once at the top you are greeted with a stunning view over the lake, as well as something really cool: one of the mountains is actually the mountain from the Paramount logo!
After the viewpoint, you walk back down and spend time exploring the lake. Most people rent boats or kayaks.
Laguna 69:
Another hike I did as a day trip as part of a guided tour. When I tell you, I STRUGGLED on his hike and felt like I was dying, I am not exaggerating. This took me way longer than anticipated and at various times on the hike I was so mad and wanted to quit – at one point one of the guides had to hold my hand and drag me along!!
This hike is much, much longer and more difficult than Laguna Parón. It starts off flat and you see rivers and streams and cows and it’s stunning, but then you gain altitude and it just turned into a nightmare! I was gasping for air every few feet! That said, I still DO recommend doing the hike, just be prepared that it’s a moderately difficult hike! It’s not a technical hike, it’s just the altitude that makes it really hard (or at least made it really hard for me).
Additional Hikes:
During my time in Huaraz, I only did Laguna Parón and Laguna 69. Based on all the research I did on the hikes available, those were the ones I most wanted to do. However, there are a lot more hikes available in Huaraz! There are also multi-day hikes in the Cordillera Blanca that looked absolutely amazing, but I just didn’t want to do.
Additional Hikes in Huaraz:
- Laguna Churup (day trip)
- Pastoruri Glacier (day trip)
- Laguna Wilcacocha (day trip)
- Santa Cruz (multi-day trip)
- Huayhuash (multi-day trip)
- You can also summit one of the mountain peaks in Cordillera Blanca!
