9 Amazing Day Hikes in Huaraz for the Average Adventurer

Peru is close to my heart. I had dreamed of coming down to do the hikes in Huaraz for some time because of all of the different hikes you can go on. We started up in Mancora after I took an overnight bus through Ecuador to the border of Peru. Then we went to Cajamarca for a week and finally made our way to the hiking capital of Peru.

There are endless trails between Huaraz and Caraz (the northernmost town in this region). It’s safe to say that I fell in love with this region of Peru and will be back.

In this guide, I will go over the best day hikes in Huaraz that are achievable for many fitness level

What is the Huascaran National Park?

Huscaran National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site a lot of the best hikes in Huaraz are located. When visiting the hiking capital of Peru, you’ll hike in this national park.

It is filled with many hikes and mountain ranges, the most famous of which is the Cordillera Blanca, the highest tropical mountain range in the world.

You can see these mountain ranges throughout town while driving in the area.

9 Best Day Hikes in Huaraz, Peru

All of the hikes listed in this section can be completed in a single day. We woke up around 6 a.m. every day to start these hikes. You don’t necessarily have to do the same, but this reduces the risk of not finishing before sunset.

The first seven hikes on this list I have done myself personally. That means there will be a link you can click to bring you to that hike’s main blog.

These blogs go over way more details such as how to get there, tips, more photos, and my review of the hike.

I will 100% be returning to this amazing town for more hikes in the future, so stay tuned for that!

Laguna Churup

Laguna Churup is one of the most popular hikes that is located right outside of town. You will see many people on this trail compared to some of the other ones on this list. That doesn’t mean you want to avoid this one.

You will be hiking along a ridgeline that leads you into one of the most beautiful lake backdrops you’ll ever see. This hike is also famous for the multiple sections of chains you will have to use to climb a rock face. It sounds harder than it actually is and is doable for most.

Below are the hiking details for Laguna Churup:

• Distance: This hike is around a 4.5 mile out & back hike. This varies slightly depending on if you visit the Mirador or not.
• Duration: On average it will take people 4 to 5 hours to finish. This depends on fitness level and time at the laguna.
• Difficulty: I’d rank this hike as moderate to difficult because of the altitude and elevation gain.
• Incline: The elevation for this hike is around 2054 feet or 626 meters.
• Hiking Guide: A guide is not needed for this hike and is easily accessible by the public.

Laguna Llaca

Laguna Llaca is one of the more unique hikes in Huaraz. At first, this hike starts on a road. A trail cuts through the road and takes you to the lake.

Once you pass this section, you will come to a gated area where you will walk on a road for a few miles. Shortly after, you will head down into a beautiful valley, which will then take you straight to Laguna Llaca.

Don’t be scared about the distance of this hike. The only hard part is the last half mile which has you hiking at a steep incline.

Below are the hiking details for Laguna Llaca:

• Distance: This hike is an 11.2-mile out & back trail. While long, most of it isn’t too demanding.
• Duration: On average it will take people 6 to 7 hours to complete this hike. This depends on fitness level and time at the laguna.
• Difficulty: I’d label this hike as moderate to difficult because of the altitude and elevation gain.
• Incline: The elevation for this hike is around 3077 feet or 937 meters.
• Hiking Guide: A guide is not needed for this hike and is easily accessible by the public.

Laguna Paron

While Laguna Paron isn’t one of the closest hikes in Huaraz, it’s very doable as a day trip or an overnight. This hike is located next to the town of Caraz.

Many people stay in town and take a day tour of this lake. Caraz is about 90 minutes by car or 2 hours by public transport.

In my opinion, this is the bluest lake in the area, and quite possibly the world!

This trail follows the pattern of hiking on the road for a section in then cutting through a sometimes steep trail.

I highly recommend hiking this instead of taking a vehicle all the way to the top. There is even an extra side hike to the Laguna Paron Mirador.

Below are the hiking details for Laguna Paron:

• Distance: This hike is a 10.6-mile out & back trail. This trail can be longer if you take more roads.
• Duration: On average it will take people 5 hours to complete this hike. This depends on your current fitness level and how long you stay at the top.
• Difficulty: I’d label this hike as moderate to difficult because of the altitude and elevation gain.
• Incline: The elevation for this hike is around 2900 feet or 900 meters.
• Hiking Guide: A guide is not needed for this hike and is easily accessible by the public.

Mirador de Huaraz

Mirador de Huaraz (El Cañon De Rataquenua) is surprisingly not a lake hike. It is one of the shorter hikes here that is great for getting acclimatized.

The terrain on this one is pretty rugged, especially at the beginning. It is located in the corner of town and the most popular section takes you to a viewpoint of the town next to a cross.

You can continue along past the cross and go in a loop. This gives great views of the surrounding mountains. Be careful as some of the trails might be hard to find.

Below are the hiking details for this mirador:

• Distance: This hike is around a 4.4-mile loop hike. This varies slightly depending on if you stop at the cross or not.
• Duration: On average it will take people 3 hours to finish. This depends on fitness level and time at the mirador.
• Difficulty: I’d rank this hike as moderate because of the altitude and elevation gain.
• Incline: The elevation for this hike is around 1371 feet or 418 meters.
• Hiking Guide: A guide is not needed for this hike and is easily accessible by the public.

Laguna Wilcacocha

Laguna Wilcacocha is one of the shorter hikes that you’ll do in town. To reach the lake, you won’t be reaching as high of an altitude as many others. The lake sits at 3680 meters.

This makes it a fantastic method to get acclimatized. The lake is more of a large pond but the views of the Cordillera Blanco behind it is a sight to see.

I highly recommend this as one of the first hikes in Huaraz you do!

It should only cost 20 soles to take a taxi to the trailhead or there is always cheap public transport (collectivo).

Below are the hiking details for Laguna Wilcacocha:

• Distance: This hike is around a 4-mile loop hike. This will depend slightly on which route you take at the beginning as it’s through a small village.
• Duration: On average it will take people 3 hours to complete this hike. This depends on fitness level and time at the laguna.
• Difficulty: I’d rank this hike as moderate to difficult because of the altitude and elevation gain.
• Incline: The elevation for this hike is around 1883 feet or 574 meters.
• Hiking Guide: A guide is not needed for this hike and is easily accessible by the public.

Laguna 69

Laguna 69 is the only one on this list of best hikes in Huaraz that we didn’t do in one day. With that being said, most people who do this hike opt for the 1-day tour.

We like to do things a little differently here and instead, we took all public transport up into the park. This took us around 4 hours because of the wait time.

From here we hiked to Camp Pisco or Refugio Peru. When entering the park, this takes you left and around instead of following the normal route to the right.

We stayed the night there, woke up early, and hiked to Laguna 69 before the tours showed up.

Below are the hiking details for Laguna 69:

• Distance: The Refugio Peru/Pisco hike to Laguna 69 is a mile loop hike. If you are going straight there for a day trip the hike is around 8.5 miles out & back.
• Duration: On average it will take people 5 to 6 hours to finish the day hike. This depends on your fitness level as well.
• Difficulty: I’d rank the day hike as moderate to difficult and the 2-day hike to Laguna 69 as difficult.
• Incline: The elevation for this hike for both of these trails is 1200 feet of different. The 2-day hike is 3900 feet of elevation or 1200 meters. The day hike is shorter.
• Hiking Guide: A guide is not needed for this hike and is easily accessible by the public.

Laguna Ahuac

Laguna Ahuac was the first hike we did when we settled down in our hostel. The transportation to the trailhead is super easy and convenient. The elevation gain was harder than we thought it would be but it’s so worth it. The trail is super straight forward and I believe this hike jumped us up into better hiking shape. There is a shelter right next to the lake and it’s breathtaking. This is a great hike to get you used to use the collectivos around town and for the elevation training.

Below are the hiking details for Laguna Ahuac:

• Distance: This hike is a 7.4-mile out & back trail. While shorter than others, there is much more incline than others.
• Duration: On average it will take people 6 to 7 hours to complete this hike. This depends on fitness level and time at the laguna.
• Difficulty: I’d rank this hike as difficult because of the altitude and elevation gain.
• Incline: The elevation for this hike is around 3756 feet or 1145 meters.
• Hiking Guide: A guide is not needed for this hike and is easily accessible by the public.

Bonus Hikes

We didn’t have time to hike these ourselves; we planned to do the ones listed below. They are all amazing hikes, and I will do them when I visit next.

Laguna 513

Laguna 513 looks to be an absolutely stunning hike. It is located outside the town of Carhuaz. This is not one of the popular hikes here, so you won’t see many people on the trail. It is an 8.5-mile out-and-back hike with 3156 feet of elevation gain or 961 meters.

If staying in town, you must take a collectivo to Carhuaz. From there you’ll have to find another collectivo to take you to the small town of Hualcan. This will all be very cheap. You will then want to make your way to Sonquilpampa, where the trail begins.

Laguna Shallap

Laguna Shallap is the longest hike on this list of day hikes in Huaraz. It is close to the trailhead of Laguna Churup and it’s possible to get dropped off by collectivo. You want to head to Pitec and not Llaca. The hike will start there. This hike is more long than difficult. Once you arrive at the lake, you will be blown away by its emerald-green color and the backdrop of mountains. Rumor has it there is a waterfall close by as well. Also, watch out for cow poo!

Santa Cruz

While this hike isn’t one that can be done in one day, it deserves to be on this due to its popularity. It’s one best hikes to do here and takes around four days or so to complete.

This trek will take you through the Cordillera Blanca mountain range near the town of Caraz.

Most people go on a tour, which means the guides will carry most of the gear for you. This means you’ll only have to worry about your day pack as they will take care of the rest.

There will be people who do this trek solo, but it’s only recommended for experienced backpackers.

Huayhuash Trek

This is another multi-day trek but twice as long as Santa Cruz. It’s known as one of the top treks in the entire world!

You’ll get to hike around the famous Cordillera Blanca mountain range and experience everything this region offers.

It’s possible to do this trek with a tour or solo, but most opt for a tour. The weather could be vastly different Depending on the time of year you go.

I’d suggest doing this trek during the months of June to September as this is the best opportunity to have clear skies.

Things to Know

How to Get to Huaraz, Peru

Huaraz stands out as a top destination in Peru, hailed as the hiking hub of the nation. With its reputation, navigating the bus system becomes a breeze. Based on my travels, I’ve found Peruvian buses reliable and budget-friendly. Let’s delve into the various bus routes from a few key regions across the country, simplifying your journey to this adventurer’s paradise.

Lima to Huaraz

Getting from Lima to Huaraz offers plenty of bus options, each operated by different companies. Unlike some cities, Lima lacks a central bus station, with each company having its own terminal. To maximize savings, opting for a night bus is your best bet. Below, I’ll share some handy tips for navigating this journey.

• If you prefer avoiding the hassle of visiting the bus terminal in person, you can easily book your ticket online through Redbus, the go-to platform for online bus reservations in Peru.
• Among the top-rated bus companies, Julio Ceasar stands out, though generally, all options are reliable.
• Terminal Plaza Norte and La Victoria are both solid choices for departure points.
• The bus journey will take around 8 hours. Snagging early-bird tickets can get you prices as low as $15 to $20.

How to Use Public Transportation

What I love about Peru is how easy and cheap it is to take public transportation around whichever town you’re in.

The small white vans that have someone yelling out of their destinations are called colectivos. The best way to use it for hikes in Huaraz is to download the app mapsme.

There, you’ll find little bus icons with locations. Go there and wait. Prices will vary but they normally don’t cost more than two soles or so when going around town.

Is Huaraz Worth Visiting?

Absolutely! Huaraz was one of my favorite places to visit in the entire country. It’s a hiker’s dream destination and has a small-town feel to it still.

I loved it so much that when I return to Peru, it’ll be the first place I go back to!

Best Places to Stay in Huaraz

• Alpes: This is where I stayed during my time here and it was amazing. The area is set up like a mini-hotel and the kitchen is huge. Dorms are very cheap at $7-$9.
• Krusty Hostel: With great prices for private rooms and growing in popularity, there isn’t much to hate about this hostel. Centrally located just a few blocks from the main square.
• Vacahouse B&B is a great hostel for couples traveling together. The private rooms are very nice and affordable.

Best Time to Visit

If you’re looking for clear skies and perfect hiking weather, the best time to visit Huaraz, Peru, is from May to October. Peru is located below the quarter, which makes these months its winter.

Winter in Peru also overlaps with their dry season. That means less chance of a cloudy day an percipation.

My Thoughts on Hiking Here

If you love hiking or seek adventure, this town is the place for you. I was excited to visit Peru and this town, but my expectations were blown out of the water when we arrived. There is so much to do here, and everyone is so nice. It’s hard not to like waking up to beautiful mountains in the background every day. I still want to do a handful of hikes here, so I will 100% be back.