Laguna Llaca Hike in Huaraz: The Complete Guide
When I travel, I like to get off the beaten path. Sure, some of the most popular hikes are popular for a reason. Most of my hikes in Huaraz have been lesser-known trails with fewer people, which I love. One of my favorites on this list is the Laguna Llaca hike outside Huaraz.
If I didn’t know any better, I would say this region of Peru is the capital of Lakes. It seems all trails lead to a lake and are unique in their own aspect.
Arriving at the trailhead is budget-friendly, especially if you take a colectivo. But compared to other hikes in the area, the routes here are a little more complicated.
In this guide, I will explain the best way to get to Laguna Llaca on your own and other details you’ll need to know.
Where is Laguna Llaca Located?
Laguna Llaca is a 90-minute car ride if you’re staying in Huaraz. This is only true if you don’t want to do the hike portion. The drive to the trailhead will take roughly 25 to 30 minutes, depending on the form of transportation.
This is a popular hike for people staying at the Lazy Dogg Inn. We chose to take a taxi that morning because the closest collectivo is a 20 to 30-minute walk from the trailhead. Rain was coming, and we wanted to ensure we got the hike in.
There are many hikes in Huaraz that are worth doing and I’ll be heading back for sure!
Some people call this a budget Laguna 69 hike, but you will realize that it is more than that.
How to Get to Laguna Llaca Trailhead
- Taxi: Ask to be taken to the Lazy Dogg inn. You can get out at the sign that leads you there. This cost us 35 Soles but I’m sure you can get there for cheaper.
- Follow the Mapsme trail from here. It starts right up the road from the Lazy Dogg inn sign
- Collectivo: Look on mapsme for Avenida Raymondi and take the #15 to Marian/ Cachipampa. This will cost around 3 soles each way
- If you get on the collectivo that only says Marian, it will be another 45-minute walk to the trailhead. Cachipampa is the closest you can get by public transport
It might be hard to find Cachipampa on the map. If you search quickly, it’ll show up as being outside of Huaraz. This can be confusing as sometimes it doesn’t show up on the map properly.
Type in Hirka Mountain Lodge on Google Maps, and you’ll see it says it is in Cachipampa.
My Experience Hiking to Lake Llaca
After searching the internet for hikes around Huaraz that won’t be as crowded, I stumbled upon Laguna Llaca.
At first glance, it seemed like a normal laguna hike in the Huascaran National Park. It wasn’t until I saw the photos of the valley that I knew I had to spend the day hiking in this area of Peru.
This is a perfect hike to add to your Peru itinerary, and it’s budget-friendly!
Even with the low cost of Travel in Peru, some popular hikes can still be somewhat expensive, especially on a budget. That’s why I want to tell you all about Lake Llaca!
Taxi to Laguna Llaca Trailhead
As stated previously, we decided to take a taxi instead of public transport. When talking to some locals, I noticed it seemed like a longer process to get there than most other day hikes.
We asked to be taken to Lazy Dogg Inn but got out right before then.
The trail to Lake Llaca will start at the corner of a fork and take you through a rock pasture as the road weaves around.
Trail Through the Rocks
When you begin the trail, you will be surrounded by rocks and mountain peaks to your right. Halfway up, you will begin to see where the mountains meet the valley to your left.
This path is the steepest area until you get close to the lake. A lot of these lakes have refugios where you can stay the night. These are very popular for those who want to climb the nearby mountains.
Arriving at the Gate Entrance
The lake is located inside Huascaran National Park. This means there is a fee if you want to enter. Huascaran National Park is 30 Soles each, normally taken when you get closer or to a gate.
Once we arrived at the gate, no one was there, and the gate was also locked. We waited to see if anyone would come, but no one did. We jumped the fence and kept going.
Throughout our hike, we saw a few cars pass by and were curious about how they got through.
Later on in the hike, a park ranger was driving around and asked us to pay, so we obliged.
At this point, you will follow the road until the valley opens up, and you will hike through it for the rest of the time.
Hiking Through the Valley
This next area was by far my favorite of the entire hike. It was strenuous, and felt like we were walking through a sacred valley. My tip for reaching the lake is to always follow the river from here on out.
Halfway along this stretch of the hike, we followed a different trail that ended and were on the side of the mountain.
When it became safe enough, we returned and started hiking along the valley again.
There will be plenty of cows along the way, and they are very photogenic.
Arriving at Laguna Llaca
Once you reach the valley’s end, you will have two choices. You can either go left and take the shorter, steeper route or up the long, winding trail to your right.
I think it’s better to take the more steep route first because taking that on the way down will be much worse.
You will be hiking through big boulders that will eventually take you to the Refugio.
This is a rather large Refugio and from here it’s another couple of minutes to the lake.
Things to Know
Laguna Llaca Map and Hike Details
The entry fee is 30 Soles per person. For more details as well as reviews of the hike you can visit Alltrails
Other Hikes in Huaraz
Best Time to Visit Huaraz
Most people visiting Peru, especially Huaraz, are here to go trekking. This means the most ideal weather is when there is a lower chance of rainfall.
Even though it is Winter, the best time to visit Huaraz is between May and September. The weather is more likely to call for blue skies and it is also the dryest period of the year.
With how high Huaraz and the surrounding mountains sit, it will always be cold at night.
Where to Stay in Huaraz, Peru
- Alpes Huaraz: This is where I stayed during my time in Huaraz 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 popularity, there isn’t much to hate about this hostel. It is centrally located just a few blocks from the main square.
- Vacahouse Huaraz B&B: is a great hostel for couples traveling together. The private rooms are very nice and affordable.
Final Thoughts
This hike has been the least populated lake so far during our time in Huaraz. That is strange to me because it’s one of my favorites in the area. The combination of the glacier being so close to the lake and hiking through a huge valley makes it a ca n’t-miss. I highly suggest doing this hike solo and not paying for a tour.
Comments
Andrea
Hello, I looked at your blog to get to lake Llaca and the part where you say go to Cachipampa is completely wrong from what I search on the map cachipampa is in a totally different direction to Lazy Dog Inn.
Phillip
It is confusing as some of the maps don’t show Cachipampa. It is on the same road as Marian, just slightly up the road north. This is what the locals call this area. Google maps Hirka Mountain Lodge and you will see it is in Cachipampa, just north of Marian. This is where the collectivo stops. Hope this helps!