ULTIMATE Guide to Huaraz, Peru – Hikes, the city, and more!

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This is our complete guide to Huaraz, Peru including a ton of information on the best hikes in Huaraz as well as how to best enjoy the city itself (other things to do, where to stay, and where to eat!)

The city of Huaraz, Peru is located deep in the Andes Mountain range and is quickly becoming one of the best places in the world for hiking, mountaineering, and rock climbing.

However, it’s not the city itself that offers these activities but rather the stunning mountains that surround it.

We spent a total of three weeks exploring Huaraz, Peru. In that time, we grew to know the area quite well, we were hiking, eating, exploring local markets, and more! It’s safe to say, it’s one of the highlights of Peru.

I’ve written this guide about Huaraz to help other travelers make it to this remote location and enjoy the stunning hiking trails and unique city (hopefully as much as I did!)

About Huaraz, Peru

Huaraz is a city in Peru and the capital of the state of Ancash. It is home to approximately 120,00 people it is the second-largest city in the Peruvian Andes.

The city of Huaraz, Peru sits at 10,000 feet (3,052 meters) above sea level (that’s almost as high as Cusco!) The altitude and surrounding mountains make for a tough climate that is cold in the winter and wet in the summer.

Huaraz, Peru is most commonly visited by tourists looking for places in Peru to go hiking or mountaineering. Hiking in Huaraz is very popular because the nearby hikes are absolutely breathtaking!

However, this very authentic Peruvian city is still a hidden gem to explore. So while hiking in Huaraz is world-famous, I encourage you to have a look around the city too and appreciate what a unique place Huaraz, Peru really is!

For that reason, in this blog, I’ve not only included information about the best hikes in Huaraz but also the best things to do in and around the city itself!

Best Time of Year to Visit Huaraz, Peru

May through to September are the most ideal months to visit Huaraz, Peru. This is because these are the months when you can go mountaineering or hiking in Huaraz. These are the winter months in Peru and although they are the coldest months, they provide the most ideal weather for hiking in this region.

In summer, heavy rains and winds make many of the trails inaccessible and too dangerous.

Getting to and from Huaraz

Huaraz is accessible by an extremely windy bus ride from either Lima or Trujillo in Peru. Both buses are frequent (both day and night options) and are about 8 hours long.

Expect to pay between 30-130 soles ($9 to $30 USD) depending on the type of seat and bus ticket you buy. You can book your bus in advance online on a safe and reliable website Busbud.com.

If a public bus isn’t your thing, no worries! You can also book a private transfer from your hotel or airport in Lima directly to Huaraz!

Note: There are no real main bus terminals in most of Peru as many of the buses operate out of private offices. Check the departure location of your bus carefully to plan your taxi/walk there.

Hiking in Huaraz: 5 BEST Hikes in Huaraz, Peru

There are literally an endless amount of trails to explore for hiking in Huaraz. However, below are what I (and a few fellow bloggers) think are the 5 best hikes in Huaraz, Peru, and the ones you should consider doing for yourself!

1. Laguna 69

• Length: 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) return
• Time: 5 to 6 hours
• Altitude: 12,470 to 15,100 feet (3,800 to 4,600 meters)
• Difficulty: Moderate/ Hard

If you have researched Huaraz at all, Laguna 69 is probably already on your Peru bucket list. It is a gorgeous turquoise lake surrounded by white mountain peaks. On the hike, you will see many mountains, waterfalls, and a variety of colorful flowers.

Laguna 69 is a super accessible day hike and is very cheap. All visitors must go on a tour from Huaraz such as this one and on top of the tour, you’ll pay the 30 soles ($8 USD) for the national park fee. What I love about the tour above, is it leaves earlier than most. By setting off at 4:30 am, you’ll avoid the crowds.

One thing I found was that I underestimated the difficulty of this hike in Huaraz. I did the Laguna 69 hike the day after arriving in Huaraz and struggled a bit with the altitude. I had done high-altitude hiking in Cusco before but having just come from Lima (at sea level), I didn’t give myself enough time to acclimatize.

The hike begins at 3,800 m (12,467 ft) and ends at 4,600 m (15,092 ft) above sea level so it’s quite the climb. Most people we met suffered from some form of altitude sickness by the time the day was over. The most common symptom was a headache, however, some reported much worse symptoms and looked pretty beaten up on the bus ride home.

The tour bus on the way to the Laguna will stop at a place where you can buy a cheap breakfast but you must pack a lunch and at least 2.5 liters of water. Also, bring a rain jacket as the weather can change within minutes up there.

It is a full-day tour, departing at 4:30 am and returning around 5 or 6 pm. If you’re interested in booking this exact tour you can do so here online in advance.

Tip: Spend at least one full day in Huaraz (3,050 m/10,000 ft) before trying any hikes at all! Taking your time on the first few hours of any hike can also help a lot. Altitude sickness is not fun and can be dangerous. 

2. Santa Cruz Trek

• Length: 31 miles (50 kilometers)
• Time: 3 to 4 days
• Altitude: Up to 15,580 feet (4,750 meters)
• Difficulty: Hard

The Santa Cruz Trek is the most popular hike in Huaraz. And to be honest, I can see why – the trail is just that beautiful!

The Santa Cruz Trek is usually a three to four-day hike featuring some amazing lakes and very famous mountains (like the mountain from the Paramount Pictures logo.)

Various tour operators offer this tour including all equipment (sometimes not sleeping bags though so double-check this), food, guides, and donkeys to carry your things.

This specific tour is the one I did and I highly recommend it! Elio is such an awesome guide and the entire trip was flawless. So many great memories! The entire tour cost us $380 USD plus a 30 soles ($8 USD) entry fee to the national park. Not bad considering the tour included food, English speaking guide, and all of our equipment including mules.

It is also common for people to do the Santa Cruz hike on their own. Just be mindful that if you don’t have the gear already, the cost of renting the equipment, buying your food, and transporting to the hike from Huaraz will cost almost the same as a tour. You also still have to pay the park entrance fee of 30 soles ($8 USD).

3. Huayhuash

Length: 71.5 miles (115 kilometers) circuit

Time: 8 to 12 days depending on route and speed

Altitude: 14,780 to 16,900 feet (4,200 to 5,150 meters)

Difficulty: Very hard

The Huayhuash was the one hike in Huaraz we were so excited to do, and the only real reason we made the trip to Huaraz in the first place. We met a couple of people who had completed it and ranted and raved about how extraordinarily special it was – so we just had to give it a go!

If you are up for a challenge and some real tough hiking in Huaraz, then the Huayhuash is for you!

The Huayhuash is still the best hike I have ever completed to date, but it is also the most difficult. It climbs over 9 mountain passes all reaching around 16,400 feet (5,000m) above sea level. The quickest time to complete the trail is in 8 days but many people opt to do it over 10 and sometimes 12 days. This allows more time to relax and makes the hike longer but easier.

Camps are set up in some pretty amazing locations next to lagoons and beautiful mountains. Temperatures drop below zero every night and during the day the weather can change from snow to sweltering heat in a matter of minutes.

The Huayhuash is not for a beginner hiker, and definitely not for the faint-hearted but the rewarding views are so worth the struggle!

Taking a Guided Tour on the Huayhuash Trek

I would highly recommend taking a guided tour of the Huayhuash. While they can be expensive you can know that they help to provide an income for locals who live in the mountains. They also include food, guides who cook, camping equipment, and donkeys to carry gear. Our tour also included three horses that could be used in case of an emergency or for exhausted or sick hikers.

It is important to remember that out there, there is no cell phone service or help for several kilometers so having some experienced locals and horses around at all times is a good idea.

Our tour cost 550 soles ($150 USD) per person. The gear wasn’t in the best shape and our guides did not speak a word of English.

Along the way, other fees must be paid to the people who own the land (the Huayhuash is not in a National Park) totaling another 250 soles ($69 USD) more or less.

These prices are great value considering the amount of time the trek takes, the 6 hours of transport each way at the start and end of the hike, and the large amounts of food provided but if we could go back in time we we probably would’ve paid a bit more for better gear and an English-speaking guide.

If you want to book your hike before you arrive with a reputable company you should book your Huayhuash guided tour online in advance. This particular 10-day tour is pricey at $990 USD, but it guarantees quality and a departure date (something we wished we would have thought about before going with the cheapest company!)

4. Laguna Paron

• Length: 5.6 miles ( 9 kilometers) from the entrance gate. It is possible to drive the entire way on a tour.
• Time: 4 to 6 hours
• Altitude: Laguna Paron sits at 14,780 feet (4,200 meters)
• Difficulty: Medium or easy on a tour

Laguna Paron was one of my hikes in Huaraz AND one of my favorite places in Peru!

It is the largest of the lakes in the Cordillera Blanca and the color of the water is amazing.  As soon as you arrive the only thing you can say is “wow”! This hike is one I told everyone they must do while they were in Huaraz.

To visit there are 2 options, you can either do a tour from Huaraz OR stay in the town of Caraz and go from there on your own: 

Going on a tour from Huaraz

The tour I did from Huaraz takes you directly to the lake and you get around 1 hour 30 mins to 2 hours to spend at the lake and the best part is that it was only $35 USD! 

The lake is not the main attraction though and you must hike up to the viewpoint for another view!

The hike from the lake up to the viewpoint takes around 40 minutes and since you are at 14,780 feet (4,200 meters), it is not the easiest hike.  At parts, you have to climb over the large boulders.  It is well worth it though as the views from the viewpoint are amazing.

This is a great option for those who want to experience the high altitude without having to do any strenuous hiking! Perfect for acclimatization or just knowing how your body reacts to high altitude (everybody is different!)

A tour from Huaraz to Lake Paron costs around $25 USD in person, not including the entrance fee of 5 soles. Booking online in advance is a little more expensive as you don’t have to haggle and shop around saving you time, plus it only costs $35 USD anyway!

Solo Adventure from Caraz

If you don’t want to pay for the tour or you want a bit of a bigger adventure, then you have the option of staying in the town of Caraz and visiting Lake Paron from there.

Catch the 7 am colectivo from Caraz to the town of Paron. From there you walk 1 km (0.62 mi) to the checkpoint before starting the 9 km (5.6 mi) hike all uphill (800 m/2,625 ft) to the Laguna. 

It should cost around 30 soles ($8 USD) in return for the colectivo.

5. Laguna Wilcacocha

• Length: 4 miles (6.5 kilometers) one way
• Time: 4 to 5 hours
• Altitude: 10,500 feet (3,200 meters)
• Difficulty: Easy

Laguna Wilcacocha is the perfect hike in Huaraz, Peru to start with. It’s one of the lower hikes set at an altitude of just over 10,500 feet (3000 meters) making it the perfect hike to help you get used to the altitude!

Getting there is very easy and quick! From the corner of Raymondi and Hualcan streets (near the central market) flag down a colectivo van marked for Route 10 or Route E. The ride should cost approximately 1 sole.

Once on the bus, tell the driver you want to go to Laguna Wilcacocha – it’s a pretty popular stop for gringo backpackers, so they’ll know exactly where you want to go. If you’re worried about getting lost, use Google Maps to keep track of where you’re going.

You’ll arrive at the base of the hike within 20 minutes. It will be an open dirt road. You can follow this road all the way up to the top (like we did because we were NOT acclimated at all and anything steeper I would not have made it) or you can use the shortcut path which is steeper but cuts through straight to the top.

The shortcut path is easy to miss so be on high alert! If you miss the first entrance, don’t worry, you’ll see a few other entrances later on in the hike.

The hike should take about 3 hours to get to the top and 1.5 hours or less to get down. It’s fairly flat on the dirt road path, but if you opt for the shortcut, it’ll be a bit steeper but take less time.

Once you get to the top you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the Cordillera Blanca. Take a break, have a picnic lunch, and enjoy the views. You’ll even make some doggy friends at the top!

To get back to the city, just across the street to the opposite side where you got dropped off and flag down a collectivo.

Before going remember to wear sunscreen (the sun is brutal at high altitudes), bring snacks/water, and dress appropriately!

It’s truly one of my favorite hikes in Huaraz because it was fairly easy, there were cute dogs, and the view was honestly unreal.

6. Nevado Mateo

• Length: Unkown
• Time: 1 day
• Altitude: Up to 16,900 feet (5,150 meters)
• Difficulty: Hard

The newest hike I have added to this list is a really fun one! The trek to summit Mateo Mountain is an epic adventure for wanting to conquer a 5,000-meter + (16,404 ft) peak.

Tours from Huaraz begin at 2:30 am heading north to Carhuaz and finally into the valley of Ulta. Once you arrive at the base of the mountain, you’ll begin your climb from 4,700 meters (15,420 feet) to the summit. It’s a tough climb involving all climbers connected by ropes for safety. You’ll also be provided with crampons to help with the icy snow.

The tour I did cost only $120 and included all your transport from Huaraz, and all professional safety equipment, including oxygen just for safety. This is an excellent introduction to real mountaineering in Huaraz and a tour I highly suggest for those wanting to join this fantastic sport.

Other Hikes you can do from Huaraz, Peru

There are literally dozens of different hikes to explore around Huaraz. The ones I’ve mentioned above are my personal favorite (and the most commonly raved about) but that doesn’t mean they are your only options.

A few other hikes you can tackle from Huaraz are:

• Querococha Lake
• Lake Llanganuco
• Laguna Churup
• Laguna Rajucolta
• Quebrada Shallap
• Quebrada Llaca

5 BEST Things to do in Huaraz, Peru (other than hiking!)

Besides hiking in Huaraz, there are actually a few other awesome things to do in Huaraz!

As hiking is our main outdoorsy hobby, we didn’t do any ice climbing, mountain climbing, or other extreme activities. But these things can be done in Huaraz too.

Here are a couple of fun things to do in Huaraz to pass the time between hikes!

1. Relax at the Monterrey Hot Springs 

The Monterrey Hot Springs are hot springs only about a ten-minute drive from the city center of Huaraz. This is great for when you get back from a tough hike or on a day when you are just acclimatizing.

You can take a taxi there if you want but the local bus is very easy and cheap.

To catch the bus, go to the street called Centenario and jump on a minibus with the number 1 on it, it will also say Monterrey. Just double-check with the driver when you get on that you are going to “Banos Termales de Monterrey.”

Stay on the bus until the end. You will know you are at the end because the bus will stop and turn around, that is when you get off. It costs 1 sol each way.

The hot springs cost 15 soles ($4 USD) to enter. There is a larger cold pool as well as several small hot pools. They also have hot showers and change rooms so bring a change of clothes for afterward.

The bus back into town picks up from where it dropped you off. There are buses running consistently throughout the day.

2. Explore the Local Market “Mercado Central de Huaraz”

Just a couple blocks from the main square there is a local market. The market is mostly inside a large building selling tons of clothing-type items and other trinkets. However, out of the streets, there is tons of food for sale.

All sorts of interesting items can be found here including live guinea pig (a Peruvian delicacy!)

If your stomach can manage the strong smell of raw meat, this is a great place for shopping for groceries as it is much cheaper than the grocery stores in town.

3. Eat local cuisine

One of the things I liked most about Huaraz was how the city is filled with locals. Sure, there are a few tourists around, but in comparison to places like Cusco or Mancora, it is still authentically local – which means local food!

Join a gastronomy experience in Huaraz and sample some of the traditional and Peruvian dishes. Some are delicacies and some are just plain tasty!

There is one experience in particular from Huaraz that actually takes you to a local family’s home where they cook and prepare “Cuy” (a Peruvian delicacy, AKA Guinea Pig) for you. It is such a unique cultural experience and one that is totally worth the $15 USD price tag!

4. Go Mountain Biking

Some people like to hike, and others like to ride! Mountain biking is another popular activity in Huaraz.

When you join a mountain bike tour you will see amazing mountain views and even pass through rural villages.

Assuming you aren’t traveling with your own mountain bike, you’ll have to join a tour. This particular tour with the company CHAKINANIPERU Mountain Bike Adventures is the most popular choice and is pretty reasonable considering that it includes your equipment as well as a guide to show you around to all of the best spots!

5. Day trip to Pastoruri Glacier

This glacier is one of the last glaciers remaining in the tropical area of South America. And although it sits at 16,400 feet (5,000 meters) above sea level, it is losing volume quickly. In fact, it is predicted to be completely gone one day, so you need to go now!

Pastoruri Glacier is located in Huascaran National Park. The only way to get there from Huaraz is by taxi or organized tour. Full-day group tours such as this one are really cheap and typically cost less than $30 USD. If you would prefer a more private experience, this private tour is a good option, but it will cost you a lot more!

Where to Stay in Huaraz, Peru

There are many affordable hostels and hotels in Huaraz, in fact, Huaraz was the cheapest place for accommodation that we found in Peru!

Budget Hostels

We stayed at Selina Huaraz, which was a great budget option with dorm rooms for as little as $14 USD and private rooms for around $50 USD. Good wifi, comfortable beds, helpful staff, and a good location. Selina is a popular brand, so you know what you’re getting! You can book Selina on Booking.com and HostelWorld.

Another cheap suitable choice is, Kame House hostel. The hostel has a central location, and the host, Chris, really makes you feel welcome. It’s like a home away from home! You can book Kame House Hostel on Booking.com and HostelWorld. Dorm room prices are on par with Selina but you can get a private room for just $22 USD!

Medium budget

El Jacal is a guest house with a mountain view that delivers comfort to its guests. This family-owned guesthouse has a personal touch in a good location with a fantastic included breakfast. Rooms start at about $32 USD per night.

You can check availability and book El Jacal in advance on Booking.com.

Hotel Churup is a small hotel located in central Huaraz that will feel like home. The hotel is clean, comfortable, and perfect for a medium-budget stay. All rooms have a desk, sofa, and TV. They also include a delicious breakfast buffet consisting of freshly brewed coffee, fruits, seasonal vegetables and eggs. A double room goes for around $70 USD.

You can check availability and book Hotel Churup in advance on Booking.com.

Luxury

There aren’t many luxury options in Huaraz; however, Cordillera Huaraz is pretty close. It is one of the only 3-star hotels and the property has a lounge, bar, and restaurant on-site for you to enjoy. The hotel is located just a 10-minute walk from the Plaza de Armas.

You can check availability and book Cordillera Huaraz in advance on Booking.com.

Thanks for reading!

I hope that this guide to hiking in Huaraz, as well as the town, is helpful for your stay in Huaraz, Peru. To this day, Huaraz is a place I will never forget (and likely a place I will return to one day.) If there is anything I have left out or anything else I can help with please comment or email me!

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