05.04.2018 – 08.04.2018
Huaraz
Huaraz is a chaotic noisy city with a lot of trash in the street. Huaraz is on 3’052 meters and it can get cold in the night.
Even Huaraz is chaotic and not a beautiful city, you can find a lot of interesting things in the streets of Huaraz and discover the real Peru.
Huaraz is a must visit if you want to see the amazing Laguna 69 oryou want to do a multi-day trek through the Cordillera Blanca. All can be arranged or started from Huaraz.
Huascarán National Park is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site home to some of South America’s most breathtaking scenery and glaciers with 25 trekking routes.
From Huaraz you can do one of the most beautiful Trekking in the world. The Huayhuash Trekking that takes 10-14 days.
How to get to Huaraz?
From Trujillo you can take the bus at the bus terminal to Huaraz. The Taxi from the hostel to the bus terminal cost about 7sol.
If you want to travel in the day, there is only on bus that leaves in the morning at 9.45am. It cost 30sol with the bus company Linea. The tax for to enter the bus cost 1.30sol.
All the other companies leave in the night.
It takes 8 hours to get to Huaraz and the bus stop for lunch. The lunch cost only about 10sol and includes soup, chicken with rice and a drink.
From Lima you can choose between many different companies. The best option is to travel in the night because it takes 9 hours. I tooked the bus from Huaraz to Lima with the company Movilbus at 22.25pm and it cost 45soles.
Where to stay in Huaraz?
I stayed in the hostel “Vacahouse 2 Eco-hostel” for 3 nights and it cost only 4.65-5 USD in a shared room and the breakfast is included.
I liked the hostel a lot. It’s very cheap, you have hot shower, breakfast is included and the stuff is friendly and helpful. You can book tours directly in the hostel.
Only the location is not the best. You have to walk about 20 minutes to the Plaza de armas.
Recommendations
Huaraz is on 3’052m and I recommend to aclimatice in the city for at least 1 or 2 days before you book a Tour. When you spend some time on the beach you can feel the high altitude and you need to take your time when you walk around.
Even I didn’t like the city of Huaraz you can find a lot of interesting things in the streets. For example chicken that’s hanging around and poeple selling other crazy things.
You can buy souvenirs very cheap in Huaraz. It’s better to buy them in Huaraz then in Cusco. In Cusco it’s more expensive!
I recommend to buy the Coca leaves when you arrive in Huaraz. You can find them in any small stores. Just put a few in the hot water and enjoy the tea.
Also for your hike you should take enough with you. You can chew the Coca leaves and it helps a lot.
The 5 best things to do in Huaraz
1.) Laguna 69 / Day Trip
This is a must visit when you are in Peru. This is the most beautiful lake in Peru. The hike is hard because you have to hike to the Lake on 4’500 meters. I could feel the high altitude at the last 30 minutes a lot and I had to hike slower and take more breaks.
The crystal clear blue water of the lake with the glacier is so beautiful!
Even the drive up to the mountains is already very impressive.
It takes about 2-3 hours to hike up tp the Laguna 69. On the way up you are surrounded by stunning views of mountains, small waterfalls and beautiful landscape.
For to hike back it takes about 1.5-2 hours.
You can book the Tour directly in the hostel.
The Tour cost 30soles and the entrance to the park cost 30 soles.
The breakfast cost 5-10 soles.
They pick you up in the hostel at 5am in the morning and you are back in the hostel at around 7pm.
You are in a big group but you can hike on your on to the lake. I liked this a lot. There were many poeple on the trail but it’s good you don’t have to hike with the big group.
You only have to be back on time at the bus. You have more then enough time to enjoy the beautful lake.
2.) Lake Paron / Day Trip
Laguna Paronis on 4’155m high and the biggest lake in the Cordillera Blanca. This lake is also very beautiful. There are not so many poeple.
You can book the Tour directly in the hostel. The tour cost less then laguna 69 and the hike is not so hard.
3.) Glacier Pastoruri / Day Trip
This is a huge glacier and very beautiful. The mountain landscape with wide opened view of the Cordillera Blanca is very impressive! You hike about only 30 minutes to 5’100 meters.
The views are amazing all the way up to the glacier, and the glacier is surrounded by mountains.
You can book the Tour directly in the hostel.
4.) Huayhuash Trekking / 6-14 Days
The Huayhuash Trekking is one of the most beautiful Trekkings in the world! The Huayhuash Trekking takes 10-14 days.
My friend did it for 6 days because he didn’t have so much time.
He booked the trekking with the Caleb Expeditions. He recommend to book the trekking with this Tour company. They have very good equipment and they are very professional.
5.) Santa Cruz Trekking / 4 Days
This is one of the most popular treks in the Cordillera Blanca. You can see spectacular mountains and lakes with beautiful views and colors.
I recommend to book the Tour also with Caleb Expeditions.
Where to eat?
You can eat in restaurants very cheap. You can have a meal for lunch for only 6sol-9sol. There are so many resturants but they almmost all sell for this price chicken with rice or chicken with fries.
You can have dinner in a restaurant for 9-12soles.
Huaraz to Lima
From Huaraz you can choose between many different companies. The best option is to travel in the night because it takes 9 hours.
I tooked the bus from Huaraz to Lima with the company Movilbus at 22.25pm and it cost 45soles.
The best company is Cruz del Sur but is more expensive. I tooked Cruz del Sur from Ica to Cusco because it takes 17 hours.
reneadventure 