Hiking in Peru. 3 days hiking and trekking Huaraz - the most magical experience!

To get acclimated, I decided to first hike Laguna Parón which is on 4,200 m altitude. I booked a day trip with a company called 'Explore' which was located right next to the Selina hostel and therefore most convenient, although some travelers had mentioned that you can find the day trips for a lower price with other agencies. 

To get from Huaraz to Laguna Parón, we had to drive about 100 km, so we settled in for a long journey. Bringing my airpods was a great decision as I could listen to music while enjoying the beautiful landscapes we were passing. We stopped halfway through to grab a coffee, ice cream, and pastry. 

Once we arrived at the starting point of the hike, we had to trek for you for approximately 1 hour to get to the viewpoint. The hike was mostly uphill and because of the altitude a bit difficult, but I saw everyone from kids to the elderly get up the hill, so it's very doable. It was quite rocky towards the end of the trail, and I was happy I was wearing hiking boots. But once you get to the viewpoint, you'll be rewarded with a beautiful view of the lake and the snow-capped peaks mounting behind it. Amazing!

I was picked up at 4:45 am at my hostel. Once everyone was picked up, we drove for about 2 hours, and then made our first stop to grab breakfast. Afterward, we drove for another 30 min and made a quick stop at Chinancocha lake to enjoy and appreciate the beautiful and magical turquoise lagoon. Another short drive and we got to the starting point of our hike.

In total, it took me 3 hours to get to the the laguna and the trek was broken down as follows: the first 2.5 km of the hike were semi-flat, then we started the first uphill part of 2 km in a zigzag route. After that, you have a 1.5 km stretch which is mixed with a flat part before reaching the last and most gruesome part - 1 km uphill, climbing the last 300 meters in altitude to get to the top. The last part was very intense and at times I wanted to give up and return, but I pushed through and eventually made it. At the top I was rewarded with the most incredible views, the intense blue color of the lake, and it felt magical to be there. We had lunch at the lake and then hiked back. 

The hike was hard, mainly because of the altitude of 4,600m but it was absolutely worth it. Most importantly, I walked at my own pace, took A LOT of breaks, and drank lots of water (and the hike the day before to Laguna Peron was the perfect preparation and got me ready for this hike at high altitude). 

Ps. Laguna 69 is part of the Huascarán National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site. Don't miss it!