Huaraz Travel Guide: Hikes, Cafés and Things To Do In Peru’s Adventure Capital

/

If you love hiking, mountains and the Peruvian Andes, Huaraz may just be your favourite base to be in in Peru. This is Peru’s adventure capital and there is a reason why it is so.

It can’t even be compared to Cusco because they are two completely different kinds of trips.

I went to Cusco and spent a considerable time there and while it is rich in Inca history with crowds making their way to Machu Picchu, Huaraz still made it memorable for me.

It was the random festivals, music and people dressed in everyday Quechua clothing — but none of it felt like they were putting a show. So it was also the best combination of seeing a different side of Peru that’s not touristy.

Here is my guide on all the hikes I did, the cafes I loved and the food you should try when in Huaraz.

Also read: The Peru I Saw: 15 Unique Things To Do in Cusco

What You Should Know About Huaraz: A Little History

in huaraz, peru’s adventure capital. one of the best things to do here is hiking

It is not conventionally known as the most prettiest towns. There was a massive earthquake in 1970 which flattened most of the town so what you get today is busy, slightly chaotic mountain town.

I loved the vibe of it especially if you are travelling long term in South America.

Since it was less touristy and less tourists things to do, I felt like I could lock down and chill at a cafe, read and spend the remaining half hiking.

Huaraz sits at 3,050 metres in the Callejon de Huaylas Valley, wedged between two mountain ranges. There are two sides to it: Cordillera Negra which is often dry and snowless and the Cordillera Blance, which is the highest tropical mountain range in the world.

I am talking about dozens of peaks that are over 6,000 metres. Before coming here, I didn’t even know peaks could go this high especially when I have travelled a lot in the Himalayas.

The fact that you can see Huascaran, Peru’s highest mountain at 6,768metres. That is insane to me. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Why I love Huaraz

why i love huaraz: the food and people were amazing. shot at chilli heaven cafe

My plan every day was to wake up in town, have breakfast, drive a couple of hours and you are standing at a turquoise glacier by lunch.

There are multitude of treks to do here like Laguna 69, Laguna Paron and Laguna Churup. I saw so many hiking shops that it felt like a mini Nepal.

One thing you should know and not to romanticise these places: the glaciers are shrinking. The Cordillera Blanca has already lost a big chunk of its ice over the past few decades.

The reason these lakes look beautiful it is also because of that melt. Yes, it is beautiful but it is so fragile.

How To Get To Huaraz

you can take a bus to get here or fly in like what i did

You can take a bus from Lima and it is much better for acclimatisation but it takes 8 hours and most buses run overnight.

The main companies to go with are Cruz del Sur and Movil.

I took a flight instead because I just didn’t want to risk road journeys in Peru especially after coming from a long-distance flight.

It was also one of the most beautiful flight because I saw these peaks from the plane.

Where To Stay in Huaraz

staying at akilpo home

These are the best places to stay in. There are limited hotels and they are always sold out and one thing to note some places are not heated — they can get pretty cold.

Which Hiking Tours To Book In Huaraz

there are so many hiking tours — this is me on the way to wilcacocha

You don’t need to book everything in advance except for the Huayhuash Circuit or the multi-day treks you want to do.

I think spending time finding the right agency is super important and planning your acclimatisation is also another thing.

Huaraz is still pretty affordable and not that expensive and it all depends on what you’re willing to go with.

Here’s how I would break it down:

  • Laguna 69: Book a tour for this because it is a long drive and the tours handle the transport which makes life easier

  • Laguna Churup: Since it is only about an hour, you can do this on your own by taxi or colectivo to the trailhead, but I would join a tour/guide since it is more comfortable and atleast if anything goes wrong, there’s a guide.

  • Wilcacocha: No tour needed. Look for colective Line 10 or E. Ride costs around 2 to 2.5 sol

  • Laguna Paron, Pastoruri and Chavin de Huantar: Day tours are the easiest to get there

  • Multiday-treks (Huayhuash Circuit Trek & Santa Cruz): Go with a guide since it is remote, high and not the place to wing it. I mean recently even a solo hiker from Australia died on the trail so even if you’re confident you shouldn’t be!

Also read: Machu Picchu & Sacred Valley 2-Day Tour Itinerary: My Experience

Where To Rent Hiking Gear in Huaraz

where to rent hiking gear? highly recommend renting from this shop

If you want to rent hiking gear in Huaraz, I highly recommend getting it from William Expeditions Tour. We went across to a lot of places and ended up getting our hiking poles and jackets for them.

He was available on Whatsapp, spoke English and was amazing to deal with.

Things To Do in Huaraz

1. Hike To Laguna Wilcacocha (Your Acclimatisation Hike)

hiking to laguna wilcacocha

I made the mistake of hiking Laguna Churup first and I paid it for it badly with my health.

Huaraz is already 3,000 metres and the big hikes go higher. Wilcachocha, in my opinion, is the perfect first hike.

It’s on the Cordillera Negra side of the valley so it was still so gorgeous to be able to look across the snowy Cordillera Blanca the whole way up.

The lake sits at around 3,700 metres and the hike took us around 2-3 hours up.

The terrain was dry but we passed through villages, a school and so some amazing views of the Cordillera Blanca range. The hike is still uphill and I was out of breath but chilling by the lake with the dogs while looking at the view felt special.

How to get there: Head to the corner of Av. Raymondi and Jr. Hualcan in Huaraz (near the central market). Get off at Puente Santa Cruz (Santa Cruz Bridge)
Line/Route: Line 10 or Route E (costs 2.5 soles)

2. Hike to Laguna Churup

hiking to laguna churup

I don’t know how to tell you but this hike was so splendid and glorious. Everyone goes to Laguna 69 but I found Churup super underrated.

The altitude absolutely wrecked me on this hike. I would only recommend doing this on your third day in Huaraz.

The trail starts at about 3,850metres and climbs to the lake at around 4,450 metres.

The last section is when things take an interesting turn. There was a rocky scramble near the top with fixed chains in some places. At that altitude, I was super slow and tired.

But the lake is unbelievable. There are turquoise blue colours and sitting right under the peak of Nevado Churup.

How to get there: most lodges or companies have shared tours to this place.
Book it online: Laguna Churup tour

3. Hike to Laguna 69

This is the hike that everyone keeps raving about and I didn’t end up doing it because of the journey and altitude sickness.

Laguna 69 sits at around 4,600 metres. It is about 14km for a round trip and takes about 3 hours to just go up.

For this hike in particular I would book a tour as it is mandatory now to get a guide. Most tours pick you up at around 5am.

If you have time, this should be part of your acclimatisation hike.

Book it here

4. Visit the Huaraz Market

visiting the huaraz market

On a rest day, we decided to head to the Huaraz market (Mercado Central). The market is huge and they have various sections from wet produce and meat to even tailoring.

I fixed my rain jacket in this market and anything that you need stitched before your hike, you should go here.

It is also interesting as with all markets in Peru, you will see piles of potatoes (I mean Peru has like 86 or more varieties of potatoes), corn, cheese, herbs and even stalls selling cooked food.

5. Laguna Paron

laguna paron

If you want a chill hike and seeing something so different, you need to see Laguna Paron which is the biggest lake in the Cordillera Blanca.

I went for this after my Huayhuash circuit hike. It sits at around 4,150metres near the town of Caraz.

The pyramid-shaped Artesonraju peak right at the end is so interesting because Paramount pictures logo was inspired by this.

It is funny how many American companies are named after mountains and spots in South America, from this to outdoor brands like Patagonia and Cotopaxi from Ecuador.

Book it here

6. Hike the Huayhuash Circuit or Santa Cruz trek

hiking the huayhuash circuit

I did this because it was my bucketlist hike and I am so glad I did it. The Huayhuash Circuit is usually 8 to 12 days around the Cordillera Huayhuash with high passes, remote villages and lakes after lakes.

It is one of the best treks that I did.

But if you want something shorter, the Santa Cruz trek is another option and only takes 3-4 days through the Cordillera Blanca and crosses the Punta Union pass at 4,750 metres.

It is a camping trek so means you are pretty much cut off for the entire duration of the trek. I initially signed up for 10 days but ended up doing 6 days because of altitude sickness.

Book the Santa Cruz trek here
Book the Huayhuash circuit trek here

Also read: Hiking the Cordillera Huayhuash Circuit Trek: Peru's Best-Kept Hiking Secret

7. Visit Chavin De Huantar

chavin de huantar

So ofcourse there is a lot of hiking but it can get much, so taking a break is what you should do.

Chavin de Huantar is basically an archaelogical site roughly 3000 years old built by the Chavin culture long before the incas.

It is another UNESCO site and you can walk through the dark stone tunnels inside the main temple.

Book it here

8. See the Pastoruri Glacier

pastoruri glacier

This was one that I missed out on but it is worth visiting because Pastoruri is the easiest way to get close to a glacier.

The glacier has shrunk dramatically and the tour kinda gives you an idea of what climate change has done. You will also pass Puya raimondii plants, these giant spiky bromeliads can grow taller than a house.

Book it here

9. Hike to the viewpoint in Huaraz (Mirador de Rataquenua)

gorgeous sunset views from mirador de rataquenua

I went in the afternoon here and I was pleasantly surprised by the view as you get a whole city view with Cordillera Blanca behind it — you can walk or take the taxi up to Mirador de Rataquenua.

There is also a really nice restaurant up there to get a nice juice or coffee while overlooking the mountains. It is called Recreo Campestre VISTA ANDINA.

Locals seem to come here every weekend to have their cuy (guinea pig) which I still can’t seem to consume it.

If you have a chill day, you should do this 45 minute hike or walk.

10. Cafe Hopping in Huaraz

at muruwa cafe, my favourite place for breakfast

After losing weight on this countless hikes and calories because of the altitude, the one thing I can’t stop dreaming of is food in Peru.

I went to so many places and here’s my list of the best for food in Huaraz, for working, for reading and for having the best breakfast.

  • Chilli Heaven: The best place lunch and dinner. I was obsessed with this place because of how good the flavours were and fresh the curries were. The owners are so lovely — you have to try their thai curry, and indian vindaloo and fajitas here!

  • Muruwa cafe: The best cafe for breakfast in Huaraz. I love their coffee here and the sandwiches were amazing. I also liked working here!

  • Cafe Andino: Great place to work and also come here for their sandwiches after a long hiking day

  • Seismil coffeeshop: Amazing place for coffee and cakes and to read a book. Super chic interiors

  • Chifa Hifa 2: I don’t know about you and why more people are not eating at local places but Chinese Peruvian food absolutely slaps. I love their fried rice with broccoli and asparagus. Food is cheap and portions are HUGE. They are also good with wanton soups especially if you have altitude sickness — this healed me!

Tips for Visiting Huaraz

tips for visiting huaraz

  • Take the altitude seriously: You need 2-3 days before beginning your big multi day treks. Drink lots of water, carry diamox with you. I saw a lot of pharmacies selling this and you can cut the tablet into half (don’t take the full one!)

  • Carry cash: It is a very cash-heavy place but I did use cards in most cafes. Some still prefer cash so best to use the ATMS or money changers.

  • Try their rickshaws: I thought it is so cool that you can use their rickshaws to get to places. If not get an uber. But for the fun of it, get these rickshaws — you won’t see them in Cusco.

  • Water: Don’t drink tap water; stick to their bottled water which is what I did always.

Is Huaraz Worth It?

is huaraz worth it? yes!

You could argue and say oh there is the Salkantay trek in Cusco so why bother flying to a whole different region just to do more hiking?

I asked myself the same thing.

But Huaraz is different. You have two entire mountain ranges with a different glacier lake, pass or peak everyday and far fewer people on the trails.

Then there is the vibe. It feels like a mini Nepal where people come here to hike, climb, eat. Parts of Cusco feels packaged for tourists and here it doesn’t.

You are right in the middle of the Andes mountains with two UNESCO heritage sites.

A week is a good start and two weeks gives you enough time if you want to do the multi-day trek.

I think Peru is that destination where you probably can’t combine Machu Picchu and this if there is not enough time but not rushing it will also make you see Peru in a different lens.

Also read my other Peru posts:

Like this story? PIN IT!