This was my first hiking trip in Peru, and what a place to start! The hike to Laguna 69 was one of the top on my peru adventure travel bucket-list. The Cordillera Blanca mountain range attracts hiking enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies from all over the world. As the world’s second highest mountain range after the Himalayas, the region is rich with offerings of all sorts of outdoor pursuits from hiking, mountain-biking, ice-climbing, and more. Hike to Laguna 69 I visited the region for a long weekend with my boyfriend Steven and friends Evi and Helge. Since we had limited time and hiking experience, we decided the priority was to see Laguna 69 – the jewel in the Cordillera Crown. Located in the Huascarán National Park at 4,600m (15,092ft) above sea level, it’s one of the more accessible locations in the region, and can be visited as a day hike or a two day trip with camping. We opted for the latter. The trek is deemed as relatively challenging for non-regular hikers, thanks to the altitude and short, steep incline at the end, or as a gentle trek for the experienced – so the difficulty level is relative! We set out early in the morning with our guide Epi, who has lived and worked in the mountains his whole life – first as a porter, then a cook, and now as a trained and registered guide for the national park. Our complete package included all transport, meals, tents and equipment, which meant we didn’t have to worry about the arrangements, and only had to carry our day-packs. After a very bumpy two and a half hours by car from Huaraz, we set off on foot into the hills. One of my favourite moments was our picnic lunch on the first day. After a
This was my first hiking trip in Peru, and what a place to start! The hike to Laguna 69 was one of the top on my peru adventure travel bucket-list. The Cordillera Blanca mountain range attracts hiking enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies from all over the world. As the world’s second highest mountain…
The Cordillera Blanca is one of the most impressive mountain ranges in Peru and arguably South America with 20 peaks that reach over 6,000m in altitude, including Huascaran at 6,786m (22,263ft), which is the highest mountain in Peru and one of the highest in the Americas. This region is a haven for hikers and has a wide variety of day treks and multi-day treks for all skill levels, from those who want to try trekking for the first time and those who are more experienced and want to scale some of South America’s most beautiful mountains. The Cordillera Blanca's Santa Cruz Trek is a relatively easy multi-day hike, camping in spectacular mountain scenery. Hiking the Santa Cruz Trek in the Cordillera Blanca Of the treks, the classic Cordillera Blanca Santa Cruz trek route is one of the most popular in the Cordillera Blanca. The three or four-day trek in the protected Huascaran Reserve is a great introduction to the region of Huaraz and gives travelers a glimpse of the stunning beauty of the Cordillera Blanca with its snowcapped mountains, lagoons and forests. The trek can begin or end in one of two towns, Vaquería and Cashapampa. Traditionally it begins in Cashapampa and ends in Vaquería, but for those doing the trek in three days, beginning in Cashapampa is more strenuous as more of the route is uphill. Acclimatizing for Santa Cruz trekking A friend and I recently traveled to Huaraz to get a much-needed dose of nature and change of scenery from Lima’s cityscapes. We spent three days in the city to acclimatize with a few day treks before doing the Santa Cruz Trek in three days, beginning in Vaquería. The Santa Cruz trek day-by-day review Day 1 - LLanganuco Lakes We were collected from our hotel at 6am and
The Cordillera Blanca is one of the most impressive mountain ranges in Peru and arguably South America with 20 peaks that reach over 6,000m in altitude, including Huascaran at 6,786m (22,263ft), which is the highest mountain in Peru and one of the highest in the Americas. This region is a…
