Pastoruri and Llanganuco: two classic day trips from Huaraz

If Laguna 69 is Huaraz's star hike, Pastoruri and the Llanganuco lakes are the two classic trips almost every traveller does. They are less demanding, bring you close to the Cordillera Blanca and help you acclimatize. Both are inside Huascarán National Park, managed by SERNANP, which lists them among the park's established tourist routes.

Pastoruri and the Climate Change Route

A glacier that tells a story

For decades Pastoruri was an emblem of mountain tourism: thousands came to touch the ice and even ski. Today, according to INAIGEM, it is one of the most visible signs of climate change. A technical publication on forty years of glaciological studies describes it as a glacier in the process of extinction, fragmented into blocks with a heavily crevassed, dangerous surface.

That is why Huascarán National Park and other institutions created the Climate Change Route, turning the visit into a lesson on tropical glaciers. SERNANP's brochure gives Pastoruri an altitude of about 5,220 m (the summit); the tourist trail reaches the glacier area below.

What you see along the way

According to SERNANP, the route starts at Patococha lake and covers:

• The Climate Change Route Interpretation Centre.
• The carbonated springs of Pumapampa, a bubbling spring.
• Pumapashimin.
• Rock paintings.
• Forests of Puya Raimondi in the Pachacoto valley, the giant Andean plant that can take decades to flower.
• And finally, the Pastoruri glacier.

Getting there and how much you walk

According to SERNANP, it is about 69 km by vehicle from Huaraz to the Pastoruri tourist area, about 2 hours 30 minutes. From there you walk about 2 km, roughly an hour, to the glacier. The walk is short, but at almost 5,000 metres every step costs more.

Pastoruri tips

• Do not do it in your first days: it is one of the highest trips. See our acclimatization guide.
• Walk slowly and drink water.
• Dress very warmly: gloves, hat and jacket.
• Do not approach or climb onto the ice: it is crevassed and dangerous.
• Get your entry ticket at the checkpoint: it supports conservation.

Llanganuco lakes

Two lakes at the foot of Huascarán

In the Llanganuco valley, Yungay province, lie two lakes: Chinancocha and Orconcocha. SERNANP's brochure describes them as two beautiful lakes surrounded by queñual forest, a red-barked Andean tree that grows at high altitude. Above them rise Huascarán (6,678 m, Peru's highest according to SERNANP) and Huandoy (6,395 m).

The water changes between greens and turquoises with the light and season. It is one of the most photogenic landscapes of the Cordillera Blanca and, unlike Laguna 69, you enjoy it without a demanding hike.

Getting there

From Huaraz, head north through the Callejón de Huaylas via Carhuaz and Yungay, then up the valley to the Llanganuco checkpoint. The same road continues to Yuraccorral, start of the Laguna 69 hike, and to the Portachuelo pass (about 4,767 m according to SERNANP), with stunning views.

Most full-day tours combine Llanganuco with stops in Carhuaz and at the Campo Santo of Yungay, where the old town was buried by the 1970 earthquake and avalanche. It is a moving visit.

Llanganuco tips

• Ideal for day two or three of your trip.
• There are short trails beside Chinancocha; walk slowly, the lake is above 3,800 m.
• Some park lakes prohibit swimming; follow signs and rangers.
• Bring a jacket: the valley is colder than Huaraz.

Which first?

On a short trip, the logical acclimatization order is Llanganuco first (lower, easier), then Pastoruri (high but little walking) and, if you feel well, Laguna 69, which since February 2026 can only be visited with SERNANP-authorized agencies.

Best time for both

The dry season (May to September) has the clearest skies. According to SENAMHI, June, July and August are Huaraz's driest months. In the rainy season (especially January to March), clouds can hide the peaks and landslides can cut roads. More in the best time to visit Huaraz.

Responsible tourism

SERNANP recommends travelling with authorized agencies and transport, asking guides to show their current ID card and leaving no waste anywhere in the park. Stay on marked trails and do not disturb wildlife.

What to bring on both trips

• ID for the park checkpoint.
• Water and energy snacks; there is not always somewhere to buy food up high.
• Layers, hat and gloves, even if Huaraz is sunny.
• Sunscreen and sunglasses: radiation is intense and ice reflection increases it at Pastoruri.
• Poncho or waterproof outside the dry season.
• Cash in soles for toilets, food along the way and crafts.
• A bag to carry out your rubbish.

Ask your agency whether the tour includes the park ticket, lunch and guide, and when it returns.

In short

Llanganuco gives you turquoise lakes and queñual forest at the foot of Huascarán with little effort; Pastoruri confronts you with climate change at almost 5,000 metres. Together they are the best prelude to Laguna 69.

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Sources

• Andina – Huascarán NP tourist routes according to SERNANP
• SERNANP – Huascarán NP official brochure
• INAIGEM – Pastoruri, from tourist splendour to climate alert
• Pastoruri: 40 years of glaciological studies
• SENAMHI – Huaraz climate normals

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