- Full day (about 10 to 11 h)
- 4,600 m
- Challenging
Day tours from Huaraz: glacial lakes and acclimatization hikes
Day trips by private bus to the glacial lakes and the Pastoruri glacier of the Cordillera Blanca, back in Huaraz the same day.
A day tour leaves Huaraz (about 3,050 m / 10,000 ft) early, usually at 7:00 a.m. by private bus, and returns the same day. The most searched are the glacial lakes of Huascarán National Park: Laguna 69 (about 4,600 m, a 5 to 6-hour hike, leaving at 6:00 a.m.), Llanganuco, Parón and Churup, plus the Pastoruri glacier. Since February 9, 2026, Laguna 69 can only be visited with agencies that hold a contract with SERNANP, the park authority.
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There is a day tour for every level: Llanganuco is mostly a scenic bus ride past the Chinancocha and Orconcocha lakes up to the Portachuelo pass (about 4,750 m); Laguna Rajucolta (4,280 m) has only a short walk of about 1 hour; Laguna Churup (4,450 m) is a hike of about 5 hours from Pitec with a final rocky section on fixed ropes; and Laguna 69 is the most popular of them all.
Laguna Parón is the largest lake in Huascarán National Park (SERNANP), with a 4-hour hike to Artesonraju base camp, and Pastoruri is SERNANP's Climate Change Route, below a summit of 5,240 m, with a stop at the giant Puya raimondii.
Day tours from Huaraz
Each tour page lists departure time, max altitude, hiking hours, difficulty and what to bring.
- Full day
- 4,750 m
- Easy
- Full day
- 4,185 m
- Moderate
- Full day (about 8 h)
- 4,450 m
- Moderate
- Full day
- 4,280 m
- Easy
- Full day
- 4,850 m
- Challenging
More information
Day tours compared
Duration, hiking time, max altitude and difficulty of each day trip, so you can choose based on your acclimatization.
| Tour | Type | Duration | Hike | Max. altitude | Difficulty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laguna 69 | Day tour | Full day (about 10 to 11 h) | 5 to 6 h · 13 to 15 km | 4,600 m | Challenging | Ask for price |
| Llanganuco | Day tour | Full day | — | 4,750 m | Easy | Ask for price |
| Laguna Parón | Day tour | Full day | 4 h | 4,185 m | Moderate | Ask for price |
| Laguna Churup | Day tour | Full day (about 8 h) | 5 h · 6 to 8 km | 4,450 m | Moderate | Ask for price |
| Laguna Rajucolta | Day tour | Full day | 1 h | 4,280 m | Easy | Ask for price |
| Pastoruri Glacier | Day tour | Full day | 5 to 6 h | 4,850 m | Challenging | Ask for price |
Recommended order to acclimatize
Huaraz sits at about 3,050 m and almost every lake is above 4,000 m. The safest approach is to go up gradually: start with an easy outing, follow with a mid-altitude one and save Laguna 69 and the highest trips for last.
| Order | Day tour | Max. altitude | Why in this order |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrival day | Rest in Huaraz | about 3,050 m | Peru's Ministry of Health advises rest for the first hours, and the CDC advises no strenuous exercise for the first 48 hours. |
| 1st outing | Laguna Rajucolta or Laguna Churup | 4,280 m / 4,450 m | Rajucolta has only a short walk; Churup is a real hike with a steep finish: do it after two nights in Huaraz. |
| 2nd outing | Llanganuco or Laguna Parón | about 4,750 m by bus / about 4,185 m | Several hours at altitude with moderate effort. |
| 3rd outing | Laguna 69 | about 4,600 m | The most popular: 5 to 6 hours of hiking and about 700 m of elevation gain. |
| Once acclimatized | Pastoruri | about 4,850 m | You hike up near the glacier, higher than Laguna 69. |
This is a suggestion, not a rule: everyone acclimatizes at their own pace. The full plan, with warning signs from the CDC and Peru's Ministry of Health, is in our Huaraz acclimatization guide.
Departure times
According to our program, most day tours leave at 7:00 a.m. by private bus. The return time depends on the group's pace and the road.
| Departure | Day tours |
|---|---|
| 6:00 a.m., private bus | Laguna 69 |
| 7:00 a.m., private bus | Llanganuco, Laguna Parón, Laguna Churup, Laguna Rajucolta, Pastoruri |
Huascarán National Park rules in 2026
Since February 9, 2026, Laguna 69 can only be visited with agencies that hold a tourism services contract with SERNANP, and the agency buys each visitor's digital ticket. The same rule applies to Nevado Pisco since April 1, 2026 (Gestión, Jan 27, 2026; El Peruano, Feb 25, 2026).
The one-day park ticket costs S/ 30 at the general rate for foreign visitors (SERNANP, 2026), and children under 5 enter free. You must register at the control post, stay on marked trails and leave no trash. For everything about Laguna 69, read our Laguna 69 guide.
Best time for day tours
SERNANP recommends visiting the park from May to October, in the dry season: clear skies and the lakes at their most intense color. From October to April it rains, mostly in the afternoon, and trails can be muddy or snowy up high, so bring a rain jacket.
Day tour FAQ
What is the easiest day tour from Huaraz?
Llanganuco: most of it is a bus ride past the Chinancocha and Orconcocha lakes up to the Portachuelo pass, at about 4,750 m, with very little walking. Laguna Rajucolta is also gentle: only a short walk of about 1 hour.
What is the hardest day tour?
In what order should I do day tours to acclimatize?
Rest on arrival day, then do Laguna Rajucolta or Laguna Churup, then Llanganuco or Laguna Parón, and leave Laguna 69 and Pastoruri for last. See our acclimatization guide for details.
What time do day tours leave?
Most leave at 7:00 a.m. by private bus. Laguna 69 leaves earlier, at 6:00 a.m.
Can I visit Laguna 69 without a tour?
Not since February 9, 2026. SERNANP only allows entry with agencies that hold a contract with Huascarán National Park.
How much is the Huascarán National Park fee for a day tour?
According to SERNANP (2026), a one-day ticket costs S/ 30 at the general rate for foreign visitors. Children under 5 enter free.