10+ PHOTOS THAT WILL PUT LAGUNA CHURUP ON YOUR BUCKET LIST!
Going to Laguna Churup?
Come again... Where?!
You know Laguna Churup...
If you're visiting Huaraz for a couple of days you're more than likely heading towards Laguna 69 and Laguna Paron. They're stunning and totally worth it!! But here's why you should squeeze Laguna Churup into your itinerary and head there for a perfect day of hiking and chilling in the mountains.
Located in the Huascarán National Park around 1.5 hours outside of Huaraz, Laguna Churup is one of the few lakes that can be done on your own without a guide or a tour bus. If you're looking to hike somewhere without the crowds of tour buses, challenge yourself, acclimatise and hike in your own time whilst admiring breathtaking views, this is one for you.
Here are 10 photos that will put Laguna Churup on your must-do list whilst in Huaraz:
This is only the beginning of beautiful views of mountains and glaciers!
Get up close, the water really is a beautiful shade of blue-green!
Without a tour, take as much time as you need to admire the stunning landscapes!
The rocky and windy paths with mountainous backdrops make perfect canvases!
Totally worth the hike!
Stop and take a moment!
A little cold to go for a swim but you can try!
Not as touristy, at the right time you'll get the national park all to yourself!
You'll realise that Peru is just full of surprises...
How to get to Laguna Churup?
From Huaraz there is a daily collectivo that leaves at 7:30 am from Av. Agustun Gamarra just around the Ursa petrol station. Your hotel will more than likely advise you to be there at 7:00 am, although it's not really necessary to be there that early. The collectivo will take you directly to Pitek where you can start the hike.
It will cost 10 soles each way and keep in mind the national park entry fee is 30 soles. On the way back, the same collectivo will leave at 2:30 pm.
Handy tips for climbing
Bring lunch, water and snacks with you. You won't find anywhere to buy things along the way.
Download maps.me to view the hiking trails.
There are two ways to go up:
Route 1: via the mirador (look-out point) and a longer way to go up.
Route 2: via the campsite and a slightly more dangerous route involving rope climbing. Most hikers will go up via the campsite and down via the mirador. The tricky thing about going up via the campsite is that you'll have to climb up the final part using cables. There was one particular point where I had to pull myself up onto a ledge. Unfortunately, a slight lack of upper body strength and vertical challenges meant that this was an arduous task. The ledge was slippery and had a pretty large drop on the end. I didn't want to risk it. Thankfully a fellow hiker helped me out and pulled me over.
I'm smiling on the outside...
At 4450m normally Laguna Churup is a good one for acclimatisation to the altitude. It's supposed to be easier than Laguna 69...
With all the cables, I took 3 hours to go up to Laguna Churup compared to 2.5 hours for Laguna 69. If you're not yet acclimatised, you're likely to be gasping for breath as you go...
Good luck!!
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