Huaraz, Peru
Arriving in Huaraz
We arrived early in the morning to the rugged city of Huaraz. The city is located in the Andes Mountains of Peru. Famous for the many hikes nearby, we were excited to see all that the city had to offer. We began by finding a place to stay the night. We discovered that the hostels here are a little bit more expensive than in Ecuador. Upon settling in a place we explored the city.
Huaraz, The City
Our first stop was the main Plaza. Unlike in Ecuador there was no free WiFi in the public park. Similar to in Ecuador, however, the plaza is very beautiful. The park is beautifully designed and has a large cathedral along one side.
We visited a popular cafe named California Cafe and fell in love with the place. The workers were especially welcoming, telling us about the city, and serving us delicious food. We enjoyed making use of the library of books, as well as their great WiFi. Whenever we wanted a place to blog or research this is where we went.
Money
This was our first Peruvian city and we needed to adjust to the different currency used here. Called soles, they are worth about 30cents to one sole (at the time we were there). We use an app called XE Currency when we want to know the exact amount we are paying. For a fast calculatian, however, I found that dividing by 10 (moving one decimal place to the left) and then multiplying by three gave a good approximation.
Pastoruri Glacier
One of the day excursions we had was a visit to the Pastoruri Glacier. This excursion costs 40 soles. It includes the transportation there and back, along with a ‘guide’ whose job it is to walk behind the slowest person and make sure no one gets left behind.
We have never been to a glacier like this before. From the city we drove about an hour and a half. Along the way we stopped by a few sights such as the pineapple cactus’s, along with a few viewpoints. We arrived at the trail leading to the glacier already well above sky-diving height.
Due to the high elevation we had coco tea before driving up and we definitely felt it here. We were at about 5,000 meters in elevation and the short 30min hike was actually quite challenging. What we found at the end was highly rewarding. A stunning glacier with beautiful alpine lakes. We found it beautiful and breathtaking.
Laguna 69
This beautiful lake is not for the faint of heart. This trek also cost 40 soles with the standard transportation and guide shepherding the slowest person. This hike, however, was on a whole other level.
From the time you wake up to the time you return to the city you are treated to extremes of a whole other sort. To do justice to this hike we did a separate write up about it here.
Rock-Climbing
There are a lot of places to go rock-climbing near Huaraz. For a complete breakdown of all the locations and routes head on over to the California Cafe and ask to see the rock-climbing book. You can rent gear at one of the climbing shops in town and if you are comfortable with it do a trip solo.
We love rock-climbing, however, we are not fully comfortable doing it solo yet. We chose instead to hire a local guide. A young kid who was second in all of Huaraz, we felt comfortable with him. He took us to a place not far away called Los Olivos. The rock was a little sharper than we are used to, nevertheless, we had a lot of fun.
Santa Cruz Trek
There are many treks around Huaraz. Since we arrived in October, we were at about the end of the adventure season in Huaraz which lasts from about March to October. The rainy season was beginning although not in earnest. The most famous trek in the area is the Santa Cruz Trek. If you have more time there are also other treks you could try out, which are rated very highly.
The Santa Cruz trek is about 4 days of hiking through some of the most beautiful scenery. To do it full justice we posted a separate write-up about it here.
Other Sights Around Huaraz
There are a number of either small sights or large treks around Huaraz that are worth mentioning. We visited hot springs where you are able to have your own private bath filled with hot spring water to the temperature of your liking. You can also visit a memorial for a town that was buried in a landslide killing 20,ooo people instantly. There are a number of Inca ruins nearby you can visit. In addition, a very famous trek in the area is called Huayhuash which takes anywhere from 8-13 days.
Huaraz is an amazing city and we definitely found it as one of our favorite places. From Huaraz we took a bus to Lima and then onwards to the desert oasis of Huacachina.
Favorite Places to Eat and Stay in Huaraz, Peru
Hostal-
“Jo’s Place“– Dorms, Private Bedrooms and Camping. We brought our own tent so we decided to save some money and camp. It was 12 soles per person. Kitchen, shower and bathroom included.
Cafe & Restaurant-
“California Cafe”–
This was our favorite hang out spot. They had delicious breakfast that comes with homemade bread and coffee or tea. Strong wifi and lots of space for reading or working.
“Cafe Andino”–
We liked this place a lot less than California Cafe because the staff was not as friendly and we felt pressured to leave after eating. The wifi wasn’t as good either. I would still have to say though that it has a lot of room, great food and similar prices to California Cafe.
“El Doradito”–
We gave this restaurant a try on the day before were to leave and we didnt regret it at all because we came back the next day. The restaurant’s specialty is chicken so all the plates are served with it. A typical plate would have chicken (whole, half, 1/4, 1/8) fries, fried rice and a side of salad. Their lemonade is also very delicious and cheap. Totally recommend this place! Lots of locals.
Outdoor Market-
We cooked a lot more in Huaraz because we had access to a kitchen. The outdoor market during the day is a great place to get fresh fruit and veggies.
Supermercado Trujillo-
If you are going to be doing any hikes this is a great store to stock up on water, dried fruit & nuts and anything else that you would need. They even have granola bars that we took on our 4 day trek. They were a little bit pricy but they sure were helpful during the hike.
Hope this helps you start planning your trip to Huaraz, Peru! Let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.
-Katie and Alex
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