Huaraz 🦙

The bus ride from Lima to Huaraz was incredibly beautiful. First, we traveled for a long time along the coast until we ascended a pass into the mountains. Thus, just before sunset, we got our first view of the snow-covered peaks of the Cordillera Blanca. Then we enjoyed a stunning sunset before driving around the city for an hour until the bus driver found the entrance to the terminal. After that, it was off to the hostel for a shower and to find something to eat. Tired from the bus ride, I quickly went to bed. The next morning, I took some time to plan the upcoming days and explore the city. In the afternoon, I set off on a pleasant hike above the city. Huaraz is located at over 3000m above sea level, so every hike quickly takes you up to 4000m, which naturally makes it much more strenuous. The hostel owner is an enthusiastic climber and goes climbing with people from the hostel every day. I joined him right away and spent the day on the rock. It was a lot of fun after a long time! Even though my fingers are now full of blisters - oopsie. In the evening, I cooked something in the hostel before heading to bed early, as we planned to hike to Laguna 69 the next day. This is one of the most popular hikes in the area and definitely worth it. In the end, you reach an altitude of 4604m and are presented with a stunningly blue lagoon in front of you, with the glacier in the background. It was definitely worth every effort! Late in the evening, we finally returned to the hostel and fell dead tired into bed. For the next day, I chose a more relaxing tour to the Pastoruri Glacier. This glacier is at 5000m and is one of the highest glaciers in the tropical mountain range. The drive here was also very impressive, and during the hike, I even managed to see Vicuñas. Unfortunately, that was my last proper day in Huaraz. The next day, we continued on the night bus back south. It felt really good to be surrounded by real mountains again and to hike and climb for a few days. There is still so much to see in the Cordillera Blanca, and I look forward to coming back here someday! 🫶🏼