How to visit Laguna Paron in Huaraz Peru
The Huascaran National Park near Huaraz, is one of the highlights of Huaraz and one of the best places to visit in Peru and includes many of the best hikes in Huaraz and day trips that are very popular with tourists, including the Santa Cruz trek, Laguna 69 and Laguna Paron.
I personally, did this trip as my first acclimatisation hike when I arrived in Huaraz and was blown away by the beauty of the lake, especially when the sun is shining on it, the colour is amazing.
Where is Laguna Paron Peru
Laguna Paron is in the cordillera blanca in the ancash region of Peru. It is located near the town of Caraz in the parque nacional huascaran peru. Most people though travel from Lima Peru and base themselves in the town of Huaraz, when visiting the area. It is also popular to travel from Trujillo to Huaraz, as it takes around the same time as Lima to Huaraz, which is around 8 hours by bus.
The airport for Huaraz reopened in 2024, and there is 1 flight a day from Lima to Huaraz. Renting a car in Peru is not very popular, as the roads in Peru are not in good condition, and there are many road accidents. I have my licence and have driven in many countries, but I am too scared to drive in Peru!! The most popular way to get from Trujillo and Lima is still by bus.
How to get to La Laguna de Paron Ancash
Most people travel to Laguna Paron on a Laguna Paron tour, though it is possible to get there by public transport. It is around a 3-hour drive from Huaraz to Laguna Paron.
Laguna Paron tours leave from Huaraz around 8 am and cost around 55 soles (you will find different prices with different agencies), plus the 5 soles entry fee. It is also possible to do from Caraz, and normally, the tour bus from Huaraz will stop and pick you up on the way.
The Huaraz tours leave Huaraz and the first stop is Carhuaz, where you have a toilet break, have time to buy some snacks or just have a walk around the Plaza de Armas.
From here you then drive to Caraz and through Caraz to the road that takes you up to Laguna Paron. The drive from Caraz takes about 1 hour to 1 and a half hours as it is a narrow dirt road with a lot of switchbacks. The road is quite long as you need to go up 900 metres in height from the initial entrance to the park.
The drive along the valley is beautiful and normally the bus will make a stop so you get a few photos and admire the view.
When you arrive at the car park for Laguna Paron you immediately have a view of the lake and how impressive it looks, the guide will point you in the direction of the viewpoint and normally go up with you so you have someone to take some great photos of you.
Here you can use the toilet at a cost of 1 sol. There is also a basic hostel if you want to stay the night, and there is a little restaurant if you want to have lunch and admire the view.
How to get to Laguna Paron by public transport
It is possible to do Laguna Paron independently, if you are staying in Huaraz, then you will need to get a colectivo to Caraz. It is possible to do in the same day, but it might be easier to stay overnight in Caraz and get the 6.30am colectivo to Pueblo Paron.
To get there by public transport you need to get the colectivo from Caraz from the bus station near the mercado to Pueblo Paron which takes around 45 minutes. From there you walk 15 minutes to the control gate where you pay your 5 soles entrance fee.
From the control gate it is a 10km walk up to laguna de paron caraz. The hike starts at 3,200 metres until you reach the laguna at 4,200 metres. You then have the option of staying the night at the little refuge and paying 10 soles a night or camping by the lake, or just doing it as a day hike and hiking the 10km back to Pueblo Paron.
Please note that the colectivo’s to and from Pueblo Paron do not have a set timetable and if you get back late, there may not be a colectivo back to Caraz that day.
What is the altitude of Laguna Paron
Laguna Paron is 4,200 metres above sea level, though you can climb a little higher to get to a higher viewpoint.
What to do at Laguna Paron
Once you arrive at Laguna Paron there are a couple of options that you can do, depending on how much time you have there. If you arrived as part of a tour, then you will probably have between an hour and a half and 2 hours, depending on whether you got stuck in traffic or not on your journey there.
During your time there, I recommend that you do the hike up to the viewpoint to get a great view of the Laguna. It takes between 30-45 minutes, depending on how hard you find the altitude. On the hike up, you are also scrambling over rocks in places, so it is best to be wearing good footwear and not flip flops or high heels!! (Don’t be surprised to see Peruvian tourists not wearing appropriate footwear).
After this, you can either get a boat or a canoe and go out onto the lake to explore a little further. It costs 10 soles per person for the boat or 20 soles per person for the canoe.
If you have longer at the laguna then it is good to walk along the left hand side of the lake or you can hike higher up than the mirador on the right hand side of lake paron.
Paramount Trek
It is said that Paramount pictures corporation took inspiration for their logo from Artesonraju mountain, a peak that you are able to see from Lake Paron. To do this hike, you need to do a longer trek which is offered by some companies and sets off at 5 am.
The hike goes past the normal place that visitors to the laguna go and higher up until you are at an altitude of 4,500 metres. It is a tough hike at the altitude and scrambling over rocks, though it is much tougher on the descent.
At 4,500 metres you will finally see the beautiful Paramount mountain and you can see for yourself if it does look like the mountain in the Paramount logo.
Should you do Lake Paron or Laguna 69
There is a big difference between Lake Paron and Laguna 69. Laguna 69 is a difficult hike taking around 4-5 hours, whereas the hike at Lake Paron is only 30-45 minutes, if you do the tour. You can also view the lake without doing any hiking at all!!
If you have just arrived in Huaraz, then this is a great acclimatisation hike. If you want to do it independently, then it is a tough hike, taking slightly longer than the Laguna 69 hike and crossing the switchbacks on the dirt road often to get to the lake. Whereas the Laguna 69 hike you are hiking throughout the valley the whole time with amazing views, and are not near any roads.
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Where to stay when visiting Laguna Paron
There are many options of places to stay in Huaraz for all different budgets, whether you are looking for a shared dorm room, a private room or even to treat yourself to a luxury hotel.
Krusty Hostel – Budget
My friend stayed in Krusty Hostel and loved it there. It is one of the cheaper options and popular with backpackers, and you can get a private room for the same price as a dorm in other hostels. Breakfast is also included in the price.
Click here for more information and prices on Krusty Hostel
Hotel & Bungalows Villa Valencia – Mid Range
At Villa Valencia you can choose to stay in a single or double room or a bungalow. The advantage of the bungalows is that you have a kitchen in your accommodation so that you can cook your meals instead of eating in the onsite restaurant or going out to eat.
All the rooms and bungalows have a free breakfast included in the price, and some rooms/bungalows have views of the beautiful gardens.
If you are looking for an oasis, close to the centre of Huaraz, then this is a great choice.
Click here for more information and prices on Hotel & Bungalows Villa Valencia
Hotel el Patio de Monterrey – Luxury
Located 6km from the centre of Huaraz, Hotel el Patio de Monterrey, is a beautiful property with rooms located in several buildings on the property, some rooms are around a courtyard and some with views of the garden.
The hotel has an onsite restaurant and a good breakfast is included. As the hotel has a bar and restaurant you do not need to go into Huaraz, but can instead enjoy the peace and quiet and the amazing views.
If you are looking to be away from the hustle and bustle of Huaraz then this is the perfect option.
Click here for more information and prices on Hotel el Patio de Monterrey.
What to pack for your trip to Laguna Paron
During November to May, it is the rainy season in Huaraz, so you will need to make sure you have good waterproofs with you while doing this hike, especially if you are hiking independently or doing the longer hike.
From May to October it can rain but it happens less frequently, so just check the weather forecast for that day before you leave.
I have seen women doing this hike in shoes/boots with heels, but as you are hiking up and over uneven boulders, I wouldn’t recommend this. All of these women had to be helped down!!
FAQ’s About Laguna Paron, Huaraz
A: The best way to get to Lake Paron is on an organised tour from Huaraz. It is possible to go by public transport but not as a day trip, you would need to stay in Caraz overnight.
A: If you go by tour then you will arrive at the lake by van, but you can hike around 35-40 minutes up to a viewpoint looking down to the lake. If you go independently you will need to hike the 10km from the entrance up to the lake, and gain an altitude of 900 metres. This is a tough hike.
A: Lake Paron is in the Huascaran National Park, around a 3 hour drive from Huaraz in Northern Peru.
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