The hike up to Laguna Churup was one of my favorite day trips in Huaraz. You will get an abundance of incredible views and some much needed practice for Huaraz’s more challenging treks. Best of all, you’ll be back in Huaraz by lunchtime. Laguna Churup is conveniently located only an hour from Huaraz, making it a great option for those who want to do a quick solo hike without spending half the day in a bus.

Even on a cloudy day like the one I got, Laguna Churup seemed like something straight out of a fairy tale. The towering mountains surrounding the lake and its vibrant colors make for an unforgettable scene. Here is everything you need to know about this epic hike in Peru’s Huascaran National Park.

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Table of Contents

• How To Get To Laguna Churup From Huaraz
• What To Bring On The Laguna Churup Hike
• What Is The Hike To Laguna Churup Like?
• Laguna Churup Photo Gallery
• Where To Stay In Huaraz
• More on Peru

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How To Get To Laguna Churup From Huaraz

Don’t do this one with a tour group. While you’ll likely need to go with a tour for some of the more difficult-to-reach treks within the Cordillera Blanca, Laguna Churup is just a colectivo ride away. You’ll need to catch one of the colectivos that has Pitec/Pitek or Llupa on the front of the windshield. The ride from Huaraz costs 10 soles. To get back, you can catch a colectivo from the trailhead for the same price.

If you want to be one of the first groups at the Laguna, try to get to the colectivos by 7 AM. If you have the Maps.Me app, look up “combi to Llupa.” You will find a line of vans waiting there. It’s on the intersection of Las Americas and Agustin Gamarra. The drivers wait until the van fills up before leaving. This could take anywhere from ten seconds to never. The first time I attempted to go to Laguna Churup, I showed up at around 8:30 AM. I waited about thirty minutes before accepting that no one else was going to the laguna that late.

On my second attempt, my friends wanted to meet at the colectivos around 6:40 AM. Thinking that it would take a while to fill up, I took my sweet time getting there. My friend had to hang out of the window and yell my name as the colectivo drove by me just so I could catch it. There’s no rhyme or reason to how transportation in South America works. I would recommend showing up at around 7 AM or earlier.

Once you’ve finished the trek up to Laguna Churup, you can find the colectivos waiting for you at the trailhead. They will typically wait until about 3 PM to scoop up people from the Laguna. We finished at around 1:15 PM and were immediately able to get a colectivo back. I’ve heard that if you miss all of the colectivos, you can walk an extra hour to the town of Llupa and catch a colectivo or hitchhike your way back to Huaraz from there.

Oh, and before you go, make sure to have good travel insurance handy while you’re off adventuring across the world. I use SafetyWing to keep me covered throughout my travels for as low as $40 a month.

What To Bring On The Laguna Churup Hike

The hike to Laguna Churup will last about 5 or 6 hours. It depends on how often you stop and how long you spend at the laguna, the mirador, and whether or not you try to make it up to the neighboring Laguna Churupita.

Hiking Gear

As with all hikes, bring good shoes, preferably waterproof hiking boots. Hiking sticks will help as well. Make sure to bring a raincoat, a poncho, and a waterproof bag cover in case the weather isn’t the best. If you are lucky enough to get a sunny day, sunglasses and sunblock will come in very handy, especially at these elevations where the sun can be much harsher.

Snacks and Drinks

As far as food and water, you might want to bring a packed lunch, a few snacks, and around two liters of water. You will have an early start so you might not have a chance to eat breakfast. Make sure you’ve packed some stuff to give you energy throughout the hike.

Entrance Fees

Also, make sure to bring 30 soles for the entrance fee to Huascaran National Park. Sometimes, there isn’t a guy checking tickets at the entrance but make sure to bring money just in case there is. I had to pay 30 soles but my friends who did it a few days prior did not have anyone there to charge them an entrance fee. You can also purchase a pass to Huascaran National Park that can be either 2-4 days or 4-30 days for 60 and 150 soles respectively.

What Is The Hike To Laguna Churup Like?

I had already been in Huaraz nearly three weeks by the time I finally made it to Laguna Churup. I was hiking with 4 girls who had just arrived a few days earlier. We had very different experiences with the hike. If you are just getting used to the altitude in this region of Peru, then Laguna Churup will be much more difficult.

Although it is not as high as Laguna 69 or some of the other treks in the area, at 4,450 meters above sea level, Laguna Churup still sits at a pretty daunting elevation. If you have yet to adjust to the altitude, it will be harder to breathe and you’ll likely find yourself needing to stop more to catch your breath or rest your legs. Despite this, I consider Laguna Churup to be very doable.

The first stretch of the Laguna Churup hike is almost entirely stairs. It’s kind of nice having a somewhat paved trail but the steady incline can be a discouraging way to start, especially if one is struggling with the altitude. You will pass three huts along this trail and then eventually come to a flat, dirt path. It is easy going for several minutes before the fun begins.

You’ll come to a fork in the path where you can either choose to go left or right. Left will take you up a steep but straightforward path to the Laguna’s mirador before you can walk down to the Laguna itself. Opting to go right is the more adventurous option, which entails a rope section where you’ll have to ninja your way up a a few steep rock faces. On a dry day, it can be doable by pretty much anyone. On a wet day, like the one we got, it becomes a lot more treacherous. All of us made it up fine but there were definitely some shaky moments.

From here, follow the rocks until you reach the Laguna. Again, on a slippery day, this is a lot less straightforward than it sounds. Take it slow if you need to. Good hiking boots and hiking poles come in really handy at this part. I actually jammed my cheap hiking poles here as I tried getting up a muddy section. Don’t trust those 20 soles hiking poles at the market to last for more than a few hikes, just a word of caution.

Views Of Laguna Churup

Congratulations! You’ve made it to Laguna Churup. This is undoubtedly one of Peru’s most beautiful lagunas, with the stunning snow-capped Nevado Churup standing stoically in the background. The mystical colors of the laguna’s waters add a beautiful element to Churup that you won’t find in too many other lagunas in Peru. Although Churup is a popular day hike, the area around the laguna is large enough that you can spread out and find yourself a nice rock to hang out on. Walking around the laguna will give you some stunning perspectives, and there are miradors everywhere you go.

To go back to the trailhead, go up to the mirador Churup, take in the views, and then follow the trail back down. It took us about an hour and fifteen minutes to get from the mirador back to the trailhead. In total, it took us less than four hours of actual hiking to complete the roundtrip, but accounting for photo and snack stops, the journey took about five hours.

Where To Stay In Huaraz

Post-hike relaxation sesh? I literally cannot recommend Selina enough. It was a perfect place to go back to after an exhausting day trek. Comfy beds, huge blankets, a library, a cinema room, and a bar means you’ll have a great way to relax post-hike whether you prefer napping or celebrating. I stayed at Selina for over two weeks during my time in Huaraz and loved every night of my stay.

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