Adventure through Laguna Paron!

By Frankie Gallacher

After a week of acclimatizing in Huaraz, my partner and I scanned Caroline Lodging’s hiking board deciding which hike would be our next. We came across Paron, rumored to be the inspiration for the paramount logo, it looked breathtakingly beautiful.

After speaking to the hostel owner Paul, an extremely knowledgeable multilingual hiker and climber, he suggested we camp at Paron and hike to the other side of Laguna Paron, an excursion very few embark on.

Bus to the top

We decided to book on to the usual tour bus which takes you to Laguna Paron, drops you off for 2 hours to take pictures, and then picks you up.

Instead of going back with everyone else, we stayed and hiked to the other side of Laguna Paron and camped for 2 nights.

We rented our camping gear at our hostel, packed food for the next 2 days, and got picked up by the bus the next morning at 8:30 AM.

Next, we piled on looking rather odd with our big bags, the driver kept them up front with him as there was no other room and after some back and forth, we found a seat near the back.

The journey takes around 3 hours by car and 4-5 hours by bus because of various pick-ups and a lengthy but pleasant ice cream break halfway in the pretty town of Carhuaz.

In the final hour of our journey, the tour bus climbed up narrow roads, switchback after switchback until we reached 4,155m above sea level at the edge of the laguna.

Spectacular views

We clambered off the bus, big backpacks in tow, and stood in awe. The view looked as if it had been purposely placed, and the mountain sat perfectly in the middle of the blue lake and the cliffs bordered the whole scene to create the perfect picture.

Below us was a white clay beach, a few kayaks and boats scattered around the lake edge and the bluest water stretched far ahead.

Sat perfectly in the middle at the end, was the snow-peaked mountain that completed the scene.

Luckily for us the sun was shining, and the skies were clear so we could see every edge of the mountains peak. After an hour the sun grew stronger and the lake became even bluer as it reflected the sky above.

We arrived at prime time which also meant the beach was teaming with local holidaymakers and a few tourists from further afield.

Everyone had around 2 hours to capture the perfect picture and mini ques formed for the best spots. Men and women sat on surrounding rocks posing to get that perfect shot – and who can blame them?

For us though, with heavy bags and a hike ahead of us, we didn’t stick around for long and we decided to begin walking to the other side. This was honestly one of the most spectacular views I’ve ever come across.

The Hike to Laguna Paron

It’s important to note that we started the Laguna Paron hike on the left. On the right is a steep rocky path that provides an amazing view of the lake from higher up; however, we were told there is no path to the other side going from that direction.

We met one other person half an hour into our walk who requested a selfie with the gringos, so we happily obliged and went on our way. Many people don’t hike the length of the laguna to the other side simply because they don’t have enough time to spare with all the other hikes in the area and arranging transport back can be tricky.

We were told to make sure we were back at the spot where the bus had dropped us off by 12 PM the next day, so we could ask buses and taxis if they had room for two more people back to Huaraz.

This meant we didn’t meet another person along the hike which made the journey even more special. We felt totally alone amongst the remarkable landscape.

The lake stretched further than we thought and bent around to the left, the terrain a mixture of low rocky verges, high drops, and narrow paths.

A Few Tricky Parts

In terms of difficulty, the hike itself is relatively easy overall, the large bags made some parts a little trickier, but we were able to take our time to ensure no wrong footing would land our ankles between two boulders.

Along one of the narrower paths we met a stick laying across our path, there was a fork, one leading straight on and one that seemed to lead higher up and around.

There was quite a bit of vegetation bordering the path, so it wasn’t clear which way we should go.

We opted to continue on the path and stepped over the inconspicuous stick, but we soon realized that the stick acted as a warning to go the other way.

Soon we were high up, digging our hands into the dirt to hoist ourselves up some rather dangerous drops. We decided to turn around and go the long way around.

Nearing the end of the walk instead of a beach meeting us at the other end, there were grassy verges and trees at the base of the mountain, the terrain suddenly felt more like woodland.

After 4 hours of walking, scrambling, and lugging our backpacks, we decided to camp for the night. Although the walk wasn’t long the bus dropped us early afternoon, and we were keen to set up camp before nightfall.

The First Night of Camping

Despite the high altitude and temperatures reaching below zero at night, we slept well. We woke up a few times, but the cold didn’t affect us in our big sleeping bags. Going out at night for a wee was actually a treat, the sky was so clear and full of stars.

In the morning a layer of frost had formed on the outside of our tent, but as soon as the sun came out the layers of clothes came off and we sat outside sipping our coffee in the quiet solitude admiring the beautiful views.

Then the cows came. I’ve never been too phased by cows, we have plenty in England. However, we were confronted with a herd of wild cows including a few bulls who were extremely curious.

We spent a good hour running away as they got closer, unable to pack up our tent and belongings, running around giant boulders to try and give them the slip, it was like a Mr. Bean sketch.

We collected ourselves and tried a more confident but slow approach and of course there was no stampede, they just thought we looked crazy which in all fairness, in our manic state, we did.

Two Routes to Hike

After packing, the next item on the agenda was hiking to the higher lake further along the trail where there would be 2 routes, one to the ice lake and one to the mirador above the ice lake.

However, after being chased around by cows all morning we decided instead to have a relaxing lunch at the lakeside before hiking back to where we began.

I know, I know, when will we be there again?! But we decided to go with the flow and just enjoy where we were. We were keen to make it back to the beach where we started but instead enjoy the best viewpoint all to ourselves.

A surreal view all to ourselves

Arriving back at the beach where we began was a whole new experience, there were only a couple of local tourists compared to the coach loads we witnessed the day before. We decided to sit on the large rocks on the right to have our lunch before setting up camp. It has to be noted that if you go visit you will notice a lot of docile flies that are likely to crash into you, these will disappear in the afternoon when the sun starts to dip out.

With only one or two people on the beach left we decided to set up camp. As we began, 2 locals came to talk to us and take pictures, we began feeling a little like celebs or aliens, I think they were just very confused as to why we would camp out in the cold.

Having dinner at the laguna edge with a few drinks was serene. We heard large crashes in the distance echoing throughout the valley every now and again, we learned later that these were distant avalanches reacting to the changing temperatures, it was unworldly.

The Morning

We made sure to set up our tent so that when the door was unzipped, you would get the view of the lake and mountain directly in the middle, it was beautiful.

We cooked breakfast over the stove and brewed some coffee.

As the morning continued it became warmer, and we had to take the opportunity to swim in the lake before people started to arrive.

The glacial water was freezing, the ground was grey sludge, and the color was impossibly blue. An amazing but short dunk to wake us up and we began packing away.

Looking for a Lift to Huaraz

When the coaches and taxis arrived, we started to ask around for a lift towards Huaraz, luckily, just as they all began to leave, a taxi said they had room.

We could join another couple who had initially hired a taxi back to Carhuaz, the town halfway to Huaraz.

After breaking down once on the mountain roads we finally made it to Carhuaz and enjoyed a wander around the square and ate a late lunch. We found that there were regular Collectivos from here to Huaraz and caught one after our meal back at the hostel. It was a space to enjoy all to ourselves, uninterrupted, going at our own pace.

More of a Holiday?

When we got back and caught up with Paul, he described our trip as more of a holiday rather than a hike because we didn’t complete the additional hikes to the higher lake, and that’s exactly what it felt like!

We had a space to enjoy all to ourselves and hiked at our own pace. We couldn’t believe how accessible Paron was but how quiet and unspoiled it was, like most hikes in Huaraz. The landscape is similar in so many ways to Patagonia and yet, this little slice of hiking heaven is yet to gain the same recognition, and selfishly, I’m glad!

Frankie Gallacher is a digital PR professional working remotely and is currently based in the UK. In 2022 she traveled full-time around South America for a year and before that, she worked in the travel and tourism industry marketing holidays and trips around Europe. She’s now back in the UK planning her next trips and focusing on writing about her adventures.

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