Lake Llanganuco, Ancash Region, Peru
4.5 (582 reviews) Sunday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent 1-2 hours Ranking #4 in Huascaran National Park Bodies of Water
Perfect place, but bargain hard for the tours.
No need to say how well the scenery are but want to share some experience on how to choose your tour. Lonely Planet say that full day tour costs from 30-45S The first tour company charges 60S and eventually lowered to 40S, we wallked out. The second one offer 35S at start. We're kind of in a hurry (almost 9am finding the same day tour) and thinking this is much lower than the first one, so we happily took the offer. Once on the minivan, we saw another fellow traveller paying 20S for the same tour same car same company. I screamed wt* in my mind but nonetheless it's my problem. Just to give others an idea of what price to expect. The tour include a brief stop (15 mins) at Carhuaz, only have time to take some photo at the main plaza. Then before we get to the lake, our guide (Spanish speaking, with a sentence or two in English) offered to take the group to one more lake (5km away) with far less tourist for 5S per person. We're on a budget and want to spend more time in a place so we said no. Others said yes, so the guide dropped us off in the first lake (Llanganuco) and leave with the bigger group. We're kind of worried of being dumped there. But nonetheless had a gorgeous time walking along the amazingly beautiful lake shore. There wasn't much tourist there, didn't see more than 10. We returned to the drop off place after an hour and saw the others, seemed to have just arrived, with a lot of tourists from other tours. They are taking pictures but the guide is already calling everyone back to the car for the next stop. Back at the car, one fellow tour-mate told us we didn't miss anything nice. The other lake has not much to see and wished to stay longer in the one we visited. Yes we didn't see anyone of our group walking the trail along the lakeshore. Bet they spent time on the other lake and transport so missed the chance to appreciate the lake in full. So in case you are offered this on your tour, better save 5S and save your time.
Address
, Peru.
Working hours
Monday : 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday : 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday : 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday : 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday : 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday : 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday : 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Current local date and time now
Sunday, May 12, 2024, 13:38
User Ratings
4.5 based on (582 reviews)
Reviews
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5Internationalgray 5:00 PM Sep 3, 2013
Beautiful setting, no need to go on a tour from Huaraz
As previous posters have said, the lakes are beautiful and are well worth your time. If travelling from Huaraz there's no need to do this as part of a tour, you won't get much time at the lakes and the sun dips behind the granite cliffs by 2.30pm which casts a shadow over the lakes and you don't see the incredible colours as much. We travelled from Huaraz to Yungay in the morning on a collectivo bound for Caraz (5 soles per person) which took a little over an hour. At the collectivo terminal in Yungay there will be 4-person taxis waiting to take people up there. You can haggle them down, both in terms of price and in terms of getting more time at the site (they quote 2 hours at the site but I'd recommend trying to get almost 3 hours if possible so you can walk the Sendero Maria Josefa as well...see below). Once they have 4 people in their car you'll take a very bumpy dirt road up to the lakes with a photo opp on the way of some snow capped mountain views and a quick stop at the ticket office to pay 5 soles entry. Ask to be dropped off at the furthest lake (Orconcocha) but arrange to be picked up at the end of the Sendero Maria Josefa trail (you'll pass it on the way to the lakes and the driver will point it out as the place he'll pick you up from). There's some flat ground between the road and Orconcocha where you can sit and eat lunch if you brought some with you, there's great views of the peaks beyond the lake. After strolling back the way you came and passing Chinancocha, walk towards where people rent rowing boats and to the right is the start of the Sendero Maria Josefa, it's an hour long shaded and quiet path that winds down the valley next to a small river and offers some great views of the valley itself and the land in the distance. You come out at the road where the taxi will be waiting for you and will take you back to the collectivo terminal.
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5TravellingMi 5:00 PM Sep 24, 2014
Perfect place, but bargain hard for the tours.
No need to say how well the scenery are but want to share some experience on how to choose your tour. Lonely Planet say that full day tour costs from 30-45S The first tour company charges 60S and eventually lowered to 40S, we wallked out. The second one offer 35S at start. We're kind of in a hurry (almost 9am finding the same day tour) and thinking this is much lower than the first one, so we happily took the offer. Once on the minivan, we saw another fellow traveller paying 20S for the same tour same car same company. I screamed wt* in my mind but nonetheless it's my problem. Just to give others an idea of what price to expect. The tour include a brief stop (15 mins) at Carhuaz, only have time to take some photo at the main plaza. Then before we get to the lake, our guide (Spanish speaking, with a sentence or two in English) offered to take the group to one more lake (5km away) with far less tourist for 5S per person. We're on a budget and want to spend more time in a place so we said no. Others said yes, so the guide dropped us off in the first lake (Llanganuco) and leave with the bigger group. We're kind of worried of being dumped there. But nonetheless had a gorgeous time walking along the amazingly beautiful lake shore. There wasn't much tourist there, didn't see more than 10. We returned to the drop off place after an hour and saw the others, seemed to have just arrived, with a lot of tourists from other tours. They are taking pictures but the guide is already calling everyone back to the car for the next stop. Back at the car, one fellow tour-mate told us we didn't miss anything nice. The other lake has not much to see and wished to stay longer in the one we visited. Yes we didn't see anyone of our group walking the trail along the lakeshore. Bet they spent time on the other lake and transport so missed the chance to appreciate the lake in full. So in case you are offered this on your tour, better save 5S and save your time.
