Everything you need to know about the Laguna 69 Trek!
Getting to Laguna 69 isn't easy. Most of the transportations to get there leaves from Huarez. To get to Haurez from Lima, its a 7 hour bus ride. I took the night bus to get there and back. The night bus has comfortable chairs, but don't be fooled, the ride is not comfortable. It's not like sleeper beds like in Cambodia, and the road is windy as hell. At times you will feel like you are on a roller coaster, only without the fun. I highly recommend Dramamine and anything that will make you forget you are inside a giant human rattle toy.
From Huarez, it is a 3 hour bus ride just to get to the entrance the park where you can hike to Laguna 69. Its pretty much all windy dirt roads. If you get motion sick, I recommend the patch in this case, so you can survive the ride and still be conscious for the hike.
To do the hike, just book the transportation and guide through your hotel or hostel. They will pick you up somewhere between 5:00am - 5:45am, and stop for breakfast before entering the park. You may also have a chance to buy coca leaves here, but to get the good stuff, buy a bag from Cafe Andino.
The hike I believe starts at around 12,000 feet and goes up to 15,000 feet at the very top. My main recommendations are:
- Give yourself a few days to adjust to the altitude
- Drink coca tea
- Chew coca leaves
- Drink tons of water
- Wear a waterproof jacket (it rains a lot)
- Its COLD, bring a hat and gloves and layers
- Waterproof shoes and a change of socks
The hike itself it only about 8-9 miles, but the elevation adds its own challenge. I think I am affected by altitude more than most, because it fucked me up. However, most people seemed to be fine with it.
I stayed at La Casa de Zarela. It's slightly outside the main town, but the people were nice, and the food was good. There is no heat or AC, but they have warm blankets and comfy beds.
I booked the hike through the hotel, and was very happy with how they handled everything.
Go to Cafe Andino! That place was amazing and has great coca tea. Also, you can buy a bag of coca leaves there which I found are stronger than the coca leaves you can buy off the street. They actually made my cheek numb which I guess means the coca is working.
Also, the best site I've found for information on the hike is: https://www.peruhop.com/laguna-69-peru/