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Laguna 69: a still from my film

Cordillera Blanca, Peru · June 2021

Laguna 69

23 KM · 2 DAYS · 1,260 M

Huaraz to the lake by Refugio Perú in 2 days, or in a day.

Watch the film 26:03 · 347K views

At a glance

Where
Cordillera Blanca, Peru
Distance
23 km (14.3 miles)
Days
2: about 5 and 6 hours, with long stops
Climbing
About 4,140 ft (1,260 m) up and 3,900 ft (1,190 m) down, by my GPS
Difficulty
Good trails made hard by the altitude: you sleep above 15,000 ft
Route
The road above Chinancocha to The Cebollapampa trailhead
When I went
June 2021
Relief map of the Laguna 69 route: 2 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Chinancocha, Cebollapampa, Huandoy and Refugio Peru.
Day 1Day 2Highest 15,910 ft (4,848 m)

Elevation, start to finish: highest 15,910 ft (4,848 m), lowest 12,560 ft (3,827 m).

My GPS recording on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts. The GPX files come with the guide.

Everything I made about it

The film

Photos

  • Chinancocha, the first Llanganuco lake, where Day 1 starts.
    Chinancocha, the first Llanganuco lake, where Day 1 starts.
  • On the shoulder between Refugio Perú and Laguna 69, Day 2.
    On the shoulder between Refugio Perú and Laguna 69, Day 2.
Laguna 69 below Chacraraju, Day 2.
Laguna 69 below Chacraraju, Day 2.

The guide · 41-page PDF + GPX files · 2027 season edition

Do it yourself

Huaraz to the lake by Refugio Perú in 2 days, or in a day.

  • Where things stand
  • Both days of my loop
  • Laguna 69 as a day hike
  • My GPX files
  • Huaraz and acclimatizing

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Look inside the guide

Free sample

Try Day 2 free

The whole Day 2, Refugio Perú to Laguna 69 and Cebollapampa page from the guide as a PDF, plus my hut-to-hut packing list: the 35 things I carry, with a note on each. Both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

Gear on this trip

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What I carried in 2021

  • Packa daypack-sized backpackFor the night at the hut.
  • Sleepmy sleeping bagFor a bunk at the hut.
  • Warm layersa puffy jacket and a beanie, and a hooded layer on the trailFor the evening and the early morning.
  • Suna cap
  • Watera water bottle
  • Navigationthe AllTrails appIt recorded both days.
  • MedicineAdvilI needed it at the hut.

Filming kit

Music in this film

All music

What I'd take now

My current kit

Everything I use, in Tools

The Americas and New Zealand bundle

This guide is in The Americas and New Zealand Hiking Guide Pack: 36 guides for $39. Or all 62 guides for $59.

Short answers

Can you hike Laguna 69 without a tour in 2026?
Not on your own. Since February 9, 2026, Huascarán National Park only lets visitors into Laguna 69 and the Nevado Pisco circuit through travel agencies with a SERNANP contract, which buy the digital tickets. A day tour from Huaraz is the simplest way to go.
How much does it cost to visit Laguna 69?
In 2026 a day tour from Huaraz is about S/50 to 80 (about $15 to $23), and foreigners pay the S/30 park ticket on top (S/60 for a 2 to 3 day visit). A two-day trip with a night at Refugio Perú runs about $175 to $520 a person through an agency, depending on group size.
How long is the Laguna 69 hike?
By my GPS the trail from the Cebollapampa trailhead to the lake is 4.2 miles (6.7 km) each way, about 8.3 miles round trip with about 2,300 ft of climbing, to about 15,090 ft (4,600 m). Most people take about 3 hours up and 2 down.
How high is Laguna 69 and do I need to acclimatize?
The lake is at about 15,090 ft (4,600 m), about 5,100 ft above Huaraz. Spend at least two or three nights in Huaraz first, with an acclimatization hike such as Laguna Wilcacocha or Laguna Churup.
Can you stay overnight near Laguna 69?
Yes, at Refugio Perú, a staffed hut at about 15,320 ft below Nevado Pisco, open May 1 to September 30. In 2026 a night with dinner and breakfast was S/212 with tax. You can't camp at the lake, and since 2026 the hut route also goes through an authorized agency.
When is the best time to hike Laguna 69?
The dry season, May to September, with June to August almost rainless. The rains run from October to April. Start early: clouds build in the afternoon.
Can you swim in Laguna 69?
No. Swimming is banned and there's a sign at the lake; in 2026 a visitor who swam faced a fine of up to S/55,000. Drones need a SERNANP permit and dogs aren't allowed.

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