PAINANI
PAINANI

PAINANI · RUN / LOCAL

40 · Áncash, Peru

Laguna 69

Run 13.8 km out and back from 3,910 m to a glacial lake at 4,604 m in the Cordillera Blanca, with a SERNANP ticket that since February 2026 only an authorized agency can buy.

Trail runningOut and back
13.8 kmDistance739 mElevation gainHardSite gradeHuarazNearest base

Site grade

HardFeatured

The ground is never technical, but every metre of it lies between 3,910 m and 4,604 m, and the final 300 m of gain comes on an exposed slope just below the lake. The altitude is the entire difficulty.

The experience

Round trip 13.8 km with 739 m of gain, all of it above 3,900 m. The path is dirt and rock and never technical; the final 300 m of climbing is the crux because of where it happens, not what it is.

The lake is 479 m long, 586 m wide and 58 m deep, fed by the Chacraraju glacier from 6,108 m. The peaks around it, Chacraraju at 6,112 m, Pisco at 5,752 m, Yanapaqcha at 5,460 m, are among the highest in Peru.

Huascarán National Park was created by Decreto Supremo N° 0622-75-AG on 1 July 1975 and recognised by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve in 1977 and a World Heritage Site in 1985. The lake has no name, only a number from the park's inventory, and it lies 96 km from Huaraz and 58 km from Yungay.

Where the sources disagreeSince 9 February 2026 the lake can be visited only through a travel agency with a current SERNANP contract; the agencies buy the digital tickets on SERNANP's platform and independent entry is not permitted. 55 agencies held contracts when the rule was announced in August 2025. The park entrance fee for one day is S/30 for foreigners and S/15 for Peruvian adults. In March 2026 the regional press listed Laguna 69 among the attractions still open while Nevado Pisco was restricted; the July 2026 closure on Huascarán concerned the climbing route between Camp 1 and Camp 2, not this trail. Explorandes tells its clients to spend at least two nights in Huaraz first; the trailhead is already at 3,910 m.

Trail path

The line
you follow.

StartCebollapampa, road AN-106, Llanganuco valleyFinishCebollapampa, road AN-106, Llanganuco valleyDirectionUp the valley to the lake, back the same way
  1. 01Cebollapampa
  2. 02Pampa and river crossings
  3. 03First lagoon
  4. 04Final climb
  5. 05Laguna 69

Route sections

01 · The Pampa at 3,900Cebollapampa to the first climb
A valley floor below the peaks, on dirt path. The only stretch that feels like running until the body notices the altitude.02 · The First WallFirst climb to the plateau
The trail leaves the valley floor and the dirt path gives way to rocky inclines. The first place the altitude sets the pace.03 · The False FlatPlateau to the final climb
The middle of the route, where the gain eases before the last wall. Nothing to negotiate but thin air and wind.04 · Three Hundred Metres of WallFinal climb to Laguna 69
Condor Xtreme calls it the most demanding stage: more than 300 m of gain on an exposed slope in wind and cold. The lake appears only at the top, at 4,604 m, below the Chacraraju glacier.05 · Downhill to the BusLaguna 69 to Cebollapampa
The descent is the same trail. Agencies keep a schedule at the trailhead; the lake is not a place to linger long past midday.

Weather profile

What the sky
is likely to do.

Dry season May to September, with clear cold mornings and wind at the lake. Rainy season November to March, when the trail is wet and the peaks are hidden. Frost at the trailhead before dawn at any time of year.

Season & timing

Managed seasonSERNANP's visitor page leaves the hours blank. Agencies leave Huaraz around 5:00 and the trailhead is a three-hour drive, so the walk begins mid-morning.Best windowJune to August for dry ground and clear peaks, on the first agency departure of the day.SurfaceDirt trail across open pampa, then rocky stretches on the final climb; the whole route is signpostedDirectionUp the valley to the lake, back the same way

Signature moments

What you will
remember afterwards.

01

Huascarán filling the valley behind you at the start

02

The last switchbacks in wind

03

The turquoise water appearing at the top

ALTITUDE

4,604 M

Where the trail ends, by the official travel site

PromPerú's official travel site places Laguna 69 at 4,604 m above sea level and gives three hours of walking from Cebollapampa, one way. The trailhead itself is at 3,910 m.

Access & logistics

AccessBook with a SERNANP-authorized agency in Huaraz; they drive you the 96 km to Cebollapampa via Yungay and the Llanganuco valley on road AN-106, about three hours each way. The agency handles the ticket. Independent transport to the trailhead no longer gets you onto the trail.PermitsPark ticket, one day: S/30 foreigners, S/15 Peruvian adults, S/12 local adults and Peruvian children, S/5 local children, bought by the agency on SERNANP's platform. Stay on the signposted trail.BookingsThrough an authorized agency; SERNANP's platform lists them. Reserve the day before in Huaraz.WaterStreams cross the pampa but treat anything you drink. Carry 2 to 3 litres.FoodHot drinks, snacks and simple meals at the community facility at Cebollapampa. Nothing on the trail.Mobile coverageNot documented. Assume none in the valley.DurationY Tú Qué Planes: 3 hours of walking one way from Cebollapampa. Condor Xtreme gives 6 to 7 hours for the round trip.

Key hazards

  • ▲Altitude, from 3,910 m to 4,604 m
  • ▲Cold and wind on the exposed final climb
  • ▲Sun at altitude
  • ▲Wet rock in the rainy season
  • ▲No shelter on the route

SafetyOrientation only. Always use current official maps, alerts and safety guidance. Acclimatize two nights in Huaraz, carry a windproof layer and sun protection, and turn around if altitude symptoms appear.

Check the park with SERNANP →Request this run →

We track ground truth. Send a field note after your run: three photos, ground condition, the signature moment, the local anchor.

Official sources

Last verified 2026-09-16 · Record CETC-RUN-040 · Orientation only. Always use current official maps, alerts and safety guidance.

Photograph: Renata Maria Cristina · CC BY-SA 4.0