Advertisement
Published: October 5th 2009
Edit Blog Post
We've been in Huaraz 5 days now and the last three have been jam packed with various treks. I can honestly say I have never been so exhausted in my life as I was last night, but it was
totally worth it! On day one we did an acclimatization walk as the altitude here can make you terribly sick if you're not used to it. We did this at Lake Llacca. Suprisingly the altitude didn't mess with me at all. I've been fine the whole time thankfully as I wouldn't want sickness to have spoilt the amazing surroundings I was in. I don't actually feel like I can describe them, as I'd typically use a word like amazing, but I use this word to describe things like food, but these views were on a totally different scale. I don't think I've ever seen so much beauty! It was like something out of a fairytale, climbing up to see this turquiose blue lagoon with the backdrop of a giant mountain. I feel so lucky to have witnessed nature at its finest. It was truly breathtaking.
On day two we did the 'enchanted forest' walk through the alkipi forest. It was uphill
the entire way for 3 hours so it's safe to say I slept well that night, as I had to walk back as well! The trees there were curling all around you, mountains either side of you, a stream rushing past you, total silence apart from the flow of the stream and cheeps of the birds. It was beautiful. At one point we sat high up on a huge rock looking out over the countryside. The scale was a little too much to take in. It made me feel so insignificant. Just this tiny dot sat on a rock surrounded by this immensely huge landscape. It's strange feeling so small and fragile in the grand scale of things!
On day three, even though I hadn't fully recovered from the last day, I tackled an even harder trek... the trek to Lake 69. This again was uphill for 3 hours, but not grassy uphill, tricky rocky uphill with a drop to the side of you that send your legs to jelly! Sadly it was all a little too much for the old man who stopped half way and I powered on solo. The last climb was incredibly difficult but so
rewarding when I turned that last turn to see this enormous mountain in all its glory wrapped around this lake that was even bigger and more colourful than Llacca. It was a rubbing eyes moment to check that what I was seeing was real. I sat there for 45 minutes just soaking up the beauty, taking pictures and scoffing crackers that some kind peruvian guys were sharing with me, whilst trying to ram rum and beer down my throat which I wisely turned down as I actually wanted to get back down the mountain without falling off!!
All in all the surrounding treks in Huaraz are so worth it! My reconnection with nature is being evermore strengthened in this country. The nature here is just so out of this world. It is like nothing you could ever experience in England and I'm so grateful to have been given the chance to witness it with my own eyes. These last three days will be ones I will remember forever.
Advertisement
Tot: 0.126s; Tpl: 0.015s; cc: 11; qc: 52; dbt: 0.0713s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
joe
non-member comment
guide
did u always have a guide..i will spend most of my time in caraz but still wanted to know if u needed a guide.three of us going and one is fluent spanish