Turquoise water
A milky, striking colour.
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Laguna Parón is the largest lake in the Cordillera Blanca of the Peruvian Andes, 32 km east of the town of Caraz inside Huascarán National Park. It lies about 62 km in a straight line from Huaraz. The lake formed as a natural reservoir behind a glacial moraine and is 3.7 km long and about 700 metres wide on average. It was once about 75 metres deep, but its level was lowered by around 15 metres to stop the moraine from collapsing, leaving it at 4,155 metres, and a tunnel with an underwater gate now controls the level to protect people downstream. The water is a striking milky turquoise from the high concentration of dissolved minerals, ringed by snow peaks over 6,000 metres, including Artesonraju and Huandoy. White granite boulders tumble to the shore, and mist often wraps the mountains in the afternoon. It makes a good day hike for acclimatising before higher treks, and camping is possible on the west and east shores. The road from Caraz climbs about 2,000 metres, so take it slowly.
A milky, striking colour.
Over 6,000 metres.
Granite on the shore.
Huascarán National Park, near Caraz, Ancash, Peru
Dissolved minerals in the water.
Yes, on the west and east shores.