Laguna Alcacocha

Laguna Alcacocha

Peru, south-america

Length

N/A

Elevation

4,350 m

Difficulty

extreme

Best Season

Year-round

Alright, adventure junkies, listen up! If you're heading to Peru, ditch the tourist traps and make a beeline for Laguna Alcacocha. This unreal lake sits way up in the Andes Mountains, clocking in at a whopping 14,271 feet above sea level.

The road to get there? Buckle up, buttercup, because Route 103 is no Sunday drive. We're talking gravel, narrow stretches, and mud – seriously slippery mud after it rains. Plus, Mother Nature likes to keep things interesting with potential avalanches, heavy snow, and landslides. And as if that weren't enough, the air gets thin real quick. This climb is STEEP, so be prepared to feel that altitude sickness kick in! But trust me, the views are totally worth the white-knuckle drive.

Where is it?

Laguna Alcacocha is located in Peru (south-america). Coordinates: -9.1209, -74.8616

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Road Details

Country
Peru
Continent
south-america
Max Elevation
4,350 m
Difficulty
extreme
Coordinates
-9.1209, -74.8616

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