Fodor's Expert Review Laguna 69

Regularly featured on "most beautiful lakes in the world" lists and Instagram bucket lists, this small but stunning turquoise glacial lake near the city of Huaraz and within Parque Nacional Huascarán merits all the hype for its natural beauty and for the spectacular and scenic hike leading to the lake. Treat your visit to Laguna 69 like a high-altitude hike, not a photo op, and be prepared. The trek to Laguna 69 will take your breath away, figuratively and literally, as the lake sits 4,600 meters (15,092 feet) above sea level. Remind yourself that this altitude is just 2,000 feet below base camp at Mount Everest, and then train, pack, and plan time to acclimatize accordingly. It’s possible to get to Laguna 69 and do the hike solo, but it is cheaper (and safer) to take a tour. If you are an experienced high-altitude hiker, you can beat the crowds by staying at a campsite by Llanganuco lake near the hike's trailhead to start your morning hike as early as you wish.