Llanganuco Orconcocha

Llanganuco Orconcocha is a high mountain crystal blue lake located in the Cordillera Blanca in the Andes of Peru at an elevation of 3.850m (12,631ft) above the sea level.

Llanganuco Orconcocha
Llanganuco Orconcocha

The road to the summit is called Carretera de Yungay (or Carretera 106). This gravel track has sheer drops on one side, and stone cliffs on the other; very sharp hair-pin turns and switchbacks. It’s located in a narrow glacial valley flanked by the Huascaran, Huandoy, Pishqo, Chapraraju, Yanapaccha and Chopicalqui (Cordillera Blanca) mountains, the María Josefa path and the Quebrada Demanda, part of the Huascaran National Park and the Biosphere Reserve of Huascaran. Avoid driving in this area if unpaved mountain roads aren't your strong point. Stay away if you're scared of heights. It is recommended that beginner riders avoid this road. Do not travel this road in severe weather conditions. This road tests the skill, and courage, of any driver. It’s definitely not for anyone suffering from vertigo or a fear of landslides. One mistake and it's a free fall to your death. The climb is simply terrible, with a notorius lack of oxygen that tests the organisms and a high degree of steepness. Most people feel altitude sickness at around 2,500-2,800 meters. Near the pass, oxygen is in short supply. In many places the road is bordered by a drop of hundreds of meters (many hundreds of feet) unprotected by guardrails.