We were about 15,000 feet above sea level, that’s almost three miles high in the sky! I was actually above the clouds where you are right now.
To get there, we left at 6 a.m. and drove for a couple of hours to reach Huascarán National Park. Just like in the U.S., Perú has national parks to protect the beautiful animals, plants, and rivers in the mountains.
On the way to the lagoons, we hiked up steep paths and climbed slippery rocks in the rain. We had to be careful, but the view was worth it! I’ve never seen water so blue in my life. Behind the lagoons, you can see big white glaciers and snowy mountains. It felt like something out of a dream.
On the way back to the bus, we even took a boat across one of the lagoons! And just when I thought the day couldn’t get any better… we saw a herd of alpacas!
Alpacas look a lot like llamas, but they’re smaller and fluffier. They live high in the mountains of Peru and have warm wool that people use to make sweaters, hats, and blankets. They’re very calm and peaceful animals, and fun to watch in the wild!
The next day, we got up even earlier and traveled deeper into the national park to see another lagoon called Laguna Parón. It’s the biggest lagoon in Peru! This time, instead of hiking through forests, we climbed up big rocks to get to the top. We ate lunch on the rocks and then hiked down to go kayaking! My friends and I had so much fun paddling across the water.
We’re about halfway through our trip now, and next we’re going to visit a friend who lives nearby in a town called Chavín de Huántar.
