Albergue Churup — Hotel in Huaraz

I really enjoyed this place and used it as a base for my 8 days in Huaraz. Located a little up the hill but easy walking distance to center of town and bus terminals / collectivo departure areas. Nice rooms, great lounges on each floor with 4th floor dining area, lounge and kitchen. View of snowcapped mountains from there a bit impacted by neighbors adding more stories and trees from terrace getting tall. Best breakfast of all hostels I have been to!! Eggs to order, buffet of 3 hot dishes (potatoes, yucca, plantanes, vegetables, etc.), Bread and jams, oatmeal, fruits, pancakes, juices, teas, coffee. Plenty of fellow travelers to meet and share information with, great staff. The night manager, Pedro was a wealth of information, all of it spot on. He pinpointed on city map location of where to get collectivo for 25 minute ride up river to Puente Santa Cruz and trail up to Wilkachoca Lake for day hike. Next bit longer day hike to Churup lake had different tourist collectivo departure point with van waiting 5 hours at Pitec trailhead for hikers to return. (Some fixed cables on several areas of rock scrambling made those very limited areas safer and easier.) The final day hike / tour to Laguna 69 was also arranged, the early start meant missing the hostel breakfast! This tourist bus spent the first 30 minutes picking people up from hostels all over Huaraz before heading to lake trailhead with breakfast and another view point stop. The hike was a bit longer than Laguna Churup, more people too given our bus of about 30 and at least one more busload. Still, a very nice hike, spectacular lake, mountain with glacier backdrop, some fitness required as some elevation gain at altitude. My plan of using the Laguna 69 transport as a way to get near a Santa Cruz trek starting point was deemed feasible by Pedro. He gave me a rough idea of when last collectivo passed by Laguna 69 trailhead for 2 hour over pass ride to Vaqueria. So, I did not return with the tour to Huaraz. Unfortunately, the bus was not waiting at trail area when I returned nice and early from Laguna 69. The driver was sleeping at nice grassy camping and rest area about 2 km down the road. By the time I hiked down there, found him and recovered my pack, several collectivos had passed and eventual arrival at Vaqueria too late to start trek so spent night in little place there. The Santa Cruz trek was great, trail not well marked but usually obvious, some possibly confusing options in villages no problem with off-line maps and GPS app like GAIA. Locals always happy to direct too. Camped 2 nights, at about 4200m before Punta Union, then, after the lake. Last day all down, out at Cashapampa by 1:00 pm. Very lucky with timing of collectivo to Cadaz and second one back to Huaraz arriving shortly after 4:00pm. After 6 straight days of hiking it was nice to relax at Albergue Churup for 2 days. They did my laundry, great breakfasts, dinners at different places in town, all good, and, one of the best haircuts I have ever had at place recommended by Pedro. The combination of comfort and guidance from Albergue Churup and relatively cooperative weather all made for a fantastic...

My wife and I are on a 9 month trip through South America and I work online so we often stay in towns for a month at a time. We have found that it's best to book a place only for a couple of days to make sure that we will like it. After 2 days at Churup, we were happy enough that we decided to stay for the whole month (even though there was no long term obligation from them).

The 4th floor hang out room is excellent. Tons of light and nice views of Ranrapalca, Huasaran and other peaks. It was perfect for me since I spent a lot of time there clicking away at work. They have a fire every night too which is pretty nice to relax. There is also a rooftop terrace.

The employees are all very nice and breakfast is abundant. Real coffee, tea, bread, butter, various jams, bananas, apples, oat meal and fresh juice daily for free. Eggs are free too depending on your room and time of year. There are more breakfast options that are cheap.

We stayed in various rooms and they were all good. Even the ones that face the street have 2 layers of glass so the road noise isn't annoying. That side of the building gets morning light, which I like. All of the rooms had nice hot showers!

Most weekends we left to go climbing on our own but one day we booked the Laguna 69 hike through them and it was perfect. 40 soles per person + 10 soles park entrance fee. Bus picked us up at the hostel and dropped us off a block away at the end of the day. They stopped for breakfast on the way and and have guides but leave you alone to go at your own pace.

The only two cons are:

1. the kitchen isn't very well equipped but it's usable. we cooked there plenty. not many forks, spoons, utensils and if multiple people are cooking dinner you will have to get friendly and figure out the rotation on the stove. Stove burners work but the oven was always full of dishes so I assume it doesn't work. Also not a big deal since breakfast is good but you can't use the kitchen from 7am - 10am

2. internet usually works but it does go out sometimes and sometimes it slows to a crawl. that's huaraz in general (and most of south america) from my experience though.

Overall, this place is great and you...

A lovely rustic house near the city center (a 7 minute walk to the main square - so close enough yet far from the noise of it and thus a "sleep-spa") and just a couple of minutes away from the road to Laguna Churup and Unchus village - and thus ideal for those who wish to explore the nearby hills, forests and rivers on their own, without an agency - this hotel is one of my favourite ever lodgings in the Peruvian sierra. The interior decor is quaint and includes lovely details as well as a huge fireplace (which works at nights) in the dining hall where amazing buffet breakfast is served which includes among else pancakes, scrambled eggs, veggies homemade brick-oven-baked bread, various juices and fruits as well as desserts. The guests can freely use the terrace above the dining hall where there are amazing views to the surrounding mountains (see my photographs if interested) as well as the courtyard which is ideal for some light exercises or yoga practice. Great for couples and friends travelling together who enjoy quiet, peace and relaxing as well as...