Pastoruri, at 5,240 metres, is the most accessible glacier in the Cordillera Blanca and one of the most popular day trips from Huaraz. You do not need mountaineering experience or equipment to reach it — the path from the base camp is straightforward, though horses are available if the altitude is giving you trouble. At the top, a short walk takes you to the glacier's edge.
The altitude is the main challenge, and mate de coca at the stalls near the base camp helps blunt the effects. The glacier itself is noticeably smaller than it was twenty years ago, which gives the visit an environmental dimension beyond the scenery. Tour agencies in Huaraz run day trips to Pastoruri that often include stops at puya raimondii fields along the way, where the extraordinary bromeliad plants — some over ten metres tall — are worth the detour on their own.