Yanaqucha (Huari)

Yanaqucha (Quechua yana "black, very dark", qucha "lake", "black lake", Hispanicized spelling Yanacocha) is a lake in the Cordillera Blanca in the Andes of Peru located in, Chavín de Huantar District, Huari Province, Ancash Region. It is situated at a height of about 4314 m, about 800 m long and 280 m at its widest point. It has a depth of about 12 m. Yanaqucha lies in the Chacpar gorge north-west of Chavín de Huantar belonging to the Huascarán National Park. It supplies the local people with drinking water.

The lake is surrounded by plants like ichhu (Stipa ichu), lliqllish qura (Werneria nubigena), warwash hembra (Gynoxis sp.), ankush (Senecio canescens) and champa estrella (Plantago rigida). There is also trout in the lake. This is a place to watch birds like the yellow-billed teal, the blue-winged teal, the Andean gull and the Andean goose.