Visit Ausangate! Ausangate Mountain has been, and still is, one of the most important mountains since Inca times. In Andean culture, this mountain represents one of the main deities in Andean worship and holds significance in contemporary Christian worship. It is also revered as Apu Ausangate.
Our 5-day Ausangate tour from Cusco is designed for you to explore breathtaking high-mountain landscapes along a route that remains relatively untouched by tourism. You’ll have the opportunity to experience Andean communities, stunning mountain landscapes, multicolored lakes, and Andean camelids in their natural habitat, including llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas.
We will start our tour early in the morning, picking you up from your hotel in Cusco and heading to the charming town of Tinke (Tinki), about three hours away. After an additional two-hour walk, you will have the chance to admire the region’s diverse flora and fauna. At Upis, we will have lunch at our camp and enjoy hot drinks to relax during the break. As the sun sets, we will explore the Huayna Ausangate Lagoon, capturing the moment with photographs. This is where we will set up camp and end our day.
We will wake up early for a delicious breakfast before beginning our hike to the Arapa Pass, at 4,800 meters above sea level, where we will enjoy panoramic views of the mountainous landscape and glacial lakes. We will descend toward the Yanacocha Lagoon, watching for wildlife such as chinchillas and vizcachas, with the possibility of spotting deer and, if we’re lucky, Andean condors. After lunch near the Hatun Puca Cocha Lagoon, we wull take in breathtaking views of the Andes. If weather permits, we’ll stargaze, learn about constellations, enjoy dinner, and rest.
After breakfast, we will continue hiking uphill. This is the most challenging day of the trek, as we’ll climb two mountain passes. We’ll hike for two hours to the Ausangate Apacheta Pass, then descend to Ausangate Cocha Lagoon, where we’ll enjoy a snack before tackling the most demanding pass, Palomani, at 5,200 meters above sea level.
Upon reaching the pass, we will enjoy a unique view of the mountains, close to the base camp for the ascent to the snow-capped Ausangate peak and the lakes formed by the melting ice. Later, we will descend to the Huchuy Finaya community, where we will have lunch. After regaining our energy, we will continue toward Sorapata, where our camp will be waiting for us.
After breakfast, we will hike toward the Jampa Pass. The trail is mostly flat, but toward the end, we’ll ascend to 5,100 meters above sea level. This part of the hike will take about three hours. Along the way, we will spot herds of alpacas and llamas in their natural habitat. After crossing the Jampa Pass, we will descend to the Pacchanta community, following part of the route of the Seven Turquoise Lakes, with stops for photos. Once we reach Pacchanta, we will enjoy its medicinal hot springs, relaxing in its soothing pools.
Today, we will make a brief stop in the town of Tinke to observe some of its agricultural customs. Finally, we’ll return to Cusco and transfer you to your hotel, concluding our adventure through Ausangate.
| Initial altitude | 3800 m / 12,467 feet. |
|---|---|
| Highest altitude | 5200 m / 17,056 feet. |
| Overall difficulty | V. Difficult. |
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We’ll start bright and early at 4:30 AM, picking you up from your hotel in Cusco. We will travel by car to the town of Ocongate, passing through some of the most popular villages in the southern valley: Huaro, Piquillacta, and Andahuaylillas. Next, we will head to the community of Tinki, where you will have a brief opportunity to buy any last-minute essentials. Please note that this will be your last chance to make these purchases.
Upon arriving at the Tinke camp, our team of muleteers and support staff will welcome us with a delicious breakfast. We will continue our journey on foot to the next camp in the Upis community. The trail is at the foot of Ausangate mountain, providing a privileged view during the hike. Along the way, we will spot herds of llamas and alpacas grazing freely, making a few stops to take photos with these amazing animals.
Once we arrive at Upis, we will enjoy a prepared lunch at our camp, relax, and sip hot drinks during our break. In the evening, we will visit one of the first lagoons on our 5-day hike, Huayna Ausangate. Here, we will enjoy the sunset while taking photos.
Overnight stay at the Upis Camp.
We will wake up early for breakfast and fuel up for the day. After preparing our backpacks and horses, we will follow the trail around the Ausangate Glacier. This time, we will hike uphill to reach the Arapa Pass, at 4,800 meters above sea level. From this point, we can admire the mountainous landscape dotted with lagoons formed by glacial melt.
Once we reach the Arapa Pass, we will begin our descent to Yanacocha Lagoon, also known as the Black Lagoon. During our descent, we will keep an eye out for local wildlife. We’re likely to spot chinchillas or vizcachas, and occasionally, deer roam this area. With some luck, we might even spot vicuñas. We might also spot the Andean condor, the largest flying bird in the world, so keep an eye out for any movement across the landscape.
We will have lunch upon reaching our camp near Hatun Puca Cocha Lagoon. You will experience the tranquility that only these Andean landscapes can offer. In the late afternoon and evening, weather permitting, we will stargaze and admire the stars in all their splendor. We will have a brief talk about constellations before dinner and rest.
On the third day, we will recharge with a hearty breakfast, as this will be the most demanding day of our journey. After breakfast, we will ascend for two and a half hours to the Ausangate Pass (4,750 meters above sea level). From this point, the landscape offers a colossal view, making you feel small in comparison to the scenery. Next, we will descend toward Ausangate Cocha Lagoon, where we will enjoy lunch surrounded by the Ausangate and the lagoon. After a short break, we will continue ascending to Palomani Pass, at 5,200 meters above sea level. Once we reach the summit, we will take a short break to enjoy the scenery before continuing our journey.
After our break, we will continue on a downhill trail, hiking to the Huchuy Finaya community at 4,650 meters above sea level. This community still preserves many ancestral traditions from the Inca era. We will make a small offering to the mountain with the community members, expressing our gratitude to Pachamama for allowing us to walk on its lands.
Finally, we will continue our journey along an easier trail until we reach Sorapata, where our camp will be waiting for us. We will relax with hot drinks and rest after an intense day.
As with every day, we will start early. After breakfast, we’ll hike to Jampa Pass, a journey of about three hours. The trail becomes steeper as we progress, so we’ll need to pace ourselves. While hiking, we’ll enjoy impressive views of the Callangate Glacier, the second-highest snow-capped peak in southern Cusco after Ausangate.
Along this part of the journey, we will once again spot herds of llamas and alpacas grazing freely on the hills. Once we reach Jampa Pass, we’ll begin our descent, crossing part of the seven most popular lagoons in the Vilcanota mountain range. Each lagoon has a unique name based on its characteristics.
We will have lunch among the mountains and later reach a viewpoint offering sweeping views of these turquoise lagoons. We will continue hiking for about two more hours until we reach the community of Pacchanta. We will leave our backpacks and enjoy the medicinal hot springs of this village. We will celebrate completing the Ausangate circuit and relax for as long as needed.
Overnight stay in Pacchanta.
After a three-hour hike back to Tinqui, we will have time to explore this charming Andean town. Later, we’ll head back to Cusco in our private transportation, arriving at around 6:00 PM, concluding our tour.
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