Duration:
Price:
Maximum Altitude
6,384 m.s.n.m
Difficulty
Difficult
Group Size
02 and 08 people
Type of Service
Group
Enjoy stunning views of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, lakes, wildlife, and the amazing Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain. You’ll see the highest peak (Ausangate 6,400 m/20,948 ft) in the Cusco region. This adventurous trek is approximately 100 km/62 mi and goes up to 5,200 m/17,716 ft. Ausangate is an excellent and quiet/remote trekking circuit offering stunning features such as spectacular mountain scenery, snow-capped peaks, hot springs, turquoise lakes, glaciers, herds of llamas, alpacas, and wild vicuña, picturesque villages, and traditionally dressed Quechua people.
This is a moderate to challenging trek, not technical, with several high passes and below freezing nights. This beautiful 7 day package starts in the small Andean village of Tinqui and takes you around Ausangate mountain and over multiple high passes. It is essential to be properly acclimatized for this hike, spending at least two or three days in Cusco (or equivalent altitude) before starting. The campsites are at high elevations and therefore will be quite cold in the evenings.
Day 1: challenge.
Our private car will pick you up and drive you to Tinki 3,800m – 12,540 ft.
Hike: Tinki- Upis
06 hours approximately distance (10 km – 6,25 miles)
Day 2: challenge & stunning.
After an early breakfast we begin our second day of the hike. You will hike very close to the Ausangate Glacier Peak. Arapa pass-Pucacocha.
6 hours approximately distance (14 km – 10,9 miles).
Day 3: Hard.
Wake up early with a hot cup of coca tea to start one of the most beautiful days of the trek, enjoying majestic views of some of the highest peaks. Pucacocha – Anantapata – Warmisaya – Yanacocha.
8 hours approximately distance (17 km – 10,625 miles).
Day 4: Hard & stunning.
After a very early breakfast (5am) we hike 1 hour up to the Rainbow Mountains (Vinicunca Mountains or Montañas de Colores) Yanacocha – Rainbow Mountain – Ausangate cocha.
5 hours approximately distance (7 km –4,5 miles).
Day 5: Challenge & stunning.
After breakfast we begin a steep climb for 2-3 hours on glacial moraine to the Palomani Pass (5,200m/17,160ft). From the pass there are extensive views of all the peaks in the Cordillera Vilcanota. Ausangate cocha – Palomani Pass – Comercocha.
8 hours approximately distance (15 km – 9,3 miles)
Day 6: stunning Views.
After breakfast we begin star to hike to the last pass and enjoy the wild vicuñas,lamas and alpacas. Comercocha – Pampacocha– pacchanta (Hot Spring)
8 hours approximately distance (15 km – 9,3 miles)
Day 7: Cusco.
our last day we will hike for 03 hours and take our transportation to Cusco
Pacchanta – Cusco.
Hike 08 km - (10 km – 6.25 miles).
HIGHLIGTS:
- The best local professional tour guides.
- The best hikes, campsites and tours in the world.
- Discover the incas land along the way to Machupicchu.
- Explore the best tourist destination, Machu Picchu
- Travel with the best local agency travel. Tour operator
Incluided
✓ PERMITS AND TICKETS FOR THE INCA TRAIL.
We will secure all necessary permits once we receive your complete information and reservation deposit. Permits are subject to availability and are issued for a specific date and under your name. They cannot be changed under any circumstances. Changes in password number are only permitted for renewal reasons. In that case, you must provide both your old and new passport.
✓ PRE- DEPARTURE BRIEFING.
We offer a tourist orientation to our visitors before doing the excursion to Machupiccchu. The briefing starts at 6:00 p.m. We understand you may be nervous or have any questions about the excursion. This is the opportunity to meet with your tour guide and travel companions.
✓ EXPERIENCED TOUR GUIDES.
We have local professional tour guides who know a lot about their history and customs. They know the Inca trails very well and speak fluent English. You will feel safe your hands.
✓ TRANSPORTATION.
Transportation is included in your tour package. from pick up from your hotel Until the conclusion of your tour in Cusco.
First day: You´ll be picked up from your hotel in the morning and travel in our transportation to Tinki , the starting point of the trek
Seventh day: Transport from Pacchanta to your hotel in Cusco.
✓ MULETEER.
Our muleteer Team will carry all camping equipment and supplies needs for the trek. Additionally, we’ll include the personal service of a porter responsible for carrying your duffle bag and personal items
✓ CAMPING IQUIMENT.
Dining tents, tables, chairs and cooking equipment, portable toilet and sleeping tents.
✓ DUFFLE BAG. For the trek, you will receive a duffle bag to pack your personal belongings up to maximum weight 7 kg or 15.4lb this weight includes your sleeping bag
✓ MEDICAL KIT:
All our tours guides have received training in first aid and rescue and high mountains rescue. In the event that a tourist requires medical attention during the trek, our staff will be able to assist you. We have a first aid kit. In an extreme case of a medical emergency, you will be evacuated to the nearest medical center.
✓ FOOD:
We try to offer natural and organic food. we buy the whole ingredient from farm farmers; They work all their products naturally and without chemicals. We have professional chefs from Inca Trail.
Note: Our clients when booking the tour. You must notify us if they have allergies or food restrictions to ensure that the food is prepared properly.
✓ WATER:
We offer water. First it is boiled, cooled and filtered. to fill water bottles or Camelback (the chef will provide clean water after each meal)
Note: we recommended to bring two liters’ bottles or camel’s bags because plastic bottles are prohibited.
✓ SUPPORT STAFF:
All travel agencies need a support staff that includes: chef, chef assistant, horse owner and porters. We offer work for both men and women with living wages.
Our staff are the humble people of the mountains who like to share their culture and history.
No Included
× Lunch on the last day
× Travel insurance: Highly recommended for all hikers.
× Additional tickets Machupicchu mountain and Huaynapicchu mountain $ 70
× Tips for the crew, guide, cook and porters
× VISTADOME Train – $67 USD per person extra. (Return only)
× Personal tent- $30 USD – (Please request when you book your trek)
× Additional night in Aguas Calientes – from 70 USD per person (depending on availability)
Huayna Picchu Mountain: $75 USD – This needs to be booked in advance and please let us know at the time of booking (it books out very quickly).
Picchu Mountain is an optional trek within Machu Picchu Citadel which do not include a guide. The climb is usually done on your own after your tour of Machu Picchu Citadel. If you would like the extra hike to be guided, please request in advance. There is an extra cost for this extra guided tour.
RENTALS:
- Sleeping bag: $20 to rent
- Inflatable air mattress: $15 to rent
- Trekking poles (pair): $20 to rent
- Hiking Backpack: $20 to rent
MORE IMPORTANT:
Original valid passport (a copy will not be accepted).
Immigration Card (given on the plane as you enter Peru)
Valid student card (if booked as a student).
PERSONAL BELONGINGS:
- Trekking boots.
- Trekking backpack 20 or 25 liters.
- Water bottle or camel bag of 02 liters.
- Hat and sunglasses
- Rain clothes
- Sun cream, insect repellent
- Hand sanitizer
- Toilet paper
- Personal medication
- Camera, extra batteries
- chocolates, sweets, energy bars or dried fruits.
- 3 shirts (absorbent shirts are the best)
- 2 pants / hiking pants
- 3 sets of underwear.
- 4 sets of socks
- 1 warm jacket for colder nights
- Wet wipes
- Toothbrush and paste
- Facial moisturizer
- Power bank / battery charger
- 2 plastic bags to separate wet or muddy clothes.
Extra money to buy extra drinks or snacks has to be in Peruvian soles.
- We recommend our hikers to arrive in Cusco 2 or 3 days before their trek. This will allow you to acclimatize to the height so as not to have problems in the walk.
- In Cusco we have only one main airport, most flights arrive from Lima to Cusco, which is the most recommended and easiest for our tourists.
- The trip from Lima to Cusco by bus is quite long approximately 22 hours and it is not recommended that you travel directly to Cusco. If you want to do it, we recommend that you do it by sections Lima – Nazca – Arequipa – Puno and Cusco.
- In Cusco we have many hotels located throughout the city of Cusco. If you need help booking a hotel or would like some recommendations on where to stay, do not hesitate to contact us.
- Arriving in Cusco you have extra days before or after your walk. We are happy to help you organize some more important tours as there are tourists who want to spend more days in the imperial city of the Incas.
- We offer free pick up and transfer from the airport to your hotel in Cusco. We do this in order that you don’t have to worry about anything. Let us know in advance the airline company, the schedule and flight number that arrives in Cusco.
- Near the weather, Cusco is located at 3,350 m or 11,050 ft. which makes the weather very difficult to predict. In Cusco, we have two seasons; the rainy season, which runs from November to March, and the dry season, from April to October. We recommend the dry season that is from April to October. But for some tourists the stations don’t matter and they plan their tour according to the time they have and it is possible to organize some tours according to the weather.
- At near altitude sickness or soroche, Cusco is located at 3,350 m or 11,050 ft. Therefore, the air is short, dry and difficult to breathe for which it is recommended to arrive in Cusco 2 or 3 days in advance of the tour
WE RECOMMENDED TO OUR VISITORS:
- Drink enough water.
- Mate coca.
- Deep breathing exercises.
- Soft walks.
- Diamox or acetazolamide (you can find these medications at any pharmacy in Cusco, check with your doctor to make sure you are not allergic to any medications).
DISCOUNTS:
- 18 to 25 years old: $30 USD. Information required from the student card: name of university, student name, photo of student, expiration date, etc. A copy of the card is required at booking to obtain government approval for the discount.
- Under 18 years old: $30 USD. Please send us a copy of your passport at the time of booking.
- Under 11 years old: $40 USD. Please send us a copy of your passport at the time of booking.
Itinerary
Early transfer from your hotel in Cusco with 6:00 am departure. We drive for 4 hours on a new highway to Tinqui, passing Urcos Pass (4,000 m/13,123 ft) along the way. Tinqui is a village on the high plains “altiplano” east from Cusco and is where we will start our trek. We follow a wide, gently ascending path toward the northwest face of the impressive Ausangate mountain. We will have a small lunch around noon by the side of the trail. We will continue walking through fields and by scattered stone farm houses, and later in the day we will begin to see llamas and alpacas. We ascend gently to the Upis pass (4,435 m/14,107 ft) and camp at Upis Hot Springs (4,250 m/13,779 ft) where we will be surrounded by snow capped mountains (Ausangate and Maria Huamantilla).There are thermal springs at Upis where we can enjoy a soak at the end of the day. Happy hour is around 4:00pm and dinner at approx 6:00pm depending on hiking speed/weather.
DETAILS:
- Meals: Lunch, Dinner
- Min Altitude: 4,000 m (13,200 ft.)
- Max Altitude: 4,400 m (14,432 ft.)
- Distance Traveled: 14 km (9.5 miles)
- Walking Time: 06 hours approximately
- Base camp attitude: 4,200 m (13,800 ft.)
- Climete: dry – cold
After an early breakfast we begin our second day of the hike. You will hike very close to the Ausangate Glacier Peak and will have incredible views of this mountain as well as beautiful lakes and waterfalls. We may see some llamas, alpacas and wild vicuñas (the undomesticated ancestor of the alpaca) and perhaps a rare condor soaring above. We will have a 3-hour uphill hike to reach the first pass (4800m/15,748ft) where you will have magnificent views of the surrounding area. After taking a few amazing pictures we continue hiking gradually downhill for another 2 hours to our
beautiful lunch spot. After lunch we hike for another 2 hours to arrive at our campsite at Puca Ccocha (Red Lake). This spot is one of the most beautiful campsites located at the skirt of the Ausangate peak and at the bank of the lake.
DETAILS:
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Min Altitude: 4,200 m (13,800 ft.)
- Max Altitude: 4,900 m (16,072 ft.)
- Distance Traveled: 12 km (7.5 miles)
- Walking Time: 08 hours approximately
- Base camp attitude: 4,400 m (14,850ft.)
- Climate: dry – cold
Wake up early with a hot cup of coca tea to start one of the most beautiful days of the trek, enjoying majestic views of some of the highest peaks in the Andes and depths of the beautiful valleys. This morning we will summit the Puca Pass. After an early breakfast we begin our 2-hour steep climb to the Puca Pass at (5050m/16,568ft). Along the way we have gorgeous views of turquoise lakes and the Ausangate glacier. Once you reach the summit of this mountain, you will be located right in front of the Ausangate Mountain and you can enjoy the views of Chillca Valley, with alpaca grazing along these hills. Also, from this pass you will see the beginning of the Rainbow Mountain range with their strikingly striated colors. After taking some great pictures we continue gradually downhill for another 2 hours until we reach our lunch spot located at Anantapata 4400m/14,435ft with amazing views of green hills and snow-capped peaks. After lunch and a little rest and relaxation, we will hike gradually uphill for 11⁄2 hours until we reach the the Warmisaya (aka Pitumarca) pass 5050m/16,568ft. After enjoying the views at the top we descend for 20 minutes to Yanacocha lake where we set up camp for the night. After dropping our bags we take our gradual 1 hour sunset hike to the Rainbow Mountain Pass and watch as the sun sets over the stunning Rainbow Valley. Once we have finished enjoying the view, we hike 45 minutes back down to camp at Yanacocha to have happy hour (tea and snacks) followed by a hearty dinner.
DETAILS:
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Min Altitude: 4800 m (15,840 ft.)
- Max Altitude: 5,000 m (16,500ft.)
- Distance Traveled: 17 km (11 miles)
- Walking Time: 8 hours approximately
- Base camp attitude: 4,300 m (14,200 ft.)
- Climate: dry – cold
After a very early breakfast (5am) we hike 1 hour up to the Rainbow Mountains (Vinicunca Mountains or Montañas de Colores) again to see the beautiful Rainbow Valley at sunrise! Enjoy the view for an hour without the crowds as we are one of the first groups to arrive. Your guide will walk you to the best spots to get the perfect postcard pictures of these incredible mountains and the other surrounding peaks. Your guide will explain what makes these mountains so unique: they are composed of various minerals, which make different colors of stone striations. This is definitely one of the most stunning places in South America and one of the most beautiful natural attractions in Peru. There are Rainbow Mountains in only a few other locations in the world. After enjoying the sunrise view we hike downhill for approximately 3.5 hours until we reach Quesouno where we stop for lunch. After a hearty lunch and a well-deserved rest, we hike 2 hours uphill to Ausangatecocha (part of the Ausangate Trail). Along the way you will see beautiful mountain scenery, small streams, herds of llamas and alpacas and snow-capped peaks. At Ausangatecocha we camp by a beautiful dark blue/green lake for the night with views of the Ausangate Mountain.
DETAILS:
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, dinner.
- Min Altitude: 4,300 m (14,100 ft.)
- Max Altitude: 5,000 m (16,400ft.)
- Distance Traveled: 7 km (4.5 miles)
- Walking Time: 5 hours approximately
- Base camp attitude: 4,300(14,100 ft.)
- Climate: cold – dry
After breakfast we begin a steep climb for 2-3 hours on glacial moraine to the Palomani Pass (5,200m/17,160ft). From the pass there are extensive views of all the peaks in the Cordillera Vilcanota. We then descend for 2 hours on a steep trail into the Huchuy Finaya Valley where we will stop for lunch, surrounded by beautiful mountain views. From our lunch stop we will have a view of “Las Dos Gemelas” or the two twin mountains. After lunch we hike another 2 hours to our campsite, 45 minutes of which is a steep climb and the rest is a gradually uphill trail. Along the way you see streams and a small waterfall, chinchillas, llamas, alpacas, and snow-capped mountains (the three peaks). We camp tonight at Comercocha 4400m/14,435ft
DETAILS:
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, dinner.
- Min Altitude: 4,300 m (14,100 ft.)
- Max Altitude: 5,200 m (17,160ft.)
- Distance Traveled: 15km (9.6 miles)
- Walking Time: 7 hours approximately
- Base camp attitude: 4,300(14,100 ft.)
- Climate: cold – dry
After some hot coca tea and a good breakfast we hike for 1 hour on a varied path through the Pampacancha Valley 4,300 m/14,107 ft where you will see wide open spaces and lots of llamas and alpacas. Once we pass through this valley we begin climbing up to the highest point of the trek, the Qampa Pass (5,400 m/17,716 ft) for 2 hours. At this pass we have incredible views of The Three Peaks, the Pacchanta Valley, and will hopefully get a glimpse of some wild vicuña and deer, and if we are really lucky, a condor. We then descend gradually through the Pacchanta Valley, walking between Ausangate Mountain and the Two Twin Mountains for 3 hours until we get to our campsite at Pacchanta (4200m/13,780ft). Along the way we see glacial moraines, beautiful lakes, and snow- capped peaks. This campsite is near the Pacchanta hot springs where you can take a well-deserved soak with stunning views of the Ausangate Mountain if you wish to (entrance fee – 10-20 soles).
DETAILS:
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, dinner.
- Min Altitude: 4,300 m (14,100 ft.)
- Max Altitude: 5,300 m (17,490t.)
- Distance Traveled: 15km (9.3 miles)
- Walking Time: 7 hours approximately
- Base camp attitude: 4,300(14,100 ft.)
- Climate: cold – dry
After a good breakfast we begin hiking on a wide dirt trail (village road) for 3-4 hours until we reach the small town of Tinqui (3600m/11,811ft). Along the way you will see a lot of local people, farms, farm animals and many children will come running up to greet you. Please do not give them sweets as they do not have access to dental care, but you are welcome to share other items with them (fruit, pencils, etc). At Tinqui we enjoy a nice lunch, after which we take our private transport back to your hotel in Cusco (arriving around 4pm) – about a 2.5 hour drive that provides nice views of the Andes, passing some traditional villages along the way.
DETAILS:
- Meals: Breakfast,lunch
- Min Altitude: 4,500 m (14,850 ft.)
- Bus Time: 03 hours approximately.
- Climate: cold-dry warm.
- Base camp attitude: 4,000(13,123 ft.)
- Climate: cold – dry
- Walking Time: 7 hours approximately
Faq's
You should pack for cold mountain weather. Bring thermal layers, a down jacket, waterproof outerwear, gloves, a hat, and durable trekking boots. A flashlight or headlamp is also essential, as well as sun protection for high-altitude exposure.
This trek is physically demanding and takes place at very high altitudes. It is recommended only for well-prepared hikers in good health. It’s not suitable for children or people with heart or respiratory conditions.
Yes, the tour includes a licensed mountain guide who is trained in high-altitude safety, first aid, and will offer cultural and environmental insights throughout the experience.
Yes, many. The route features incredible landscapes, glaciers, wildlife, turquoise lakes, and the famous Rainbow Mountain—making it perfect for photography lovers.
Sudden weather changes are common in the Andes. The trek continues with proper gear, but if conditions become dangerous, the guide may modify the route to ensure the group’s safety.
All transportation to and from the trailheads is private and organized exclusively for the group.
Yes, carrying some cash in soles is recommended for tips, small purchases in remote communities, or snacks along the way.