Duration: 5 Days / 4 Nights
Activities: Trekking, Camping
Average Group Size: 12
Difficulty: Challenging
Accommodation: Camping
Tour Language: English, Spanish
Starts/Ends: Cusco/Cusco (Hotel to hotel)
The Ausangate Cusco trek that we offer you below is designed for you to get to know wonderful high mountain landscapes in a route that has not yet been much promoted for tourist activity, you will be able to appreciate native communities, beautiful mountain landscapes, lagoons of different colours, and Andean camelids such as llamas, alpacas and vicuñas in their natural habitat.
We leave Cusco very early in the morning, pick you up from your hotel in Cusco city and head southeast of the city, approximately three hours drive by private transport to the small village of Tinqui (3800 meters / 12,464 feet). We pass through beautiful landscapes and several traditional villages such as Urcos, Cattca and Ocongate. After lunch in Tinqui, we start the trek where the first 3 hours of walking will be an unforgettable experience as we cross the mountains of the Cordillera Vilcanota and onwards if the weather permits we will be able to see the snow-capped mountain or Apu Ausangate. We will walk for two more hours until we reach the hot springs of Upis (4,400 meters / 14,432 feet). Here we will camp for the night (4-5 hours walk).
In the morning we will cross the Arapa pass (4,850 meters / 15,908 feet), this being one of the highest points of the trek. From here, we will continue for 3.5 hours descending through the valley, passing the green lagoon of Puqa Q’ocha until we reach the turquoise waters of the Jatun Puqa Q’ocha lagoon. We will then climb the second pass of Apuchata (4,900 meters / 16,072 feet), overlooking the impressive Ausangate Q’ocha lagoon and its turquoise blue waters. This lagoon is fed by the melting snow from the Ausangate snow-capped peak. Here we will camp for the second night.
From the lagoon we ascend again to the Palomani pass (5,200 meters / 17,056 feet) – the highest point of the trek. We follow the path down to the valley where we can rest and have lunch. In the afternoon we will be able to see the snow-capped mountains Tres Picos and Punta Puca. We continue through the wide green valley of Pampa Jutunpata and climb up the valley of the Q’ampa River. We will spend the third night in this area.
Very early in the morning we will start with the trek where we will pass through the small community of Q’ampa, then we will head northwest to the last pass of this trek – the Q’ampa pass (5,000 meters / 16,400 feet). Once again we will have the opportunity to observe many colorful lagoons and have lunch near the Q’oma Q’ocha lagoon. We will hike for several hours before reaching the small village of Pacchanta, where we can enjoy the hot springs for a couple of hours and even have a well-deserved beer! We will camp near Pacchanta and you will have the afternoon free to explore this interesting Andean village (you have the option to stay in a basic hostel tonight).
It is a 3 hour hike back to Tinqui, where we will have time to explore this traditional Andean village before taking private transportation back to Cusco, arriving at approximately 6:00 p.m., ending this incredible tour in Cusco at Ausangate.
Everyone can do it from the age of 10 years under the responsibility and supervision of their parents in the same way as adults, but we recommend a minimum age of 16 years. A good physical condition is required for this type of excursion.
The best time to hike in this part of Peru is from May to December, during the dry season. Try to prioritise June and August. Try to avoid travelling during the period from January to March as it is quite rainy. Not only is it unpleasant to walk on a trail that becomes slippery, but it also increases the danger of landslides or falling rocks.
Weather: The Ausangate trek is a fairly tough route, is not signposted and enters high altitudes, including a pass at 5200 metres above sea level. As with any high mountain route, weather conditions can change suddenly.
I had the pleasure of being guided by Rosel during my trip to Peru, and I must say, the experience was exceptional. Rosel’s depth of knowledge about the country’s history, culture, and landmarks was truly impressive. Not only was Rosel informative, but his sense of humor and easy-going nature made the tour thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend Rosel as a guide for anyone seeking an insightful, entertaining, and memorable journey through the Cusco region.
We had an amazing experience doing the Inca trail with Rossel. Everything was perfectly organized. He knows a lot about the Inca culture and shared all his knowledge with a lot of passion. He was also very attentive of all the group always willing to help.
We originally trekked to Machu Picchu 4d/3n with Rosel and had such an outstanding experience, we went back and booked a private tour to Humantay with him. He is not only an amazing guide, but a wonderful person! Blessed to call him a friend! His experience, knowledge and history
