5 Day Ausangate Trek
From all treks around Cusco, the Ausangate Trek is the most challenging and least touristy trek. You will be hiking in the Vilcanota mountain range, home to many vicuñas, llamas, alpacas and traditional Quechua communities. These people live from and with the land they live on and they see the mountains around them as Andean Gods, or APUS. The Ausangate Trek will loop around the highest mountain in the Cusco province, Ausangate (6384 m). The highest part of the trail is at 5200 m above sea level and provides an incredible view over the Vilcanota mountain range and the Ausangate Mountain! Because the Ausangate Trek briengs you above 5000 meter altitude above sealevel, we recommend that you at least spend a few days in Cusco and surrounding to acclimatize. On our following page you can find more information about altitude sickness.
Short itinerary of the 5 Day Ausangate Trek:
Day 1: Cusco -Ocongate – Tinki – Upis
Day 2: Upis – Paso Arapa – Laguna Pucacocha
Day 3: Laguna Pucacocha – Abra Palomani – Pampacancha.
Day 4: Pampacancha – Paso Qampa – Qomercocha
Day 5: Laguna Qomerqocha – Pacchanta – Tinki – Cusco
Optional: It is also possible to extend this Augangate Trek with visiting the Rainbow Mountains.
Extended itinerary of the 5 Day Ausangate Trek
Day 1: Cusco -Ocongate - Tinki - Upis
We pick you up from your hotel in the morning and then travel for two and a half hour until we reach the community of Tinki. Along the way we will follow the banks of the Urubamba river and enjoy the views of beautiful valleys and colorful traditional towns. Upon arrival we will have a little free time to make the last purchases and stock up on water, then we will start walking. Today it will be about 2 to 3 hours of walking until we reach Upis, where we will camp near a local family house.
Day 2: Upis - Paso Arapa (4755 m) - Laguna Pucacocha
After a substantial breakfast we start our walk. Today we will enter the beautiful landscapes that are typical of the high Andean mountain area. Along the way we will encounter local people who are busy performing their daily activities. We will also be able to observe large numbers of llamas and alpacas. Herding these animals is the main livelihood of the local population. Just before lunch we will pass through the first high point of the Ausangate Trek, the Paso Arapa at 4755 m After descending a little we will stop to have lunch and recover energy. Then it is time to continue our trek until we reach the Pucacocha lagoon, where we will spend the night.Day 3: Laguna Pucacocha – Abra Palomani (5200 m) – Pampacancha
After breakfast, we prepare to start the third day of the Ausangate Trek. This will be the most difficult day of the trek, since we will reach the highest point on route. But before reaching this point we will first pass by the shores of a beautiful clear lagoon! This lagoon is called Ausangate Cocha (cocha means lagoon), because it contains melting water from the snowcap of the Ausangate mountain. After a short picture moment with the amazing view of this lagoon and its backdrop, we start ascending towards the Abra Palomani pass at 5200 m above sealevel! Upon reaching the top we will be able to appreciate a spectacular view of the Vilcanota mountain range and its snowcapped mountains! After descending a little we will stop for for a well deserved lunch break. After lunch we continue our trek until we reach Pampacancha. This will be our camp area for tonight.
Day 4: Pampacancha – Paso Qampa (4600 m) – Qomercocha
After breakfast we will continue our trek. Today we will hike through a long valley where we are likely to meet local people who still wear their traditional clothing. We will also encounter big varieties of alpacas, llamas and sheep that live in the valley. When leaving this isolated valley we will ascent the last mountain pass of the Ausangate Trek named Qampa, or Jampa Pass at an altitude of 46oo m above sea level. It is a great spot to observe the beauty of the Ticllacocha lagoon and to have lunch with a view. After lunch we continue hiking until we reach the pampas (plain) of Pachaspata. On this plain we will camp at the edge of the Qomercocha lagoon.
Day 5: Laguna Qomerqocha – Pacchanta – Tinqui – Cusco
After our last breakfast surrounded by the iconic landscape of the Peruvian Andes it is time to hike back towards civilization. First we will pass the small town of Pacchanta and then we will continue to Tinki. In Tinki we get on a local bus to bring us back to the city of Cusco.
Optional: It is also possible to extend this Augangate Trek with visiting the Rainbow Mountains.
This Ausangate Trek is inclusive:
• A briefing in Cusco one day before departure
• Transportation Cusco – Tinki – Cusco
• The services of a bilingual guide.
• The services of a cook and muleteer.
• Horses to carry the Camping equipment, Food and 5kg personal belongings per passenger
• 5 Breakfasts, 5 Lunches and 4 Dinners
• The use of tents and thin camping Matrasses
• Te use of a first aid kit
This trek does not include:
• Sleeping bag (US$ 25 rental for the entire tour).
• Additional (soft drinks, snacks and other personal spendings
• Optinal tips
We recommend to bring at least with on this trek:
• A comfortable backpack.
• Warm clothing (jacket, gloves, hat, scarf).
• Comfortable (sport) clothes that can be worn in layers
• Shorts, polo shirts, trekking shoes, sandals or flip flops
• Hat or cap and sunglasses against the sun
• Sunscreen
• Headlight/ flashlight
• Pills to purify water
• A good camera with backup batteries and enough memory
• Mosquito repellent
• Rain poncho
• Extra money in Soles
