Ausangate Mountain 5-Day Trek from Cusco
Cusco, Peru
Trip Type: Multi-day Tours
Duration: 5 days
Ausangate Mountain is the highest mountain in the Vilcanota mountain range. The Cordillera Vilcanota is an impressive range of mountains which include the massive Nevado de Ausangate (6,385m) and three others tops over 6,000 meters. This is an excellent trekking circuit offering everything you could want: spectacular mountain scenery, snow-capped peaks, hot springs, turquoise lakes, glaciers, herds of llamas and alpacas, picturesque villages and traditionally dressed Quechua people. This is a moderate to challenging trek, not technical with several high passes and often freezing cold nights so be prepared. This beautiful trek starts and finishes at the small Andean village of Tinqui and takes you around the massif of Ausangate mountain and over three high passes (two of them over 5000m).
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Ausangate Mountain is the highest mountain in the Vilcanota mountain range. The Cordillera Vilcanota is an impressive range of mountains which include the massive Nevado de Ausangate (6,385m) and three others tops over 6,000 meters. This is an excellent trekking circuit offering everything you could want: spectacular mountain scenery, snow-capped peaks, hot springs, turquoise lakes, glaciers, herds of llamas and alpacas, picturesque villages and traditionally dressed Quechua people. This is a moderate to challenging trek, not technical with several high passes and often freezing cold nights so be prepared. This beautiful trek starts and finishes at the small Andean village of Tinqui and takes you around the massif of Ausangate mountain and over three high passes (two of them over 5000m).Day 1: Cusco - Tinki - Upis / hot spring
At 5am, you will be picked up from your hotel and leave the city of Cusco. After an approximated 3-hour drive, you'll arrive in Tinki, where you start the adventures. You will leave Tinki initiating a slight climb that crosses through Puna to then arrive at a lunch spot after a three-hour walk. From here, you already have beautiful views of the sacred Ausangate peak (6372m/20900ft). After lunch, you continue walking for another 1.5-hours to reach the campsite in Upis at 4,400 meters. From this point, you may appreciate fabulous views of all the snow peaks in the area. You'll camp and dine directly in front of the Ausangate Mountain.
Day 2: Upis - La Arapa pass (4850m) - Ausangate cocha
After breakfast, you'll continue the hike ascending for two hours to reach La Arapa pass (4850m/15908ft). You'll then descend to a lunch spot, crossing an area of falcons and ¨vizcachas¨ or Andean rodents. This area also boasts three beautiful lakes with tones of reds, greens, and turquoises (Pukacocha, HatunPukacocha, and Qomerqocha) and spectacular views of the surrounding snow peaks. After lunch, you'll continue on a long and slow ascent that will take you, after about two hours, to the second mountain pass, the Abra de Apuchata (4900m), from which you'll descend, for another half an hour, towards the campsite at Ausangatecocha (4440m).
Day 3: Ausangatecocha - Palomani Pass (5200m) - Q´ampa
Today, you'll depart early to climb for two hours towards to the third mountain pass, the Abra de Palomani (5200m). This is the highest part of the entire hike, from which you'll then descend for another 2 hours through an area of llamas, alpacas and "vizcachas" to reach Pampacancha (4050m). From here you'll follow an uphill trail until that leads us to the campsite in Q´ampa (4300m/14104ft). Along this easy 3-hour climb you may have the chance to spot llamas, alpacas, and maybe even pumas. We will camp and dine at this place.
Day 4: Q'ampa - Pacchanta - Hot Springs
You'll climb for 2 hours until you reach Q´ampa mountain pass (5000m/16400ft), where you may have the chance to spot the Andean deer. From here you'll descend towards the Qomerqocha lagoon to finally arrive at Pacchanta (4100m) after an approximated five-hour walk. Pacchanta is a little community with attractive hot springs where we can enjoy a relaxing dip. We camp and spend the night at this place. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner / Accommodation: Camping
Day 5: Pacchanta - Tinki - Return to Cusco
You'll leave Pacchanta and start to walk our way back to Tinki, which will take approximately 2 hours. Once in Tinki, you'll board a private transportation that will take you back to the city of Cusco, where it's estimated you'll arrive after nightfall.
At 5am, you will be picked up from your hotel and leave the city of Cusco. After an approximated 3-hour drive, you'll arrive in Tinki, where you start the adventures. You will leave Tinki initiating a slight climb that crosses through Puna to then arrive at a lunch spot after a three-hour walk. From here, you already have beautiful views of the sacred Ausangate peak (6372m/20900ft). After lunch, you continue walking for another 1.5-hours to reach the campsite in Upis at 4,400 meters. From this point, you may appreciate fabulous views of all the snow peaks in the area. You'll camp and dine directly in front of the Ausangate Mountain.
Day 2: Upis - La Arapa pass (4850m) - Ausangate cocha
After breakfast, you'll continue the hike ascending for two hours to reach La Arapa pass (4850m/15908ft). You'll then descend to a lunch spot, crossing an area of falcons and ¨vizcachas¨ or Andean rodents. This area also boasts three beautiful lakes with tones of reds, greens, and turquoises (Pukacocha, HatunPukacocha, and Qomerqocha) and spectacular views of the surrounding snow peaks. After lunch, you'll continue on a long and slow ascent that will take you, after about two hours, to the second mountain pass, the Abra de Apuchata (4900m), from which you'll descend, for another half an hour, towards the campsite at Ausangatecocha (4440m).
Day 3: Ausangatecocha - Palomani Pass (5200m) - Q´ampa
Today, you'll depart early to climb for two hours towards to the third mountain pass, the Abra de Palomani (5200m). This is the highest part of the entire hike, from which you'll then descend for another 2 hours through an area of llamas, alpacas and "vizcachas" to reach Pampacancha (4050m). From here you'll follow an uphill trail until that leads us to the campsite in Q´ampa (4300m/14104ft). Along this easy 3-hour climb you may have the chance to spot llamas, alpacas, and maybe even pumas. We will camp and dine at this place.
Day 4: Q'ampa - Pacchanta - Hot Springs
You'll climb for 2 hours until you reach Q´ampa mountain pass (5000m/16400ft), where you may have the chance to spot the Andean deer. From here you'll descend towards the Qomerqocha lagoon to finally arrive at Pacchanta (4100m) after an approximated five-hour walk. Pacchanta is a little community with attractive hot springs where we can enjoy a relaxing dip. We camp and spend the night at this place. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner / Accommodation: Camping
Day 5: Pacchanta - Tinki - Return to Cusco
You'll leave Pacchanta and start to walk our way back to Tinki, which will take approximately 2 hours. Once in Tinki, you'll board a private transportation that will take you back to the city of Cusco, where it's estimated you'll arrive after nightfall.
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