Ausangate Trek to Rainbow Mountain 4 Days

The Ausangate Trek 4 Days is considered the crown jewel of the Andes. This is not a journey for everyone, but those who want to get off the beaten track will find it a lifelong experience.
This Ausangate Trek 4 Day is awe-inspiring around the Ausangate Mountain (6372m) and the Rainbow Mountain.

For our ancestors Ausangate was one of the most sacred mountains in the time of the Incas and is still today; this snowy mountain is located to the South East of the City of Cusco and way to the highlands, the lake Titicaca exit of the Incas in the legend of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo.

This walk offers us spectacular and majestic landscapes of the Puna region; our walk will be surrounded by snow-capped mountains, lagoons, South American camelids (llamas and alpacas); if we are lucky, we can also see Vicuñas.

Ausangate Trek 4 Days highlights:

• Enjoy stunning 360-degree views.
• Ausangate is considered a sacred mountain.
• Enjoy the incredible Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain.
• You will see amazing views of the valleys and the peak of the Ausangate glacier.
• You will be able to observe the natural landscape and wildlife of the Andes.
• You will savor the Peruvian cuisine prepared by our master chef.
• The beauty of the tour will be unforgettable.

Acclimatization:
We recommend you be in Cusco at least 2 days before your trek to be acclimatized to Cusco’s altitude so that you won’t have a problem during the tour.

About us:
Choquequirao Expeditions is a direct local tour operator in Cusco – Peru; we never share our tours with other companies as most of them do to minimize operating costs. We don’t work with intermediaries or have hidden prices; we have the best local guides and professionals. We guarantee that your travel expenditures will support the local economy, and improve the lives of local Peruvians, due to the simple reason we are a local business!

We will pick you up from your hotel at 4:00 AM to begin this fantastic expedition. You will have private transportation to the trailhead at Tinki. Tinki is a small Andean village near Ocongate at 3900 m/12795 ft above sea level. It is here you will meet your horsemen and horses. You will enjoy your first breakfast prepared by our trekking chef. Then you will begin the hike, which will be a 3 to 4-hour gradual uphill hike until we reach our lunch area. Along the way, we will have amazing views of Ausangate, still far in the distance from where we will ultimately be.

We will pass by a few traditional villages and perhaps meet some local people dressed in their colorful, traditional clothing while accompanying their grazing animals, indigenous to this area – llamas and alpacas. Our lunch spot is in a fantastic location surrounded by stunning mountains and an excellent view of Ausangate Glacier peak. After lunch, it will be another 2-hour hike until we reach our campsite at Upis Alto near the famous hot springs. Upis Alto is a small village located at 4100 m/13451 ft elevation. This will be our first campsite at the skirt of famous Ausangate.

Hiking time: 3.5 hours
Hiking Distance: 11 Km / 8.83 miles
Meals: Lunch, Tea, Dinner.

After an early, nutritious breakfast with your trekking team, you will prepare for the second day of the hike. Today you will have beautiful views of the Ausangate glacier peaks since you will be hiking very nearby. You will also have fantastic views of the lakes and waterfalls – perhaps see some llamas, alpacas, and wild vicuñas (the undomesticated ancestor of the alpaca) as well as condors soaring above.

We will have a 3-hour uphill hike to reach the first pass, which is at 5000m/16404 ft., where you will have magnificent views of the surrounding area. Perhaps we will have some snow hikes in some months of the year, but you always get great views, mainly in the dry season. Likely you will get to see vicuñas, which are the most impressive animals still living wild in Peru and belong to the family of Andean camelids. Their fleece is the most expensive wool today in the world over.

After taking a few fantastic pictures, we will continue to our lunch spot, with a gradual downhill hike for another 1½ hours to a beautiful area where you will enjoy your second day’s lunch. It will be another 2½ hour hike to arrive at our campsite at Puca Ccocha (Red Lake). This campsite is one of the most beautiful campsites located at the skirt of the Ausangate peak and at the bank of the lake. You can see amazing sunsets from here and perhaps some condors and eagles flying nearby.

Hiking time: 6 – 7 hours
Hiking Distance: 11 Km / 8.83 miles
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea, Dinner.

We will wake you up early in the morning with a hot cup of coca tea to start one of the most beautiful days of the trek. You will enjoy the majestic views of some of the highest peaks in the Andes and the depths of the beautiful valleys. You will have two mountain passes to make today.

After an early breakfast, we will start with a 2-3 hour steep climb to Alpaca Pass at 5100 m/ 16732 ft elevation. Along the way, you will always have gorgeous views of the blue lakes and the majestic views of Ausangate Glacier Peak surrounding you. You can even sometimes see avalanches in process happening from the glacial hills with ice crashing into the lakes below. Once you reach the summit of this mountain, you will be located right in front of Ausangate, and you can enjoy the Chilca Valley, with many alpaca grazing along these hills.

Honestly, it is so impressive to be right at this point – at times, you feel that you are in The Kilimanjaro Trails in Africa! After taking some great pictures, you will continue for another 2 hours gradual downhill trek – in some sections, the trail is still a bit difficult to see – and then we reach our lunch spot, located in Chilca Valley. The views are always amazing of the waterfalls, the green hills, and snow-capped peaks located far away, on top of the mountains. After enjoying your lunch and a little siesta, you will continue to the second pass of the day, Vicuña pass at 5300m/17388 ft elevation. It will be a 1½ hour slow pace to reach the summit of this highest pass of the trek. Along the way, it is possible to see some condors and vicuñas if we are lucky enough.

Once we are on top of the mountain, we will enjoy a cup or two of traditional coca tea, which your porters will provide. Then it will be another 1 hour downhill hike to arrive at our campsite at the banks of Yanacocha lake where you will enjoy our famous daily happy hour of hot drinks. This campsite is located a few hours away from our final destination: The Rainbow Mountains!
This is a perfect place at night to spot the famous Inka constellations and do some stargazing!

Hiking time: 7 – 8 hours
Hiking Distance: 15 Km / 9.32 miles
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tea, Dinner.

After an early final breakfast with your trekking team and enjoying the famous traditional warm drinks such as coca tea, it will be about 1½ hours gradual uphill trek until we reach the famous rainbow mountain and the Red Mountain Valley 5200 m /17060 ft elevation. Your guide will walk you to the best spots to get the perfect postcard pictures of this incredible mountain and the other surrounding mountains.

Your guide will also explain why these mountains are special and different from other mountains in the Vilcanota Range. This is due to various minerals, which make different colors of stone striations formed right in the middle of the red mountains. This is definitely one of the key tourist highlights in South America and one of Peru’s most beautiful natural attractions. There is nothing else like it!

After taking your photos and enjoying the views you have come so far to see, you will continue the expedition to the trail’s end. This is all downhill along the Quesiuno Valley for about 3 hours, where you will enjoy your final lunch with your team. We will then drive back to Cusco – about a 3-hour max drive, and we will drop you off at your hotel. The drive itself provides nice views of the Andes, passing some traditional villages along the way. You will be arriving in Cusco around 6 PM.

Hiking time: 3 hours
Hiking Distance: 08 Km / 4.97 miles
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

• Pre trek Briefing (briefing at the hotel / Office).
• Pick up from your hotel on the morning of departure.
• Transportation from Cusco to the trailhead at the beginning of the hike by private car.
• English / Quechua / Spanish professional guide speak.
• Second Tour Guide over 12 people.
• Tents – 2 people in a 4 person tent which allows for greater comfort and storage of backpacks.
• Thermarest air-inflate comfortable sleeping Mattress.
• Cook and assistance of the Cook.
• Cooking equipment.
• Daily tea service.
• Dining equipment, including chairs and tables.
• Portable environmental Biodegradable toilet.
• Food service in the campsites (4 breakfast, 4 lunches, 3 dinners, 4 snacks) – nutritionally balanced menu.
• Vegetarian and free gluten food for no extra cost.
• Personal trekking food – nutritionally balanced menu (Buffet).
• Horseman and Horses. (to carry our camping equipment, food and 8 kilos of your stuff like: sleeping bag and mat as well as clothes) We never overload our horses (well Animal Welfare).
• Ausangate & Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain entrance fees.
• Camping spots fees.
• First-aid kit.
• Emergency oxygen bottle.
• Insurance policy for our Guide, Cook & Horseman.

• Extra expenses.
• Dinner – Day 4.
• Not detailed meals.
• Travel and health insurance (bring copies with you please).
• Sleeping bags (it can be rented from us US$ 30 for the entire trip).
• Waking sticks (it can be rented from us US$ 20 for the entire trip).
• Tips (optinal).

• Original passport.
• Travel insurance.
• Sleeping bag.
• Walking sticks.
• Rain gear (jacket and pants) or poncho.
• Strong footwear waterproof trekking boots are recommended.
• Extra socks are a must.
• Sandals or plastic slip thongs are also good to give your feet a chance to breathe at night if you want to take them.
• Warm clothes, including jacket, fleeces, gloves, scarf, and knit / tour beanie.
• Thermal clothing is also recommended, especially for sleeping.
• Flashlight and extra batteries.
• Camera, films, and batteries.
• Hat or cap to protect you from sun, rain, and cold.
• Sunblock.
• Toilet paper.
• Snacks: biscuits, energy bars, chocolate, raw fruits, muesli, etc.
• Non-disposable canteen (Nalgene type) and water for the first morning.
• Your own special medicines you may need, paracetamol, second skin blisters, etc.
• Small towel.
• Cash – sufficient for snacks, tips, and souvenirs.
• Eager and adventurous spirit to enjoy your hike!.

We also offer a special service only for you or your group, you have the power to choose the size of your group and the date of departure, we will never add other people since it will be organized only for you.

Our Ausangate Trek 4 Days private service, includes additional items such as:

• Extra horse to ride (only for any emergency).
• North Face 4 season tents.
• 02 waking poles per person.
• Sleeping bag / Silk Liner included.
• 1 duffel bag to carry all your sleeping bags, self-inflating pad as well as your clothes.
• Private Transportation round trip
• The tour guide is just for you. And of course, we pay a little bit more to our Staff and Guide.

We offer 3 kinds of service, each with different price ranges and you can book in any of these services according to your convenience, we just need you to be a minimum of 02 people to organize your trip on the date that suits you, all our services are 100 % guaranteed.

We are a direct TOUR OPERATOR that never passes clients to other agencies as most agencies do it here in Cusco to save operating costs with poor quality.

We will make the trip even if there are only 02 people in your group.

What if I suffer from altitude sickness?
Our tour guide is professional; he will treat you accordingly with the oxygen tank; we always provide an oxygen tank for this kind of tour.