Epic Journey | Breathtaking Landscapes | Inca History
🏔️Ausangate is not just a mountain; it is one of the most important and powerful guardian deities of the Peruvian Andes.
- Altitude: It is the highest peak in the Vilcanota mountain range, reaching 6,384 meters above sea level (6,384 m.a.s.l.).
- Sacred Apu: It is considered the principal Apu (mountain god or spirit) in the Andean worldview of Cusco, venerated as the “creator of the waters” that nourish the region. It is a center of pilgrimage and ancestral rituals.
- Natural Environment: The area surrounding Ausangate is known for its wild and remote beauty, with turquoise lagoons, imposing glaciers, and diverse local fauna (vicuñas, alpacas, condors).
🏔️Rainbow Mountain, known locally as Vinicunca, has become one of Peru’s most famous tourist attractions after Machu Picchu.
• Altitude: The main viewpoint of Rainbow Mountain is located at 5,036 meters above sea level.
• Geological Phenomenon: Its vibrant colors (red, ochre, yellow, green, white) are the result of the oxidation of minerals deposited in sedimentary layers over millions of years.
• Red: Iron oxides.
• Yellow/Mustard: Sulfides.
• Green: Copper oxides.
• Recent Discovery: The mountain remained covered by ice and snow for centuries. Rising temperatures due to climate change caused gradual melting, revealing the spectacular colors to the public relatively recently (around 2015-2016).
Duration
Group size
Language
ITINERARY
Day 1: Cusco-Tinqui-Upis
• Start: Early morning pickup in Cusco (4:00 – 5:00 AM) and bus transfer to the town of Tinqui.
• Hike: The trek begins with a moderate hike to the Upis campsite. The trail ascends gently, offering the first views of Ausangate Mountain.
• Attraction: The Upis campsite features natural hot springs, perfect for relaxing after the initial hike and before the cold nights.
Day 2: Upis-Paso Arapa-Puka Qocha
• Challenge: It’s the day of the first major test. The ascent to Arapa Pass (4,800 m.a.s.l.) is made.
• Landscape: The route traverses high Andean puna landscapes, passing several intensely colored glacial lakes (such as Yanacocha) and rocky valleys.
• Camp: The camp is set up at Puka Qocha (Red Lagoon), beneath imposing rock formations.
Day 3: Puka Qocha-Paso Palomani-Ausangate Qocha
• Crucial Point: This is the most challenging day and involves the highest altitude. You’ll cross Palomani Pass (5,165 m.a.s.l.), the highest point of the entire trek.
• Views: The reward is the closest and most spectacular panoramic views of the Ausangate massif and its glaciers.
• Descent: After crossing the pass, there’s a long descent to the final camp, usually near Ausangate Qocha Lagoon.
Day 4: Ausangate Qocha- Vinicunca-Retorno a Cusco
• The Connection: A final hike takes place, often through hidden valleys and near Vinicunca Mountain (the source of the rainbow colors).
• Vinicunca: Ascend to the Rainbow Mountain viewpoint (5,036 m.a.s.l.). Enjoy the views without the crowds of day tours.
• End: From the base of Vinicunca or a nearby point (such as Phinaya), the group is picked up by private transport for the long 4-5 hour drive back to Cusco, arriving in the evening.
INCLUDES
✅ Round-trip transfers
✅ Belingue-speaking trekking guide
✅ High-quality tent accommodations
✅ Meals (except days 1 and 4)
✅ Entrance fees to Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain
✅ Emergency horseback riding
DOES NOT INCLUDE
❌Sleeping bag
❌ Trekking poles
❌Tips for the guide and cook
❌ Entrance fee to the hot springs
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📄 Rigorous Acclimatization: This is not a trek to start immediately after landing. You need a minimum of 72 hours of passive acclimatization in Cusco.
📄Quality Sleeping Bag: Nighttime temperatures on Ausangate can drop to -10°C or lower. Rent or bring a sleeping bag that guarantees comfort down to -15°C.
📄Sunscreen and Lip Balm: UV radiation at this altitude is extremely strong.
📄Trekking Poles: These are essential for support during ascents and for reducing impact on your knees during descents.
Data and Information
Project information
Call to adventure
GALLERY
“Behind every image there is a conversation that taught us something, a scent that reminded us of childhood, and a sunset that made us feel insignificant and, at the same time, part of something immense. The true treasure is not the souvenirs, but the collection of memories that the passenger takes with them, now a narrator of their own adventure.”
“They say we travel three times: when we dream it, when we live it, and when we remember it. For the traveler who observes this gallery, the third time is the sweetest. Here lie the fragments of a time when the horizon was the only goal, and each unknown face became a brief but precious chapter in the infinite book of human adventure.”
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