Ausangate Circuit & Rainbow Mountain: 6-Day Andean Odyssey
Ausangate Circuit & Rainbow Mountain 6-Day Trek: Andean Highland Adventure
Embark on a captivating 6-day Ausangate Circuit & Rainbow Mountain private tour, an experience crafted for those seeking an authentic journey through Peru’s breathtaking highlands. Experience the Ausangate Circuit Trek with a stunning dawn at Rainbow Mountain. Engage with local villagers for a genuine cultural experience in the Andes. This trek circles the majestic Ausangate Mountain, offering close encounters with diverse peaks and an ever-changing landscape of slopes and valleys. Your adventure includes witnessing a spectacular sunrise over the famous Rainbow Mountain, an awe-inspiring natural marvel known for its vibrant mineral formations and geological wonders. As you trek, immerse yourself in the local Andean culture, engaging with mountain communities and learning about their unique way of life.
Highlight
- Witness a Spectacular Sunrise at Rainbow Mountain: Experience the stunning dawn over Rainbow Mountain, showcasing its vibrant mineral formations and geological magnificence.
- Explore the Ausangate Circuit Trek: Trek the revered Ausangate Circuit, encountering diverse peaks and an ever-changing array of slopes and valleys in the Andean highlands.
- Authentic Andean Cultural Immersion: Engage with local villagers for a genuine cultural experience in the Andes, learning about their unique lifestyles and traditions.
- Close Encounters with Diverse Peaks: Marvel at the majestic Ausangate Mountain, offering intimate views of its varied peaks and breathtaking landscapes.
- Journey Through Peru’s Highlands: Embark on this 6-day Andean Odyssey, a journey through Peru’s stunning highlands, combining natural splendor with profound cultural depth.
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Travel to Tinki and Hike to Upis
Begin your Ausangate Circuit & Rainbow Mountain 6-Day Trek with a transfer to Tinki. From there, start your hike towards Upis, where you’ll encounter the first breathtaking views of the Andes. This initial trek is an introduction to the diverse landscapes and majestic peaks surrounding Ausangate Mountain.
Day 2: Trek from Upis to Pucacocha
Day two takes you from Upis to Pucacocha. This leg of the journey offers a deeper immersion into the Andean wilderness, with stunning vistas of towering peaks and serene valleys. The trek to Pucacocha is a blend of physical challenge and natural beauty, showcasing the rich ecosystems of the region.
Day 3: Hike from Pucacocha to Surine Lagoon
On your third day, hike from Pucacocha to Surine Lagoon. This part of the trek is characterized by captivating natural scenery, with the tranquil waters of Surine Lagoon providing a picturesque end to the day’s journey.
Day 4: Explore Rainbow Mountain and Hike to Ausangate Cocha
Day four is dedicated to exploring the famed Rainbow Mountain. Witness the mountain’s vibrant mineral formations and learn about its geological history. Afterward, continue the trek to Ausangate Cocha, a spot known for its stunning beauty and unique landscapes.
Day 5: Trek from Ausangate Cocha to Sorapata
The fifth day takes you from Ausangate Cocha to Sorapata. This trek allows you to delve deeper into the heart of the Andes, experiencing the raw beauty and untouched nature of the region, and offering up-close encounters with local wildlife.
Day 6: Hike from Sorapata to Pacchanta, Return to Cusco
Conclude your adventure with a hike from Sorapata to Pacchanta. This final trek is a time to reflect on the journey and the incredible landscapes you’ve traversed. After reaching Pacchanta, transfer back to Cusco.
Prices for this trek
PRIVATE TOUR PRICE | |
---|---|
1 person | US$ 2,402 per person |
2 people | US$ 1,342 per person |
3 people | US$ 1,051 per person |
4 people | US$ 873 per person |
5 to 8 people | US$ 787 per person |
9 to 14 people | US$ 672 per person |
More than 15 people | US$ 583 per person |
* Private tour; do not join other travelers; exclusive tour with a private guide and private mobility, whether traveling alone, with family, or with friends.
* Prices are based on the number of people traveling together.
Includes and excludes
Included
- The clients will receive a briefing the night before the trek.
- Pick up from the Hotel and transfer to Tinki (starting point of the trail).
- Transfer Pacchanta village to Cusco.
- Entrance fees to Ausangate Circuit and Rainbow Mountain.
- Personal tents accommodate two people for greater comfort and security. Our tents are 4-season and well-maintained for field performance.
- Each individual should bring an inflatable sleeping mat.
- Dining tent with tables and chairs. Kitchen tent.
- Toilet tent with bio-degradable toilet facilities.
- English-speaking tour leader plus an assistant guide for groups of over eight trekkers
- Chef and cooking equipment.
- Campsite fees must be paid to the local community in every camp place.
- Pack animals (to carry tents, food, and cooking equipment).
- Pack animals to carry personal gear up to 7kg per person (including sleeping pad and sleeping bag).
- One emergency horse every six people.
- Horse riders.
- Meals (5 breakfasts, 6-lunches, five dinners + daily morning snack + daily tea service except for last day). Vegetarian or special diets are available at no extra cost.
- A cloth bag for everyday snacks saves plastic bags and decreases waste.
- We will provide boiled water from lunchtime on the first day.
- Bio-degradable personal hand soaps.
- Our kitchen staff uses bio-degradable dishwashing detergents.
- Hot water every morning and evening for washing purposes / boiled water to fill in the water bottle every morning, night, and lunchtime.
- We bring a first-aid kit, including an emergency oxygen bottle.
- 24-hour support by our local staff.
Not Included
- The price does not cover domestic or international flights. Consult a travel agency if necessary.
- VISA procedures, travel insurance, pre, and post-tour accommodation.
- Additional personal costs (alcoholic beverages, laundry).
- The price does not cover gratuities for tour guides, drivers, and support staff.
- Guidance in another language (Germany, French, others), in case you request them, please ask your travel agent.
- Additional items are not included explicitly in the itinerary description.
- Breakfast on the first day.
- Pacchanta hot springs entrance fee.
- Sleeping bag.
Trip code: ACR6D01-PVT
Day 1 – Transportation to Tinki, Hike to Upis
- Pick up from the Hotel at 06:00 and transfer to the head of the trail at Tinki (3,800m/12,467ft); the journey takes about 3 hours by car.
- We continue via Urcos, where we may see a magnificent lagoon of the same name, Ccatcca. In this agricultural and cattle-raising hamlet, we can enjoy the beautiful views of the area. The last point was Ocongate, the capital of the same-named district and only half an hour from our final destination.
- We meet our Arrieros “horsemen “and start the hike around 10:00 am.
- We begin our hike with a slight ascent through puna, a high, arid region. After a three-hour trek, we arrive at our lunch destination. We can already see the Ausangate peak (6,372m/20,900ft). After lunch, we hike for another hour and a half to reach our 4400m (14432ft) above sea level campground at Upis. From this vantage point, we can see the region’s snow-capped summits. We pitch our tents and dine just before Ausangate.
- Distance estimate: 11 km (6.84 miles) – Estimated walking time: 5-6 hours
- Overnight in camp.
- Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner.
Day 2 – Hike from Upis to Pucacocha
- After breakfast, we ascend for around three hours to reach Arapa Pass (4,750m/15,560ft). The views of Ausangate from Arapa Step are unquestionably breathtaking and will motivate us to take photographs.
- After reaching this step, we will stop for a light lunch before descending into the valley on a wee-trodden gravel trail. During our descent, we pass by the magnificent black lake of Yanacocha. Once back in the valley, a camp for the night beside the gorgeous lake Jatun Pucacocha. From the campsite, we have the freedom to choose to climb a nearby ridge to view the red-tinged lake of Vinococha. Each lake in the region is colored differently depending on the colored sediment of the nearby mountains.
- Our second campsite is close to the Ausangate glacier at Pucacocha (4,600m/15,092ft).
- Distance estimate: 11 km (6.84 miles) – Estimated walking time: 6-7 hours
- Overnight in camp.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Day 3 – Hike from Pucacocha to Surine lagoon
- After a hearty breakfast and a refreshing cup of coca tea, we will begin our ascent over a meandering trail to the (4,900m/16,076ft), walking time around two hours.
- This pass has magnificent vistas and reaching the summit rewards us with 360-degree views of one of the most spectacular environments on the planet. After crossing the divide, we proceed through a lush green valley teeming with alpacas and llamas, with the occasional sight of an Andean Condor or the endangered vicuña.
- We will start with a gradual descent for one hour and a half to our lunch spot, located in Ananpata (4,650m/15,256ft).
- After lunch, we will keep hiking uphill for another two hours until we reach the Ananta pass (4,980m/16,339ft). From here, we can see Rainbow Mountain farther away, but the views will still be awe-inspiring. The last 30 minutes of the trail go downhill to the campsite at Surine lagoon (4,800m/15,748ft).
- Distance estimate: 12 km (7.45 miles) – Estimated time walking: 7-8 hours
- Overnight in camp.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 4 – Rainbow Mountain, Hike to Ausangate cocha
- After breakfast, we will gradually hike uphill for about 1 hour and 30 minutes until we reach the famous Rainbow Mountain (5,030m/16,498ft).
- The guide will explain what exactly makes these mountains so unique! They are composed of various minerals, which create different colors of stone striations.
- We will beat the crowds and have this place to ourselves for about 45 minutes, which is plenty of time to enjoy the site.
- After enjoying Rainbow Mountain, we will return to Ananpata by the same trail (lunch spot of day 3), walking for about 3 hours.
- After lunch, we will continue walking for about 3 hours to the next campsite, Ausangate lagoon (4,700m/15,420ft); this campsite is located at the backside of the Ausangate Mountain.
- Approximate walking distance: 14 km (8. 90 miles) – Estimated time walking: 7-8 hours
- Overnight in camp.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 5 – Hike from Ausangate cocha to Sorapata
- Another fantastic day to see the dazzlingly hued slopes next to Ausangate Mountain (6,381m/20,935ft), Cusco’s tallest peak, and to observe other glacier lagoons.
- After having breakfast, we will begin again with our expedition. The trail begins to ascend until the next pass, Palomani (5,100 m/16,732 ft), the highest point along the route; we will see a large mountain and many colorful slopes.
- Then we will walk downhill to the valley part, where we will eat lunch.
- In the afternoon, we will walk up to the next camp spot, Sorapata, at an elevation of 4,800m/15,748ft.
- Along our 3-hour hike, we may have the opportunity to see llamas, alpacas, and even pumas. Camp’s dinner and overnight stay.
- Distance estimate: 12 km (7.45 miles) – Estimated time walking: 7-8 hours
- Overnight in camp.
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.
Day 6 – Hike from Sorapata to Pacchanta, Transfer to Cusco
- After having breakfast, we leave the campsite and tenderly ascend the Qampa side valley, going zigzag through a stream. Ancient rock falls where we can see giant rabbit-like rodents, the Andean vizcachas, jumping across the boulders.
- We next walk through the verdant side of Ausangate, from where we can view the snowy cliffs of Collque Cruz and Tres Picos on our right as we ascend to Qampa pass (5,050m/16,568ft), our last crossing. Several tourists have created cairns at the peak, which serve as a signpost.
- We next descend to Qomercocha, where solitary lakes of varying depths and hues sit behind towering rocks. We can see why this powerful, serene location became a ritual destination for Quechua shamans in the region. On the approach to our trek’s most considerable hamlet, the village of Pacchanta (4,280m/14,400ft).
- Optional: we can soak in the hot springs and even down a well-deserved beer!
- Then we take our private car back to Cusco, arriving at about 20:00.
- Approximate walking distance: 15 km (9. 32 miles) – Estimated time walking: 6-7 hours
- Meals: Breakfast, Lunch