Ausangate Rainbow Mountain Trek 6 Days/ 5 Nights

Cusco – Tinqui – Upis
Your guide will meet you in Cusco 6am in the morning, and take you via private transportation to the starting point of our trek at Tinqui where we load up your gear onto the packhorses. We will hike for the next 3 hours or so and then you will enjoy a local lunch, after lunch you will continue hiking to our first camp. This day we only hike for a few hours until we arrive at the village of Upis. Here you will have the opportunity to take a soak in the hot springs, while enjoying coca tea, and relaxing your muscles until dinner.

Distance: 9.65km/ 6 miles
Elevation: 4100m/ 13,450ft
Hiking time: 5 to 6 hours
Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Accommodations: camping

Upis – Chillca
With two passes to cross today, we wake up early at 5am with coca tea brought to your tent and you will fuel up with a big breakfast for the day ahead. The morning starts with a hike up Arapa pass (4,958m/16266ft) before we descend a bit to our lunch spot near Lake Puma Cocha– a deep blue lake and a perfect stop for a break. Along the way, you will see local herders and llamas, Ausangate Mountain to your left, and you will have your expert guide explaining the history of the locals and talking about the landscape along the way. After lunch, we continue uphill for our second pass, Pucacocha (5000m/16404ft) where if you are lucky you may see condors and vicuñas. We descend to our campsite of Chillca where you will be surrounded by high mountains and incredible hanging glaciers, where you can watch for the glacier crashing into the lake below! As always, camp will be set up for you to change and rest your weary legs while dinner is being prepared.

Distance: 15km/ 9.3mls
Elevation: 4300m/ 14,100ft
Hiking time: 7 hours
Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Accommodations: camping

Chillca- Rainbow Mountain (5200m)- Lake Ausangate
Today starts with Chillca pass (5051m/16571ft), a very colorful mountain but only a precursor of what is to come. After crossing the pass you enter into the Red Mountain valley, a wildly desert landscape with vibrant colors all around, and llamas roaming the ground below. When you approach the top of the pass, you will see the beautiful Rainbow Mountain in the distance, but you are not quite there! From here, you descend to circle lake and continue walking a Peruvian flat until we are presented with one final climb to the Rainbow Mountain. Soak in the sights and enjoy what you have worked so hard to reach. We will enjoy lunch in the surrounding area, and head back down the valley to make our way to the stunning Lake Ausangate where camp will be set up and waiting for you to take a rest.

Distance: 20km/12.4mls
Elevation: 4300m/14,107ft – 5200m/17,060ft
Hiking time: 7-8 hours
Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Accommodations: camping

Lake Ausangate- Palomani Pass – Pampacancha
Covering less kilometers today, as yesterday was a big day, we pass beautiful glacial tarns, lush green pampas, and follow the edge of the river. Today is a great day for spotting wildlife so keep an eye out for condors, and vicuñas.

Distance: 17km/10.5mls
Elevation: 4300m/14,107ft – 5400m/17716ft
Hiking time: 7-8 hours
Accommodations: camping
Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Pampacancha – Qampa Pass- Pacchanta (hot springs/ Camping)
With only one pass to cross today, we will take our time today enjoying the deep blue lagoons, and alpine glacial colored lakes along the way. If you are brave enough you can even jump in to cool off or take a swim. Views of the massive Ausangate Mountain are still visible, only today you will get to enjoy them from a new angle along with views of Pacchanta Valley. Our goal is the hot springs of Pacchanta where we will enjoy a nice soak and the views of the Ausangate Mountain above.

Distance: 16k/10mls
Elevation: 4300m/14,107ft- 5400m/17716ft
Hiking time: 6-7 hours
Accommodations: camping
Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner

Pacchanta – Tinqui – Cusco
Today is the easiest day of our trek as we make our way back to the starting point of Tinqui, walking on flat ground and celebrating our accomplishments. Once we arrive at the village you will have your last lunch while everything is packed up in our private transportation to make our way back to Cusco where. You will be dropped off at your hotel arriving around 5pm.

Note: This itinerary is subject to change without prior notice according to weather conditions, strikes, roadblocks, or other events which are beyond our control. We will always do our best to follow the itinerary as closely as possible.

Distance: 16k/10mls
Elevation: 4000m (descending)
Hiking time: 3-4 hours
Accommodations: camping
Meals: breakfast, lunch