Trekking to Ausangate in Cusco, Peru

Ausangate And Rainbow Mountain Trek

3 Days / 2 Nights
Ausangate Trek
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Camps Accommodation
Group Size Icon
Up to 10 People Group Size
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5,120 m / 16,797 ft Max. Altitude
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Challenging Difficulty

Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain Trek 3 Days

Ausangate, Pachanta, Tinky, Puca qocha, Cusco
Accommodation Icon
Camps Accommodation
Group Size Icon
Up to 10 People Group Size
Max. Altitude Icon
5,120 m / 16,797 ft Max. Altitude
Difficulty Icon
Challenging Difficulty

Explore the Ausangate Trek to the famous Rainbow Mountain in 3 Days, These outstanding places are located in the Cordillera Vilcanota, which is an impressive range of mountains that includes the highest mountain in all of Cusco, Ausangate, and three others over 6000 meters. It’s an excellent trekking area, offering travelers more than they could ask for: spectacular and colorful mountains, glacier scenery, snow-capped peaks, hot springs, turquoise lakes, glaciers, flora (most of the plants are medicinally used by the locals), and fauna like condors, llamas, alpacas, vicuas, and chinchillas. Picturesque villages and traditionally dressed local people.

At Vidal Expeditions we designed an intenerary 3 Days Trek beside of the Apu Ausangate that allows you to explore this part of the Peruvian Andes, one of the most remote area with stunning views that you can find only hiking on the Ausangate Mountain

  • Overview
  • Itinerary
  • Inclusions
  • Recommendations
  • Faqs
  • Pricing
  • Enquire Now
  Overview

This Ausangate Trek 3 Days will lead you to the Nevado Ausangate (6,450 meters/21,890 feet) and end at the wonderful Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley through incredible mountain landscapes, remote Andean villages, thermal baths, and turquoise lakes. Unforgettable trek perfect for lovers of high mountain excursions who are looking for an intense experience in remote areas away of the crowds, wild and extreme nature, also you can see wild vicunas in their natural habitat.

Highlights: Ausangate Mountain, Rainbow Mountain, and Lakes
Hiking distance: 28km/13 miles
Considerations: acclimatation is required
Season: April through November

Itinerary at a Glance

  • Day01

    Cusco – Tinky - Upis Village - Arapa Pass - Puca Qocha

  • Day02

    Puca Qocha - Ausangate pass - Anantapata

  • Day03

    Anantapata - Warmisaya Pass - Rainbow Mountain - Cusco

  Itinerary
Day 01

Cusco-Tinki-Upis-Campsite

Walking Distance:  8km / 5miles
Starting Elevation: 3850 meters / 12,618 feet
Highest Elevation: 4200 meters / 13,779 feet
Campsite Elevation:  4200 meters /13,779 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Meals: Lunch, Dinner (Snack and afternoon tea)
Accommodation: Camping (tent)
Adventure: Absolutely, completely satisfactory

For the Ausangate Trek, you will be picked up from your hotel in Cusco at about 5:30 a.m. in private transport and headed in the direction of the village of Tinki, at 3800m (12,467 ft). After a short stop, we continue our bus drive to Rodean (Upis) Village, where our hike begins. After 4 hours of walking, we will arrive at our first camp, at 4210 meters (13812 feet), where we will have our campsite with an impressive view of the 6,380-meter-high Ausangate mountain. There are thermal baths and an alpaca farm nearby.

Day 02

Upis – Arapa pass – Ausangate Pass - Anantapata

Walking Distance:  12km / 7.4miles
Starting Elevation: 4200 meters / 13,779 feet
Highest Elevation: 5100 meters / 16,732 feet
Campsite Elevation:  4570 meters /14,993 feet
Difficulty: Challenging
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (Snack and afternoon tea)
Accommodation: Camping (tent)
Adventure: Absolutely, completely satisfactory

After a delicious breakfast, we will begin ascending to the first pass called Arapa (4800 m/15748 ft). From there, we descend towards Yana Cocha and have lunch at the border of the lake with an incredible view of the Apu Ausangate. Our route continues ascending towards the Ausangate Extreme Pass (5100 m/16732 ft). Here, you'll feel the energy of the mountain and see its incredible beauty. Your guide will make a small offer to say thank you to Apu Ausangate for creating life. Afterwards, we continue descending to Anantapata camp. About 4 to 5 p.m., we end our hike, and the tents will be already set up for us to rest, have dinner, and before we go to sleep, our guide will show you the constellation (45700m / 14993ft).

Day 03

Anantapata – Warmisaya – Rainbow Mountain - Cusco

Walking Distance:  13km / 7.4miles
Starting Elevation: 4570 meters / 14993 feet
Highest Elevation: 5120 meters / 16,762 feet
Campsite Elevation: Difficulty: Challenging
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation:
Adventure: Absolutely, completely satisfactory

We left the campsite at 4 a.m. in the morning to start hiking up to the next pass, Warmisaya (5100 m; 16732 ft). From here, you can appreciate a little further the amazingness of the Rainbow Mountain. We descend for half an hour, then hike for an hour more to reach the Rainbow Mountain (5120m / 16790 ft). Here,  we will arrive before the crowds and enjoy this incredible place. While your guide will explain the colors, you will have plenty of time to explore each important place of this. You can capture amazing photos from different angles. After exploring it, we continued hiking down for 3 hours for our lunch. At 4:30 pm, we have our transportation back to Cusco. The arrival time is around 7 p.m.

  Inclusions

At Vidal Expeditions, we are transparent and provide specific details of what is included and excluded in our Ausangate Trek. We know this is very important so that you know exactly what to bring and don’t miss anything. We provide this information to ensure that you have an incredible experience during your trek.

WE INCLUDE

Vidal Expeditions Team Provide

  • Pre-departure briefing

    Once you book the tour with us, you will get a notification about the pre-departure briefing, where you will meet with your trekking guide and the tour group in our office the night before your Ausangate trek departure. During this briefing, you will receive important details about the trek. After this time, you will receive your duffle bag for your extra luggage, which will be carried by the horses while you are hiking.

  • Professional Adventure Guide

    All our tour guides have a great reputation for customer service. They have graduated with a tourism career from the National University San Antonio Abad of Cusco, and they have also studied English in a private language institute. Through their patience, responsibility, knowledge, passion for trekking, and pride in having been born in the land of the Incas, we ensure our guides provide an excellent experience for you when you explore the Andes.

  • Entrance Fees to Ausangate park and Rainbow Mountain

    Once we receive your details and the deposit for your tour, we will purchase all the necessary tickets for your trek. They will be for a specific date and will be in your name.

  • Accommodations

    At Vidal Expeditions, we include accommodations for two nights along the Ausangate trek. with suitable camping equipment to make sure your trek is an experience of a lifetime. Our tents are Mountain Gear or Doite pro Aconcagua for 4 people, which will be shared only with 2 people to ensure your comfort and enough space for your luggage. The same way we include inflatable mattresses. There will also be a spacious dining tent for you to enjoy each meal on this tour.

Transportations

  • Private Transport

    We included all the transportation during your tour. We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco and take you to the beginning of the trail, and the bus returning from Ausangate to Cusco will drop you off at your hotel.

  • Horses

    We include horses to transport all the duffle bags and equipment during this tour, and there will also be a horseman. At Vidal Expeditions, we know safety comes first, which is why we include an emergency horse in case someone feels tired or gets altitude sickness.

Equipment

  • Personal Duffle bag

    We included a personal duffle bag for your 3-day Ausangate trek. You will get this duffle bag at Vidal Expeditions office during your pre-departure briefing the night before your trek. This bag will be carried by horses during the trek. You will find it in your tent every afternoon when you arrive at the campsite. It can be filled with your personal items, sleeping bag, and mattress, but the maximum allowable weight is 7 kg (17 lb). The duffle bag must be returned to our office no later than one day after your trek.

  • Toilet Tents

    During our trek to Ausangate, we bring our own portable toilet tent because we know how important it is to protect our environment, and we are trained to leave no traces along the route.

  • Medical First Aid Kit

    All tour guides at Vidal Expeditions are very well trained in first aid. They received training courses every six months on how to assist someone who is in an emergency situation. Also, they are trained on how to supply balloon oxygen if someone requires it.

Meals

  • Meals

    At Vidal Expeditions, we know food is such an important part of any vacation, and getting the right fuel on an active holiday is crucial. We include 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 2 dinners. And of course, we cater to all dietary restrictions. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and others—just let us know. Our chefs are well-trained to prepare the best food you've ever had with local and organic ingredients.

  • Water

    Vidal Expeditions will provide you with water from the first lunch to the last breakfast. This water will be filtered, boiled, and cooled by our chef. You must bring your own water container, bottle, or camelback that can hold water for hiking for a few hours. We recommend a capacity of 2 liters.

WE NOT INCLUDED

  • Sleeping bag

    Every trekker along the Ausangate trek needs a proper sleeping bag, which has to be for -20°C or 2°F. We recommend you bring your own, but if you don’t want to bring your own or don’t have one, you can rent a sleeping bag from us.

  • Walking Sticks

    Hiking with trekking poles has its benefits. They protect your knees while you are hiking downhill, especially in remote areas where there are many ups and downs. Trekking poles also help you during the ascent with increased stability. If you don’t have a pair of trekking poles, you can rent them from our office.

  • First Breakfast

    We do not provide breakfast on the day of your departure. However, most hotels offer breakfast during your stay. In case your hotel does not provide breakfast, we will stop at a restaurant near Ocongate where you will be able to purchase breakfast.

  • Travel Insurance
  • We recommend buying travel insurance before leaving your country in case something happens during your visit to Peru.

  • Tips for our team
  • Tips are not included. Tipping the team is usual on any excursion to Ausangate, and although we pay good salaries to our entire team, tips are welcome as a token of your appreciation for the team's hard work.

  Recommendations
INFO

At Vidal Expeditions, we focus on making your trip an unforgettable experience, and we want to provide all the details you need to know before leaving your country and starting your life experience in Peru.

What you need to pack? Important
  • Passport
  • Valid, STUDENT CARD (if you booked as a student)
  • Immigration Card (given on the plane as you enter Peru)
  • Good daypack (the smaller, the better)
  • Water storage: Water reservoir like Camelback is encouraged - but enough for at least 2-3 liters.
  • Comfortable hiking boots (lightweight with good soles)
  • Trekking poles

FOR YOUR DUFFEL:

Horses will carry up to 7 kg of your personal items. This must include your sleeping bag and air mat (if you bring or rent one). From our perspective, these two items weigh 3 kg.

  • 2-3 wicking t-shirts
  • 2-3 hiking pants
  • 2-3 sets of undergarments.
  • 1 Fleece
  • 1 Warm, down jacket: gets very cold at night
  • 1 Rain jacket and pants
  • 1 sun hat
  • 1 wool hat
  • Bathers / swimsuit for the hot spring
  • Small towel
  • Headlamp: essential
  • Waterproof gloves
  • Comfortable shoes for camp or flip flops
  • Walking boots
  • Waterproof jacket/rain poncho

  • Battery Charger: There is no place to plug in while trekking!
    Large plastic bags: to help organize and keep clean from dirty.
    Sleeping bag: Recommend down bags for -10C at least

INSIDE YOUR DAYPACKS:

A daypack can be any size for hiking, but we always say the smaller, the better. If it is larger, try to make it as light as possible. Water: We supply clean water at each meal. You are responsible for your first morning's water only, as we won't have time to filter water until your first lunch.

  • Sun hat
  • Rain gear
  • Fleece
  • Camera
  • Music (iPhone)
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Toilet paper and small plastic bag for waste
  • Extra Money for Souvenirs, Drinks & Tips
  • Earplugs
  • Some snacks (Chocolate, fruits, energy bars, etc.)

TOILETRIES:

  • Sunscreen
  • Face moisturizer
  • Bug spray
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Wet wipes
  • Small towel
  • Toothbrush and paste
  • Toilet paper
  • Personal medication
  • First aid kit: band aids, moleskin, etc.
  Faqs
PREPARING FOR YOUR TREK

BOOKING SYSTEM

At Vidal Expeditions, we try to make the booking system as easy as possible for you. Once you decide to do this trek, we will send you a booking form where you need to complete all the required details that are important to book your tickets. We need a previous deposit of 50% per person. As soon as you pay it, we immediately book a spot for this tour. Once we are done with it, we will send you your invoice and a confirmation form that all the booking processes have been satisfactorily set up.

IS VIDAL EXPEDITIONS TEAM CONTACTING US BEFORE FLYING TO PERU?

Yes, our work policy is to be in contact with our customers as long as necessary to inform them of all the details and changes that could occur after they have confirmed the reservation. Please check your email constantly, and if you have any issues, let us know so we can solve them as soon as possible.

WHERE TO STAY IN CUSCO?

Cusco is a big city enough to find different categories of hotels from 2 stars to 5 stars also there are Airbnb places where you can stay without any problem. Cusco streets are narrow especially near to the main square and some streets are pedestrian with some stairs, we will send you a notify for the pick up if is not possible the access with our car and arrange another place to pick you up and drop off also a night before your tour you will meet with your tour guide who will tell you all the details about the tour. In case you want some recommendations please ask to Vidal Expeditions sales team.

ALONG THE TREK IS THERE ELECTRICITY ALONG THE TREK?

Not because this trek is located in a remote place where there is no electricity. Some local villages located along the trek have solar panels, and your guide can talk with some of them in extreme cases to recharge your cellphone. We recommend that you bring your extra power bank for the days you are on the mountains.

HOW CHALLENGING IS THE TREK?

This trek is particularly challenging, especially for people who do not have experience hiking in the mountains. We recommend training with some exercises a few times per week to avoid problems, and it is also recommended to spend some days in Cusco to acclimatize to the altitude because part of the segments along this trek are located over 4000 m/13123 ft.

WHAT HAPPEN IF I GOT ALTITUDE SICKNESS?

No worries, our guide and team are professional, and they know how to solve any issue during your trek. Your guide will have a first aid kit all the time with some medications for these, and there will also be an extra emergency horse to take you to the best place where you can recover. Our team always has a radio, and they are trained for any emergencies that happen during our tours.

DO YOU NEED HIKING BOOTS?

Definitely, it is always recommended to wear light hiking boots if possible. Ones with ankle support are extra helpful, especially for the inexperienced hiker. Because you will be climbing down so many steps created by the Incas and crossing some rivers, especially on day 2, some of them are slippery, now uneven, and at varying heights. The extra support helps prevent twisting your ankles.

SHOULD I USE WALKING STICKS?

Yes. Walking sticks are always helpful to trekkers, especially if it is raining along the trek. Using walking sticks can help take the pressure off your knees while doing some portions of the trek. Plus, they will help you get up the mountain as well.

WHERE DO I STORE MY LUGGAGE?

In case you have extra luggage that you do not need to bring to the trail, all the hotels in Cusco have storage where you can leave your luggage completely free. If you change hotels after the trek, we have storage available in the Vidal Expeditions office. Get more information from our office team.

WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT AS FAR AS WEATHER

The weather in Cusco and parts of the Andes is unpredictable, even if the weather forecast says it’s sunny. We can’t trust it. It is an impossible question for us to answer. Historically, April through September is the dry season; November through February is the rainy season; and March and October are bridge months—a mixture of both. But the clouds have not followed these rules in the last few years. Prepare for sun and rain, no matter when you come. As far as temperatures go, that is consistent throughout the year. Mornings and evenings are always cold. Make sure to bring a fleece jacket for the mornings and a down jacket for the evenings. Once the sun is up, you should be comfortable hiking in short sleeves. Long pants (for yoga or hiking) are encouraged to protect against the mosquitoes, which can be a nuisance in some parts of the trail.

  Pricing

From: USD 360.00 per person

USD 320.00: from 4 people to more

Additional Items
* Additional single tent: $15USD
*Sleeping bag -15°C / 5°F for the entire trip: $20USD

  Enquire Now

Thank you for your interest in having an adventure travel experience in Peru curated by Vidal Expeditions. Please take a moment to complete our short form, so one our friendly Adventure Consultants could provide you all the information for your trip of a lifetime in Peru.

Our Pledge |  Your privacy is respected and protected. Vidal Expeditions will never share, sell, or make public any of your personal contact information to third parties.

Personal Details

Trip Details

Ausangate 3 Days / 2 Nights
14 years and above
Below 14 years
7 + 3 =
Vidal Expeditions Contact

Feel free to reach us via email at vidalexpeditions@gmail.com or by calling us directly at +51 951 359 694

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Saturday: 09:00 to 13:00 Hrs.

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3 Days / 2 Nights
Ausangate Trek

Price from $ 360 USD Per Person

Group Size Up to 8 People

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WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT?


At Vidal Expeditions we offer the best service for all our customers and here is what makes us different than others.

  • Small groups: Along our excursion group size is a capped at 8 people. This guarantees that you will enjoy every step of our excursion

  • Hotel: During our excursion to Machu Picchu, we offer a 3 stars hotel stay for the last night. This ensures you are well rested and ready to explore Machu Picchu.

  • Bus to Machu Picchu: To enjoy Machu Picchu, we provide a round trip ticket on the bus from Aguas Calientes to the main entrance of the archaeological site.

  • Local Tour guides: Our team consists of 100% local tour guides, who have expert knowledge in our ancient culture.

  • Best Camping Equipment: We have the state-of-the-art camping equipment for our excursion. The equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before and after every excursion.

  • Best Trekking team: At Vidal Expeditions we focus to create the best experience during our excursions. Our team that consists of tour guides, cooks, porters, horse drivers are handpicked. We train our team to offer you the best service. We take care of our team by providing them with good equipment and paying them fairly.

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