Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain Trek 3 Days
Explore the Ausangate Trek and 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
- Packing List
- Faqs
- Pricing
- Enquire Now
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 LakesHiking 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
Have the first view of the imposing Ausangate Mountain, which stands as the highest peak in the entire Cusco region at 6,384 meters. -
Day02
Puca Qocha - Ausangate pass - Anantapata
Be amazed by the breathtaking views of the different lakes and the biggest glacier in the area. -
Day03
Anantapata - Warmisaya Pass - Rainbow Mountain - Cusco
Explore the iconic Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley of Peru before the large groups of the day tour arrive..
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.
Upis – Arapa pass – Ausangate Pass - Anantapata
Walking Distance: 13km / 8.4miles
Starting Elevation: 4200 meters / 13,779 feet
Highest Elevation: 4,980 meters / 16,338 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 (4,980 m/16,338 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).
Anantapata – Warmisaya – Rainbow Mountain - Red Valley - Cusco
Walking Distance: 13km / 7.4miles
Starting Elevation: 4,570 meters / 14,993 feet
Highest Elevation: 5,036 meters / 16,522 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.
At Vidal Expeditions, we are transparent and provide specific details of what is included and excluded in our Ausangate Trek to Rainbiow Mountain 3 Day. 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
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.
Rainbow Mountain Entrance
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
Tips for our team
Rainbow Mountain entrance ticket is not included, it cost S/20 soles that you can pay directly there.
We recommend buying travel insurance before leaving your country in case something happens during your visit to Peru.
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.
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.
PREPARING FOR YOUR TREK
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.
Hiking in Ausangate Mountain is quite challenging, especially the elevation, which easily gets over 5,000 meters. If you are planning to hike this Ausangate Trek, we recommend preparing very well in advance.
The overaltitude of this trek will vary, and it can start at 4,200 meters and reach 5,100 meters easily. Taking a few days before departing for the trek will help you to avoid any complications during your hike.
Every hotels in Cusco have free storage where you can leave your luggag even even if you change hotels after the trek. Otherway we also have free storage available in the Vidal Expeditions office. Get more information from our office team.
Actually, some campsites have some basic cabins that are used as toilets; however, our team will bring a portable toilet that can be set up in each campsite, and as with the lunch spots, you need to bring toilet paper and keep it with you.
Yes, our plan is to reach this iconic Rainbow Mountain as early as possible, in that way we will avoid the crowd of the large group, and we will also have the opportunity to see the incredible sunrise.
Yes, after the first lunch, our team will boil the stream water and provide you with your water container. You must keep a 2-liter-sized water container.
Of course, it is a natural thermal bath and has some properties that are good for your skin.
Of course! The Red Valley hike is optional for everyone whow wats to explore this fantastic valley, your guide will ask you about this extra hike after the Rainbow Mountain tour, however the entrance fee is not included which is 20 soles per person.
Definitely, we will have an emergency horse during our Ausangte Trek; this can be riding during any emergency situation and when you require it.
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.
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.
From: USD 340.00 per person
USD 320.00: from 4 people to more
*Sleeping bag -15°C / 5°F for the entire trip: $20USD
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.
Feel free to reach us via email at vidalexpeditions@gmail.com or by calling us directly at +51 951 359 694
Monday - Friday:
09:00 to 18:00 Hrs.
Saturday:
09:00 to 13:00 Hrs.
Prolongacion Av. Grau L-8, Santiago - Cusco
3 Days / 2 Nights
Ausangate Trek
What's it like
Ausangate 3 Days / 2 Nights Map
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.
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Small groups: Along our excursion group size is a capped at 8 people. This guarantees that you will enjoy every step of our excursion
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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.
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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.
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Local Tour guides: Our team consists of 100% local tour guides, who have expert knowledge in our ancient culture.
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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.
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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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