Day 1: Cusco – Ocongate – Tinqui – Upis
The first day of the Ausangate Trek 5 Days begins with hotel pickup in Cusco at 6:00 a.m. followed by a 3-hour drive to the community of Tinqui, passing beautiful Andean landscapes and traditional villages along the way. After a short stop, we continue to Upispampa where we will have breakfast and meet our horsemen team. From here, we begin the hike to Upis campsite, walking through remote Andean communities, crossing small streams, and seeing alpacas and llamas along the route.
The hike is mostly gradual and takes about 3 hours to reach our campsite in Upis, where we will spend the night in comfortable mountain cabins with views of Ausangate Mountain. After lunch, you will have the option to hike to Upis Lake, a beautiful glacial lake located near the Ausangate glacier. In the afternoon, we will enjoy tea time, dinner, and an incredible starry night in the Andes.
- Hiking distance: 8 km / 4.9 miles
- Hiking time: Approximately 3 hours
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Campsite altitude: 4,432 m / 14,540 ft
- Accommodation: Cabins
Day 2: Upis – Puca Cocha – Ananta
The second day of the Ausangate Trek 5 Days starts early with coca tea or coffee before breakfast. We then begin a steady climb to Arapa Pass at around 4,950 meters above sea level, where we will enjoy incredible views of snow-capped mountains, Andean valleys, and herds of alpacas. After crossing the pass, we descend toward the Puca Cocha area where we will have lunch surrounded by colorful lakes and hanging glaciers.
In the afternoon, we continue hiking uphill to Puca Cocha Pass, one of the highest points of the day, and then descend for a couple of hours to our campsite in Ananta, where we will spend the night in mountain cabins. Along the way, we will see glacial lakes, rivers, alpacas, llamas, and local shepherds living in the mountains. This is one of the most scenic days of the Ausangate circuit trek.
- Hiking distance: 14 km / 8.68 miles
- Hiking time: 8 – 9 hours
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Campsite altitude: 4,700 m / 15,400 ft
- Accommodation: Mountain cabins
Day 3: Ananta – Rainbow Mountain – Alqatari
The third day of the Ausangate Trek 5 Days starts very early with coca tea before breakfast. We begin hiking uphill toward Surini Pass at over 5,000 meters, where we will enjoy incredible views of colorful mountains and the Vilcanota mountain range. From this point, we descend toward the Rainbow Mountain area, passing high altitude lakes and unique Andean landscapes.
We arrive at the famous Rainbow Mountain early in the morning before the crowds arrive, allowing us to enjoy the incredible scenery with fewer people around. After exploring and taking photos, we continue descending for about two hours to Alqatari, where we will have lunch and spend the night in mountain lodges surrounded by Andean communities, alpacas, and llamas.
- Hiking distance: 16 km / 9.9 miles
- Hiking time: Approximately 7 hours
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Campsite altitude: 4,420 m / 14,500 ft
- Accommodation: Mountain lodge
Day 4: Alqatari – Palomani Pass – Quinsacocha – Surapampa
The fourth day of the Ausangate Trek 5 Days is one of the most challenging and spectacular days of the trek. After breakfast, we begin the ascent to Palomani Pass, the highest point of the entire trek at over 5,100 meters above sea level. From the top, we will enjoy breathtaking views of Andean valleys, glaciers, and the majestic Ausangate Mountain, considered sacred by local communities.
Along the trail, we will see colorful lakes, glacial rivers, alpacas, llamas, and sometimes vizcachas among the rocks. After lunch in the Huchuy Phinaya area, we continue hiking through high mountain landscapes until we reach our campsite in Surapampa, where we will spend the night surrounded by mountains and Andean nature.
- Hiking distance: 14 km / 8.69 miles
- Hiking time: 7 – 8 hours
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Highest point: 5,099 m / 16,729 ft
- Campsite altitude: 4,591 m / 15,062 ft
- Accommodation: Camping
Day 5: Jampa – Pacchanta – Cusco
The final day of the Ausangate Trek 5 Days begins with an uphill hike to the last mountain pass, where we will enjoy incredible views of glaciers and the famous Ausangate 7 Lakes. After crossing the pass, we descend toward Pacchanta, a small Andean village known for its natural hot springs and beautiful mountain scenery.
In Pacchanta, we will enjoy our final lunch prepared by our trekking team. After the hike, you will have the opportunity to relax in the hot springs, which is the perfect way to finish this five-day trekking adventure. Later, we say goodbye to our horsemen and return by private transportation to Cusco, arriving at your hotel in the afternoon.
- Hiking distance: 17 km / 10.5 miles
- Hiking time: 7 – 8 hours
- Difficulty: Challenging
- Highest point: 5,050 m / 16,568 ft
