Ausangate trek and Rainbow Mountain

5.0
(1 reviews) Cusco, Peru

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5 days (approximately)
Pickup offered
Offered in: German and 4 more

To the south-west of the city of Cusco lies the Vilcanota mountain range, the ultimate barrier between the Inca empire and the great Amazonian forests. 6,372m high Ausangate is the unmistakable lord of the massif. We travel from west to east, passing at the foot of its magnificent south face. At the end, the Vinicunca site and its rainbow of coloured rocks.

What's Included

Lunch (Optional[5])
Lunch
Dinner (Optional[4])
Dinner
Breakfast (Optional[4])
Breakfast
Bottled water
Alcoholic Beverages

Meeting and pickup

Pickup points
You can choose a pickup location at checkout (multiple pickup locations are available).
OR
Meeting point
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Duration: 5 days (approximately)
    Day 1

    Day 01 Cusco – Tinki – Upis

    1 stop
  • 1

    Departure by private bus for the south-east of the city. Stop in the town of Urcos. This is the capital of the Vilcanota Cordillera province. Our route takes us up to the Pilluyo pass, from where we can already appreciate the “Apu Ausangate”, guardian of the city of Cusco and all the villages in the region. We reach Ocongate and continue on to Tinqui (3900m). We meet our team of muleteers (“arrieros”). Start of our adventure. Camp opposite Ausangate (6378m) in the village of Upis (4380m). Possibility of bathing in hot springs.

    8 hours • Admission ticket free
    • Day 2

    Day 02 Upis – Pucacocha (4575m)

    1 stop
  • 2

    We make our way slowly down the valley before starting to climb along a scree slope bordering the moraine lake at the foot of the glacier. In this rocky chaos, we can observe viscaches playing between the stones or basking in the sun. The climb continues up to the first pass (4730m). Battered by the winds, the relief of this pass takes on the appearance of sand dunes overlooking both sides of the valley. We descend to a series of lakes until we reach Pucacoccha, where we stop for the night.

    8 hours • Admission ticket free
    • Day 3

    Day 03 Pucacocha - Camp. Vinicunca (4555m)

    1 stop
  • 3
    Vinicunca Mountain

    We leave the camp and climb slowly towards the pass (4940m). From here we have an extraordinary view of the Ausangate, which lies at our backs. We return to the valley for lunch before crossing a second pass (4980m). Before us lies the Vinicunca valley. Everywhere here, the slopes take on shades of red and ochre, due to the strong presence of iron oxide in the rock of the massif. We make our way peacefully back down to camp further down the valley. If you're feeling brave, you can head up to the Vinicunca pass for a sunset photo opportunity.

    8 hours • Admission ticket included
    • Day 4

    Day 04 - Camp. Vinicunca – Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain 4965m) – Punku Wiri (4655m)

    1 stop
  • 4
    Vinicunca Mountain

    We leave the camp for the Vinicunca pass. Here, the clay strata produce a magnificent rainbow at the top of the mountain, giving it an unreal appearance as the colors, ranging from off-white to crimson, blend together in a skilful process (rainbow). We cross over to the other side of the mountain and follow a line of ridges overlooking large valleys with equally colorful slopes, where, if we're lucky, we'll catch a glimpse of many vicuñas. Lunch awaits us at Anta Grande. After lunch, we continue for a few more kilometers to reach our camp at Punku Wiri.

    8 hours • Admission ticket included
    • Day 5

    Day 05 Punku Wiri (3660m) – Cusco (3350m)

    1 stop
  • 5

    After a short climb, we spend the day descending the great mineral valley of Punku Wiri, where our vehicle is waiting to take us back to Cusco.

    5 hours • Admission ticket free

Additional info

  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for pregnant travelers
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
Supplied by Terres des Incas

Tags

Hiking Tours
Multi-day Tours
Bus Tours
Private and Luxury
Walking Tours
Nature Walks
Adventure Tours
DSA non-compliant
Zombie
Short term availability

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel at least 6 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel between 2 and 6 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.
If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.

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Rating

5.0 Based on 1 1 review
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