Ausangate Trek & Rainbow Mountain Tour - Cusco Tours

Explore the most remote mountains, lakes, villages of the Ausangate trek, and hike along with llamas and alpacas to the fantastic Rainbow Mountain. Finish the tour exploring the Lost City of the Incas Machu Picchu.

Overview

The Ausangate Trek is considered one of the most stunning and remote hikes in Peru. This majestic natural reserve is full of natural beauty, with crystal clear blue lakes, vicuñas, llamas, alpacas, vizcachas, and condors. Get close to the 20,921 feet Ausangate mountain, the highest peak in the Cusco region. On the final part of this incredible TreXperience, you’ll arrive at Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu.

Highlights:

Book with Confidence and Flexibility
Get off the beaten path and explore remote mountains.
Visit the spectacular glaciers and alpine lakes.
Bath in the natural hot springs at Upis
Visit the Rainbow Mountain, Red Valley, and Machu Picchu
Support our Social projects while traveling with us

Price per person: USD$ 780

To book the Ausangate & Machu Picchu Trek, you need to make an initial payment of 200.USD per person, the remaining balance can be paid online, in installments, or Cusco with any credit card at no booking fees at all.

Day by day summary of the Ausangate Trek

Day 1: Cusco – Tinki – Upis – Hot Springs.- Pick up from your hotel in Cusco at 5:00 am and drive to the town of Tinki (3776 m / 12388 ft), where the Ausangate Trek starts. After breakfast, hike for 6 hours to the campsite near the thermal baths of Upis (4408 m / 14458 ft).

Day 2: Upis Village – Pucacocha Lake – Ananta.- After breakfast, hike to Lake Pucacocha (4561 m / 14963 ft), located at the base of Mount Ausangate. During the day, you’ll pass two mountain passes and incredible views.

Day 3: Ananta – Rainbow Mountain – Aguas Calientes.- The most crucial day of the trek, you will visit the Rainbow mountain (50020 m /16433 ft) and Red Valley, then travel by van and train to Aguas Calientes.

Day 3: Machu Picchu – Cusco.- Visit Machu Picchu early in the morning and enjoy the sunrise. In the afternoon board the train back to Cusco.

Included

Pre- Departure briefing
Pick up from your hotel on the morning of the trek.
All Transportation from the beginning to the end
Duffle bags for your personal stuff up to 8 kilos
Four men Eureka tents for each two trekkers
Sleeping foam mattress, pillows, hot water bags, warm blankets
Comfortable camping equipment
Portable toilet and showers
Professional local tour guide
All meals during the trek
First-aid kit, oxygen tank, satellite phones
Emergency horse in case you struggle
Trekking chef, porter, and horsemen
Horses to carry food and equipment
Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and others on request
Boiled water every day on the trek
Warm water hand washing every day
Entrance tickets to the Ausangate trail and Rainbow Mountain
All Taxes included

Not included

Sleeping bags, air mattress, trekking poles (Can be hired from us)
Dinner on the last day
Travel insurance (highly recomended)
Gratuities (Optional)

Important to know before booking the Ausangate Trek

Minimum 2 people required per booking

Covid-19 measures to keep you safe during traveling

Temperature checks for all travelers are mandatory.
Face masks as are necessary for travelers and staff in public areas
Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff at all times
High traffic places and equipment are sanitized regularly between use.
Maximum eight people per group to reduce crowds
Transportation and touristic sites capacity will be reduced to 50%
Printed material such as maps or vouchers will be avoided.
100% online payments with no booking fees at all
Flexible bookings during COVID – 19 outbreak

Full Itinerary

Day 1: Cusco – Tinki – Upis– Hot springs

We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at 4.30 am and drive for 3 towards the community of Tinki – arriving around 8:00 am. After enjoying a delicious breakfast, we will start your Ausangate Trek with a 4-hour uphill trek to our lunch spot at Ausangate Mountain base – the highest peak in the Cusco region at 20 926 ft. After lunch, we will continue for two additional hours downhill to the community of UPIS – located at 14458 ft. Tonight we will be camping close to the medicinal hot springs. Take time to relax and enjoy the warm waters in the chilly weather of the mountains in the afternoon.

Distance: 13 km / 8 m
Elevation: 14,458 ft
Hiking time: 6h
Meals: Breakfast, snack, lunch, tea time, dinner
Accommodation: Camping

Day 2: Upis – Pucacocha – Ananta

We will wake you up with a hot cup of coca tea or coffee in your tent, and provide you with a delicious breakfast. The hike starts with a gentle climb until we arrive to Pucacocha lake, where we will enjoy lunch at the banks of the beautiful lake. Along the way, you will enjoy the amazing views of the mountains, herds of llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and the local farmers.

After lunch, we will hike for 2-hours to Alpaca Pass 4989 m (16,567 feet). After enjoying the amazing views of the Ausangate Mountain trek you will descend for 1 more hour to the campsite at Ananta, where we will be surrounded by mountains! this campsite is lovely with stunning views of the lake and astonishing sunsets. If you are lucky enough to camp on a clear night, this is the perfect place to stargaze!

Distance: 12 km /7.5 miles
Elevation: 4,300 m / 14,100 ft
Hiking time: 8 hours
Meals: Breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Camping

Day 3: Ananta – Rainbow Mountain – Aguas Calientes

After an early breakfast, the trek begins with a 3-hour ascent to Vinicunca mountain (16,466 ft / 5,020 m). Along the way, we will observe llamas and alpacas, traditional houses, and breathtaking landscapes of Ausangate Mountain (6398m/20991ft). Rainbow Mountain (or Vinicunca) is located in the Southern Region of Cusco. This spectacular place will impress even the most demanding of hikers. The high altitude allows for some of the most incredible views in the region, and here you feel completely separated from modern civilization. Rainbow mountain is considered one of the most beautiful one-day hikes in the world. Upon reaching the summit and taking some time to explore and enjoy this extraordinary place, we will start descending again. After lunch, we will board the van in a 4 hours drive to Ollanataytambo where we take the 7 p.m train to Aguas Calientes, where we spend the night in a hotel

Highest elevation: 5,020 m / 16,466 feet
Distance: 3.7 miles ascent (6 km) / 2 miles descent (3 km)
Approximate duration: 3-hour ascent / 2-hour descent
Level of difficulty: Moderate

Day 5: Machu Picchu (Lost City of the Incas)

On the last day, we have to get up very early and get ready to experience to the fullest Machu Picchu. We will go straight to the queue and wait for the first buses to Machu Picchu at 5:30 am. As the sky brightens, we will enjoy incredible views of the city along the way.

On a clear day, you can watch the spectacular sunrise over Machu Picchu; this is indeed an unforgettable sight. Your guide will take you on a 2 to 3-hour comprehensive tour of the city before leaving you to Machu Picchu to explore on your own or climb Huayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain (tickets must be booked in advance if possible). Your guide will explain how to take the bus from Machu Picchu back to Aguas Calientes for lunch (not included) and then return to Cusco by train and bus. The TreXperience team will meet you in the train and return you safely to your hotel.