Ausangate trek is a long hike around the biggest mountain in southern Peru in Cuzco, the broad and majestic Ausangate (6384m), and offers glimpses of high altitude wildlife and pastoral people living with their animals, quietly apart from the turmoil of the modern world. We pass ice walls, a glacier, the cascades of a frozen river, and numerous springs of hot and medicinal underground water. The mountaineer will also find lovely views over the surrounding countryside, looking down into fertile valleys and across to the Vilcanota mountains. These snow covered ranges are away to the east, the southeast, then the south, protecting the valley of Canchis. From these high mountains, cold waters whisper through totora swamps south to Lake Titicaca. Eager rapids plunge north into the tropical Inambari. And from the glacier-fed lakes of the Canchis valley, rich green waters feed the Vilcanota River and Sacred Valley in Cuzco. We may observe rare Andean wildlife in the high wilderness, such as vicuña, vizcacha, condors, flamingos, Andean geese, and ibises.

DAY 1 : CUSCO-TINQUI
We take the bus for 100 km to the southeast from Cuzco in the morning. The road passes north of Ausangate, and we leave the road a bit west of the mountain. We camp in Tinqui at 3,800. As we fall asleep the setting sun lights up the glacier on the NW face of Ausangate. (L,D)

DAY 2 : TINQUI-UPIS
We break camp and hike up to the Ausangate glacier. We set up camp alongside the Upis thermal springs, about 4 kilometers in the air. We bathe in the hot springs and the cold Upismayo which runs beside our camp. (B,L,D)

DAY 3 : UPIS-PUCACOCHA
We break camp and hike up to a pass at 4,500, which separates Ausangate proper to the east from a spur named Quellacocha to the west. In the afternoon we pass Lake Pucacocha, WSW of the summit and nestled among various minor peaks. The setting sun plays in cascades of coloured ice where we finally make camp. (B,L,D)

DAY 4 : PUCACOCHA-CHILCAPINAYA
We continue walking among high-altitude lakes in the valley immediately south of Ausangate, which are unnaturally green-blue. We rise to cross Palomani pass at 4,800 masl. This is the highest point on the journey. We don't pass between the massif and some spur, but rather rise to take advantage of a gentler slope high on the mountain´s side. Here we can see east over the large hand-shaped Lake Sivinacocha to the jagged, snowcapped Vilcanota Mountains which cradle this valley. We descend from the cold to camp at Chilcapinaya. (B,L,D)

DAY 5 : CHILCAPINAYA-PACHASPATA
We descend into the sunny Jampa valley, which is inhabited by shepherds and their flocks of alpaca and sheep. We lunch in the valley bottom, pass Lake Ticllacocha, then climb over a pass at 4,650 masl. Camp is at the small Lake Qomercocha if we make it, or at Pachaspata if dusk catches us there. (B,L,D)

DAY 6 : PACHASPATA-PACCHANTA
Breakfast. Step by step we descend, noticing the change in temperature as we get lower again. Once we arrive in the small village of Pacchanta we can rest and enjoy relaxing hot thermal springs before lunch. We will set up camp for the night nearby. (B,L,D)

DAY 7 : PACCHANTA-TIKI-CUSCO
Breakfast. Our last day is a short but enjoyable. We pass through increasingly inhabited valleys among the headwaters of the Paucartambo River on the north side of the mountain until the sunsets. After lunch we will board our bus back to Cusco, arriving late in the evening. (B,L)

INCLUDED
- Professional English/Spanish Speaking guide.
- Private Bus in-out to the begin of the trail (Cusco-Tinki, Tinki-Cusco)
- Transfers Round-trip
- Doubles Occupancies tents
- Camping Equipment: Bathroom tent, kitchen tent, dinning tent, stools, tables and Comfortable mattress.
- Cook.
- Muleteer.
- Horses and Mules to carry our equipment.
- Coffee breaks in the afternoons.
- All meals during the trek.
- First Aid kit .
- Oxygen.

RECOMENDATIONS
- Personal Sleeping Bag
- Back Pack and Day pack
- Hiking shoes
- Rain coat / poncho
- Water bottle, flash light, hat, sun block, sunglasses
- Warm/Termic clothes
- Bathing Suit.
- Chocolates, candies or other snacks
- Photo Camera + Films , Binoculars
 

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This information is current as of today,

    EDITION

    2012