Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain on this 4-day hike through one of the most timeless and wild regions of Peru.
Every sunrise brings a new hike to conquer and a new natural wonder to behold. See the towering 20,956-foot summit of Ausangate. Gaze at the incredibly towering peaks of the glaciers as they plummet thousands of feet from the edge of the mountain range.
An adventure hike designed for a gentler and more leisurely walk in the remote location of the Vilcanota Mountain Range (Ausangate Trail). This hike takes us truly off the beaten path, from the most iconic snow-capped mountains of the Cordillera del Vilcanota and Rainbow Mountain, also called Vinicunca, to the best trails of the uncrowded Ausangate trail.
Visitors have come from all over to see Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain since it became an established landmark just a few years ago. The classic features of the reddish hills, unique Andean fauna, thundering waterfalls and stunning glacial landscapes are highly revered by adventurers and naturalists alike. This hike provides the opportunity to explore the famous Vilcanota Valley from end to end.
You will walk through an exquisite environment of glistening glacial lakes, colorful hills, herds of llamas and alpacas, waterfalls and the dazzling peaks and glaciers of Ausangate at 20,956 feet. At the end of each exciting day, you will be welcomed to our exclusive campsites in spectacular settings, each with spacious private tents, dining tents, bathroom tents and delicious cuisine prepared by an experienced staff. Your final reward is an exploration of the ethereal Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain, a stunning natural formation of colorful hills: Ausangate Trek 4 days.
We will pick you up at 04:30 am at your hotel and we will go by private van for about 2 hours to Tinki where we will get off to stretch our legs and take the opportunity to visit the Tiki town where we will see people still dressing. their typical clothing. We then drive for about 1 hour on dusty and bumpy roads. Once we arrive at the start of our hike, we will have our delicious breakfast and then meet our riders.
We will begin the hike from Upispampa through many remote villages with many stream crossings until we reach the small town of Upis. The trail is almost flat with some ups and downs. We will walk for approximately 3 hours until we reach our camp.
Here we have our private camp where you will spend the night. Our cook will prepare a delicious lunch. After enjoying our meal, he has the option of walking to Lake Upis, which takes 2 hours round trip. The trail to this beautiful lake is flat for about 40 minutes and the last 20 minutes are a gradual climb. Once we return from the lake we will have our dinner at the end we will go out to enjoy the first starry night, you will remember it.
We will wake up with a hot coca tea in our tents, then we will have enough time to organize our things and then have breakfast, after having a nutritious breakfast.
We will begin walking along a winding trail to reach the First Arapa Pass (15,748 feet), once at this pass, we will enjoy the impressive Andean views in all directions.
We will then continue walking downhill for 1 hour and 30 minutes and arrive at our lunch spot located in a stunning location, right next to the Yana Qocha glacial lake with the backdrop of the stunning snow-capped Ausangate Mountain.
After lunch, our hike continues for 2 hours across the high plateau to the second camp of Puka Qocha (15,420 feet) located near Ausangate Mountain and the glacial lakes where the ice body crashes into the lakes. At night, the sky will give us a clear view to take incredible photographs of the Milky Way.
A nutritious breakfast prepares us for today’s hike, we will begin walking along a steep zigzag trail until we reach the second pass located at an altitude of 16,404 feet, from this point we will begin to see snow-capped mountains going in different directions and highlands. red valleys with red hills.
Our trek continues downhill to the valley part, then we will walk upwards to reach the next lunch spot called Ananta 15,092 feet, located in a mountainous valley with stunning views around.
After lunch, we will continue walking uphill for 2 hours to reach the next pass called Warmisaya at 16,404 feet from this place, we can see the Rainbow Mountain at a greater distance and the views are still very impressive.
The last stretch is downhill for 30 minutes to reach the third camp located at Surinicocha 15,354 feet.
Prepare for an extraordinary day as we embark on a trail that offers stunning views of Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley. Our trip begins with a 1 hour and 30 minute hike from our campsite, which takes us to our first destination, Rainbow Mountain. Once we arrive, we will have plenty of time to fully immerse ourselves in the beauty of this extraordinary place.
After contemplating the splendor of Rainbow Mountain, we will continue our walk towards the Red Valley, a captivating and unmissable place. This valley has stunning views showing pale reddish valleys, mountains and hills, transporting you to a different world. Upon reaching the viewpoint, we will have enough time to enjoy the impressive landscape.
As our adventure comes to an end, we will descend for approximately 30 minutes, reaching the end of the trail. Here we will say goodbye to our muleteers and cook, thanking them for their help throughout the journey. Finally, we will board our transportation back to the city of Cusco, reflecting on the unforgettable experiences and picturesque landscapes we encountered along the way.
We want to make your trip to Peru as memorable and easy as possible. In this section you will find quick answers to all those questions you had about Ausangate trek 4 days to rainbow mountain in one place. Please read the following information carefully; will help you with any questions about our services.
All briefings take place at your hotel at 6:30 p.m., one night before the tour begins. If you cannot attend, you must coordinate another schedule at the (Peru Travel Luxury) offices. These meetings last approximately 30 to 45 minutes and there they will give you a small canvas bag, in which you will store all the belongings that you intend to take on the walk and that will not be in your backpack.
You will receive a canvas case or duffle bag during the briefing. The muleteers will carry them along the road and deliver them to you when you arrive at each camp. They measure 66 cm / 2 feet long x 36 cm / 1 foot wide.
A maximum of 8 kg is allowed per canvas bag, in which you can put your clothes or personal items that you need to do this hike.
The trek has to be paid for in full by at least 7.30 pm two days before departure. For example, if your tour departs on a Wednesday, then you must come to our office before 7.30 pm on Monday.
It would be much appreciated if you pay the trek balance in cash US dollars or local currency. You can withdraw some money from several ATMs along Avenida Sol (either in US dollars or local Peruvian Soles). You can pay by credit card or PAYPAL online, but you will have to pay an 8% service charge, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. We do not accept bank checks or payment of the balance by traveler’s checks.
Of course! During the travel, your main luggage can be stored at our office(you can organize briefing day or by email) or at your hotel, both free of charge.
Any equipment that you are not going to need on the trek can be stored safely in your hotel. Nearly every hotel will provide this service. Don’t leave items of value with your bags, put them in the hotel safe and obtain an itemized receipt (In the unlikely case of theft many insurance companies require that you have a copy of the receipt itemizing all the items). Best put items such as credit cards inside a sealed, signed envelope for extra peace of mind.
Peru Travel Luxury company can pick you up from your hotel, as long as it’s in the Historic Center of Cusco. The pickup time will be coordinated with your guide in the briefing. The pickup time may vary between 30 and 45 minutes due to traffic. Cusco is a very old city, therefore, it has many narrow cobbled streets. Some hotels and Airbnbs may be located on streets without access to cars or on long, steep slopes, making it difficult to transport luggage. We strongly recommend that you book accommodation with good access.
Group tours are made up of different types of people. Physical conditions and ages can vary. By agreeing to be part of a group tour, you also accept that some people may be faster or slower than you. Therefore, each person can go at their own pace on the route. It may be the case that a group wishes to modify the tour; however, it will be the guide who decides, after consulting with all the participants, if said modifications can be made.
Strikes and demonstrations are usually frequent in Peru and this may interrupt some of our tours. Roads can be blocked and train tracks can be taken over. However, we will try to keep your excursion as planned, even if it means leaving the night before the scheduled date. Under these circumstances, tours may also be cancelled. In case of changes or cancellations, all situations will be coordinated with you by our operations department. Your safety is our highest priority and our decisions will be made to protect it.
You’re responsible for your objects during the tour. Please pay attention to where you leave your things and remember to take everything once you leave our trucks, tents, or restaurants.
Our four-day trek with Peru Trek was absolutely perfect!
The hike was absolutely spectacular – we managed to climb to around 5200 meters above sea level to see several beautiful lakes with different shades of blue. Jhon, our guide, spoke excellent English and told us a lot about the mountain, but also about the local culture and history. We really enjoyed the trip with him.
And he would recommend it anytime.