Ausangate Trek 5 Days

Five days at high altitude. The Ausangate Trek takes you far beyond the usual Cusco circuit, circling one of Peru’s great sacred mountains through turquoise lakes, glacial valleys, remote villages, and hot springs. I like the small-group format, capped at 10 people, and the fact that a cook, horse driver, and guide travel with you. I also like the strong cultural element, from an Apu Ausangate ceremony to a local family’s food and weaving traditions. The main catch is altitude: you camp as high as 4,630 meters and cross a 5,200-meter pass, so this is not a casual walk.

The $660 price covers private transport from Cusco, camping equipment, horses for carrying equipment, four breakfasts, four dinners, and five lunches. That is solid value for a five-day mountain trip, especially when you consider the remote setting and full camp support. Still, you need to bring or rent a sleeping bag, pay the 20-sol entrance fee, and arrive ready for cold nights, long climbs, and basic high-altitude camping.

Key points before you book

• Apu Ausangate reaches its toughest point at 5,200 meters: Palomani Pass is the highest crossing of the trip and demands slow, steady walking.
• Turquoise lakes appear day after day: Puqa Q’ocha, Jatun Puqa Q’ocha, and Ausangate Qocha give the trek much of its color and drama.
• Upis and Pacchanta provide hot-spring relief: These warm pools are especially welcome after hours in cold, thin mountain air.
• A small crew makes camp life easier: A guide, cook, assistant cook, and horse driver help carry gear, prepare meals, and manage camp.
• The route feels far from Cusco: One of the great pleasures is seeing few other groups and spending time in remote Andean country.
• The cultural stops are part of the point: Ceremonies, local food, and weaving help connect the scenery with the people who live here.

Why Ausangate feels different from the classic Cusco treks

Ausangate is a mountain trek first, not a ruins trek. You will not spend the route moving between famous stone sites or crowded viewpoints. Instead, the focus is on the great bulk of Ausangate, glacial water, high passes, alpaca country, and communities that still live close to the rhythms of the mountains.

I like that this route gives you space. The quiet is part of the experience. One day may bring a turquoise lake and a huge wall of ice, while the next gives you a new angle on Ausangate and a long valley with almost no sign of city life. The sense of being far away is one of the trip’s strongest rewards.

The tradeoff is simple: remote scenery requires hard walking. The camps are all above 4,200 meters, and three days involve roughly six to eight hours of hiking. You should have a moderate fitness level, but fitness alone does not solve altitude problems. A slow pace, patience, warm clothing, and sensible acclimatization matter just as much.

Day 1: Cusco to Rondoca, then Upis hot springs

Your guide meets you in Cusco at 5:00 a.m. for the drive to Tinke. This early start gets you out toward the trailhead, but it also means you need to be organized the night before. At Tinke, you can buy last-minute items and have breakfast before continuing to Rondoca.

Rondoca is where you meet the rest of the support team, including the cook and horse driver. From there, you hike for about two hours to the lunch stop. The route already brings views of Apu Ausangate, so you get an immediate sense of the mountain’s scale before the harder days begin.

After lunch, you continue toward Upis. The day covers about 8 kilometers, with three to four hours of hiking and an elevation gain from roughly 3,800 to 4,200 meters. This is a relatively gentle opening compared with the rest of the route, but altitude can make even a short walk feel serious.

The reward is Upis, where you can soak in hot springs with a cup of coca tea. That is a smart first-night feature. Your legs get some relief, and the warm water gives you a calm place to adjust to the altitude before dinner.

Your first camp is at about 4,200 meters, or 13,780 feet. Expect cold conditions after dark. The camp staff carry the equipment by horse, which means you do not need to haul the full load yourself, but you still need a warm sleeping system and clothing suited to mountain nights.

Day 2: Arapa Pass and the blue lakes of Ausangate

Day two is when the route becomes demanding. The crew wakes you with hot coca tea, followed by breakfast, then you climb to Arapa Pass at 4,850 meters. The ascent is tough because of the height, so forget about racing to the top. I would treat this as a breathing and pacing day.

From Arapa Pass, you descend for about two and a half hours through the valley. Along the way, you pass Puqa Q’ocha, described as a green lake, before reaching the turquoise Jatun Puqa Q’ocha. The contrast between the lake colors and the dark mountain slopes is one of the visual highlights of the trek.

Lunch is served beside Jatun Puqa Q’ocha, with Ausangate in view. This is the kind of stop that makes a packed lunch feel like a proper mountain meal. You have time to explore the area and take photographs, though keep an eye on the schedule because the second pass still lies ahead.

The climb to Apacheta Pass reaches about 4,980 meters. Below it, a turquoise lagoon collects meltwater from Ausangate. After enjoying the view, you descend for about an hour to Ausangate Qocha, where you camp.

The day covers around 12 kilometers and takes about seven hours of hiking, with elevations ranging from roughly 4,200 to 4,930 meters, then down to the camp around 4,630 meters. It is a long day, and the high camp means you should not expect the evening to feel warm or easy.

This is also where the quality of the support team matters. A warm meal, a properly organized tent, and gear moved by horse are not small comforts at this altitude. The trip has received especially strong praise for the food, with the camp kitchen producing varied meals three times a day despite the remote setting.

Day 3: Palomani Pass at 5,200 meters

Day three brings the trek’s highest point: Palomani Pass at 5,200 meters, or about 17,060 feet. The climb takes around two hours from camp, but the number on the elevation sign tells only part of the story. At this height, every step can feel slow, and you need to accept the pace rather than fight it.

At the pass, the guide leads a ceremony for Apu Ausangate. In Andean tradition, mountain peaks are treated as powerful beings, or apus. This moment gives the route more meaning than a simple climb to a viewpoint. You are not only looking at Ausangate, you are being introduced to the mountain as a spiritual presence in local culture.

After the pass, you descend for about an hour to Uchuy Phinaya for lunch. The descent should feel easier on your breathing, though steep downhill walking can be hard on your knees. During the afternoon, you continue for a couple more hours to the next camp.

The day totals about 13 kilometers and six to seven hours of hiking. Elevation ranges from approximately 4,600 meters to 5,200 meters, then down to about 4,300 meters. Camp is listed at around 4,500 meters, or 14,763 feet.

This is probably the day that determines how much you enjoy the trip. If you manage the altitude well, the high pass and ceremony can be the emotional center of the trek. If you struggle with altitude, it may feel like a long test. Good guides are important here. Guides such as Guillermo and Urbano, also called Chino, have been praised for pacing, encouragement, mountain knowledge, and their ability to explain local customs and wildlife.

Day 4: Glacial lakes, Pacchanta Valley, and a hot soak

Day four is shorter, at about six hours and 15 kilometers, but you still cross one pass and remain in high country. The route takes you past deep blue lagoons and glacial lakes with striking colors. The scenery keeps changing, and Ausangate appears from another angle.

The itinerary even allows for a cold swim if you are brave. I would call this optional rather than essential. In a warm, sunny moment it may be fun, but mountain weather can turn quickly, and you still have walking ahead. The hot springs at Pacchanta are the better reward.

As you approach Pacchanta Valley, the mountain views continue, now paired with the chance to soak in warm water. After several nights above 4,000 meters, this is more than a scenic stop. It is a practical way to loosen tired muscles and enjoy the final mountain views without a backpack on your shoulders.

The camp elevation is given as about 4,300 meters, descending from the previous high country. Since the itinerary centers on Pacchanta’s hot springs, confirm the exact overnight arrangement and timing with Vidal Expeditions before departure. The supplied details clearly place you in the Pacchanta area, but they do not spell out every camp detail for this night.

Day 5: Local food, weaving, and the return to Cusco

The final morning begins with breakfast and a cultural visit with a local family. You take part in a ceremony, learn about local food, hear about traditions, and see weaving techniques. This is a useful way to finish because it shifts your attention from the physical challenge of the trek to the people who live in this part of Peru.

I especially like this ending. Mountain tours can sometimes treat local culture as background scenery. Here, the final stop gives you a direct connection with everyday practices and family traditions. It also helps explain why the high valleys are more than pretty places on a route map.

Afterward, you take a bus back to Cusco, with about three hours listed for the day. The exact arrival time is not provided, so avoid booking a tight onward connection or an important evening plan.

Meals, equipment, and the value of $660

At $660 per person, this is not a budget day hike, but the price makes more sense once you consider what is included. You receive camping equipment, horses to carry equipment, five lunches, four dinners, and four breakfasts. Private transport from Cusco is also part of the planned service.

The horse support is a major practical benefit. You can hike with a lighter personal pack while the team moves the main camping load. That lets you focus on the route, though you should still carry your water, warm layers, rain protection, snacks if desired, and personal items for the day.

Food is one of the most praised parts of the experience. The camp cooks, including Benigno and assistant cook Euden, have been credited with serving plentiful, varied meals in difficult conditions. That matters at altitude, where eating enough can be a challenge and a hot dinner can lift the mood after a hard pass.

The price does not include a sleeping bag. You also pay a 20-sol entrance fee. Ask Vidal Expeditions exactly what camping equipment is supplied and what you need to bring, especially because nights can be extremely cold. One experienced mountain walker specifically advised taking the warmest mountain gear you can manage.

The people who shape the experience

The guide is central to this trip. Guillermo has been praised for explaining local culture, wildlife, and mountain life, while Urbano, known as Chino, has been praised for encouragement, route knowledge, and taking excellent photographs. Guide assignments can change, so treat those names as examples of the team rather than a guaranteed roster.

The crew also includes the cook, assistant cook, and horse driver. Angel has been singled out for caring for equipment, helping with tents, and handling the camp work alongside the cook. In a remote trek, these jobs make a real difference. You may remember the lakes, but you will also remember the people who put up camp and produce a hot meal in freezing conditions.

The maximum group size is 10, though smaller departures can happen. A small party makes it easier to hear the guide, ask questions, keep a steady pace, and enjoy the quiet. It can also make the experience feel more personal than a large commercial trek.

Who should book this Ausangate Trek?

I would choose this trek if you want dramatic mountain scenery, few other groups, and a strong connection to Andean culture. It suits people who are comfortable with long days, basic camping, cold nights, and high passes.

It is a good fit if you value support on the trail. The horses, cook, private transport, and small group remove some of the logistical burden. You still do the walking, but you do not need to organize every camp detail yourself.

I would think twice if you have no experience with strenuous hiking or have not allowed time to adjust to altitude in Peru. The 5,200-meter pass is serious, and the high camps can be cold. Moderate fitness is required, but the itinerary does not promise an easy introduction to high-altitude trekking.

The tour is recommended by 100 percent of the 74 ratings shown, with a 5 out of 5 score. That strong record matches the most consistent praise: excellent guides, very good organization, generous food, capable camp support, and scenery that feels remote.

Should you book it?

Book this Ausangate Trek if you want Peru beyond the famous postcard stops and you are ready for genuine high-altitude walking. The strongest reasons are the quiet route, repeated turquoise lakes, Apu Ausangate ceremony, hot springs, local family visit, and excellent meal and camp support.

Skip it if cold nights, six to eight-hour hiking days, and a 5,200-meter pass sound like too much. If you do book, bring serious warm clothing, arrange a sleeping bag, and give yourself enough time to prepare for the altitude. For a well-supported trek into some of Peru’s most dramatic mountain country, $660 offers good value.

FAQ

How long is the Ausangate Trek?

The trek lasts approximately five days, including the return by bus to Cusco on day five.

What time does the tour begin?

Your guide meets you in Cusco at 5:00 a.m. on the first day.

What is the highest point on the trek?

Palomani Pass is the highest point, at about 5,200 meters, or 17,060 feet.

Are meals included?

Yes. The tour includes five lunches, four dinners, and four breakfasts.

Is a sleeping bag included?

No. A sleeping bag is not included, so you need to bring or arrange one separately.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted for a refund. If poor weather or an insufficient number of participants causes cancellation, you are offered another date or a full refund.