Ausangate Trek — 7 Days

After breakfast, begin hiking from Tinqui at a gentle pace to support acclimatization. Walk across highland grasslands, rolling hills and small streams, spotting llamas, alpacas, and the herding life of local communities. As you advance, the Vilcanota snow peaks appear, with the imposing Ausangate dominating the horizon. After several hours you’ll reach Upis, near the hot springs. Enjoy free time to rest or soak in the warm pools—an excellent recovery experience. In the evening, share dinner under a clear sky ideal for stargazing.

After breakfast in Upis, hike uphill toward one of the most important passes of the route. The day feels moderate-to-challenging due to altitude, so you’ll keep a steady pace with breaks to hydrate and enjoy the views. Surrounded by glaciers, wide puna landscapes and peaks above 5,000 m, you may spot vizcachas and high-Andean birds. Reach Arapa Pass (4,800 m) for sweeping panoramas, then descend to Pucacocha Lagoon, known for its striking reddish-brown hues contrasting with glaciers and grasslands. Camp beside the lagoon, enjoy free time to explore, and finish with a warm dinner under the starry Andean sky.

After breakfast, begin a demanding day toward Palomani Pass, listed at over 5,200 m—one of the highest and most challenging points of the trek. The ascent runs between towering glaciers and snow peaks of the Vilcanota Range. At the top, take photos and admire the vast valley below—an unforgettable sense of achievement. Then descend to the campsite at Chilcapinaya, where you’ll rest and enjoy dinner in the quiet of high mountain surroundings.

After breakfast, continue through the Jampa Valley, seeing Andean communities wearing colorful traditional clothing and maintaining ancestral customs. Walk across grazing fields with alpacas, llamas and sheep. Climb the last pass (listed at 4,600 m) and stop at Ticllacocha Lagoon, where the water reflects sky and nearby peaks. Continue to the Pachaspata plain and camp beside Qomercocha/Qomercancha Lagoon, with time to explore and watch wildlife. End the day with a hot dinner and a brilliant star-filled sky.

After breakfast, descend toward Pacchanta with outstanding views of glaciers and mountains. On arrival, visit the famous hot springs—a well-earned reward to relax your muscles in warm pools with Ausangate as the backdrop. Set up camp nearby, enjoy lunch, free time and dinner, ending the day with a deep sense of wellbeing in the Andes.

After breakfast, hike the final stretch back down to Tinqui, enjoying once more the puna landscapes and rural life along the trail. In Tinqui, board private transport back to Cusco, arriving in the afternoon and concluding an unforgettable high-mountain experience of culture, nature and challenge.