Ausangate Trek 7 Days / 6 Nights | Colorful Lagoons, 5,200 m Passes & Hot Springs

Ausangate Trek 7 Days / 6 Nights | Colorful Lagoons, 5,200 m Passes & Hot Springs

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Ausangate Trek 7 Days / 6 Nights | Colorful Lagoons, 5,200 m Passes & Hot Springs

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Itinerary

Take on a high-mountain expedition with the 7-day / 6-night Ausangate Trek, an unforgettable journey through the Vilcanota Range featuring turquoise and red-toned lagoons, glaciers, high passes above 5,200 m, and authentic encounters with Andean communities devoted to alpaca and llama herding. Starting in Tinqui, you’ll hike to Upis and its hot springs, cross Arapa Pass (4,800 m), and conquer the challenging Palomani Pass above 5,200 m, with views of peaks rising beyond 5,000 m. The route continues through the Jampa Valley and lakes such as Ticllacocha and Qomercocha/Qomercancha, ending in Pacchanta where the hot springs offer the perfect reward with Ausangate as a dramatic backdrop. With a cook, muleteers, horses and llamas for gear transport, and full camping support, this trek is ideal for travelers seeking extreme scenery, living culture and star-filled nights on the Andean puna.

Half day
Local guide: English & Spanish

Depart Cusco very early at 6:00 a.m. by private transport to Tinqui, traveling through the Huatanay River valley and enjoying classic Andean scenery—small towns, farmland and everyday rural life. Make a short stop in Ocongate to stretch, take photos and see local commerce, then continue to Tinqui, a key starting point for high-altitude treks. Set up camp, rest and acclimatize while the team prepares meals using local products. The night is perfect to recover and enjoy the quiet atmosphere of Quispicanchi.
Meals: Lunch, afternoon tea, dinner. Overnight: Camping in Tinqui.

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.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner. Overnight: Camping in Upis.

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.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner. Overnight: Camping at Pucacocha.

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.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner. Overnight: Camping in Chilcapinaya.

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.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner. Overnight: Camping in Pachaspata.

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.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner. Overnight: Camping in Pacchanta.

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.
Meals: Breakfast.

What’s included?

Hotel briefing

Private transport Cusco – Tinqui

Bilingual guide (Spanish/English)

Cook and muleteers

Horses and llamas for load carrying and passenger gear

Meals during the trek (6 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 6 afternoon teas, 6 dinners)

Saddle horses (support)

Full camping equipment: personal tents, dining tent, kitchen tent, toilet tent, sleeping mats, tables, chairs, full kitchenware, first aid kit and oxygen tank

Entrance fees to lagoons along the route

First aid support

01 support horse and porter (as listed)

Permanent assistance

What’s not included?

Suggestions for your trip

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Before$ 1524

Half

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$ 1385

Price by group
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Book with as little as $200 USD
International standard warranty
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We have answers to all your questions

We know how important it is for you to be well informed before your trip. Here you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions we receive from our travelers. If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to contact us. We are here to help you plan the adventure of your dreams!

The highest point is Palomani Pass, listed at over 5,200 m (Day 4).

Yes—you have time to enjoy hot springs in Upis and Pacchanta, according to the program.

Yes—the tour includes entrance fees to lagoons along the route, as stated.

The trek includes a cook, muleteers, horses and llamas for carrying gear, plus full camping equipment and a first-aid kit with oxygen.

A sleeping bag and trekking poles are not included (rentals available), plus personal expenses, insurance and tips.

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Ausangate Trek 7 Days / 6 Nights | Colorful Lagoons, 5,200 m Passes & Hot Springs