Ausangate Trek 7 days to Machu Picchu, together with Rainbow Mountains, is the ultimate and absolute program that we have for you to immerse yourself more in the real experience with more free time to explore and explore the great Andean landscape, enjoying the unhurried trek. Embrace all the famous beauty of the Ausangate trek without any of the crowds on the way, and witness the great rainbow-colored mountain – a must-see! One of the most impressive places on earth with jagged peaks rising dramatically from the lake shore into the sky, the colored hills and conquest of Machu Picchu traverse very remote communities and allow hikers to learn more about Inca history.
Hike to enjoy verdant highland views and close encounters with rare Andean vicuñas, alpacas, llamas and birds, witness snow-capped mountains, glacial peaks, glistening lakes, glacial erratic rocks, the great rainbow-colored mountain (Vinicunca).
Get ready for a mind-blowing experience as you explore this part of Cusco to Machu Picchu with the fabulous Peru Trek family!.
We pick you up from your hotel at 4:30 am. To leave the city of Cusco, then we will have three and a half hours of travel to reach the town of Upis, on the way we will see picturesque towns, and we will stop for a couple of times to enjoy the landscapes, once we arrive in Upis, starting point of the walk located at (4,350 m/14,272 ft). We will meet with our local muleteers and horses, where we will have breakfast and prepare to start the great adventure of the Ausangate trek to Machu Picchu 7 days.
We will walk gradually uphill for approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes following the high valley inhabited by llamas and alpacas along a wonderful prelude to the magnificent landscape of the Vilcanota Mountain Range, with excellent views of the Ausangate mountain as a backdrop to reach the place. From lunch, called Pamparapa located at (4,600 m / 15,092 ft).
After lunch, we will hike for approximately three and a half more hours until we reach the first camp, called Yana Qocha, located at (4,650 m/15,256 ft). From the lunch spot, the first 2 hours are uphill to reach the first pass called the Arapa pass (4,800 m/ 15,748 ft), at this point, we will be impressed by the breathtaking views of the eroded mountains and highland valleys. Then we will walk downhill for 1 hour and 30 minutes to reach the camp, called Yanacocha, a place with amazing views around the Ausangate mountain.
We will wake you up with a cup of coffee or hot coca tea and let you enjoy the stunning sunrise in this secluded spot. After breakfast, we start hiking on a gently sloping path (up and down), towards a glacial blue valley, lakes and waterfalls.
This section of the Ausangate trail is one of the most picturesque, running along the impressive Ausangate Mountain (6384 m/20,945 ft), the highest mountain in Cusco. After a 1 hour and a half walk bordering these beautiful and colorful glacial mountain lakes that dazzle in the region, called Uchuy PuKa Qocha. Marvel at its waterfalls and continue to Jatun PuKa Qocha (“big red lake”), then we will start hiking on a zigzag trail to the Puka Qocha Pass (5000mt/16,404ft).
At the top of the pass, we will have a beautiful view of the Ausangante mountain and the lagoons below, formed by a melting glacier. In front of us, we will have an extraordinary viewpoint to look down and see the snow-capped mountains that go in different directions and the red valleys of the altiplano with colored mountains and a virgin landscape. We will then take advantage of some great photo opportunities and begin our descent into the valley, walking close to some freely grazing llamas and alpacas.
We will then climb up to reach our lunch spot called Ananta (15,092 ft), located in a high valley with amazing views all around and some llamas grazing nearby.
After lunch, we continue to hike uphill for 2 hours to reach Warmisaya Pass (5,000 m / 16,404 ft), from this pass, we will be able to see Rainbow Mountain at a further distance and the views are still very impressive. After witnessing the views and taking some pictures, we will walk the last 30-45 minutes downhill to reach the second camp located at Qomer Qocha (4680 m / 15,354 ft).
This morning, the time to get up will be very early to go explore the painted hill or Vinicunca “Rainbow Mountain Peru”, to beat the big crowds and explore in solitude and take pictures.
We only take what we need. The sky is usually clear and full of stars. The hiking trail is uphill for approximately 1 and 30 minutes before reaching the famous Rainbow Mountain (5,050 m / 16,568 ft). When we arrive at the epic Rainbow Mountain, we will enjoy incredible views of Cerro Pintado or Vinicunca, also called Montaña de 7 Colores, in the Vilcanota mountain range and receive information from your tour guide about why these mountains are unique.
After exploring for about 45 minutes (depending on your walking speed and weather conditions), we return to our camp by the same path we took, along the way we will have the chance to see some farmers still using llamas as in the Inca time. Once we arrive at the camp, we will have time to rest and enjoy the delicious lunch.
In the afternoon, we will walk for 3 hours to the third camp, called Ausangate Qocha (4,700 m / 15,420 ft) following the path through the foot of the colored mountains. Afterward, we will arrive at the camp where we will enjoy afternoon tea before being served an amazing dinner.
Today we will also wake up early, as always with a cup of coke, after another wonderful breakfast, we start another challenging and rewarding day.
We will start with an uphill hike for 3 hours along the shores of the Ausangate Qocha lagoon and the glacial moraine, next to Mount Ausangate (6,384 m/20,945 ft) to the highest point of the trek, Paso Palomani (5,130 m/ 16,831 ft). Where, we will enjoy wide views of all the peaks of the Cordillera Vilcanota, and we will take a look at the huge mountain and some other colored hills that are still nearby.
Then we will descend to reach the part of the valley, where we will have lunch, at the end of the afternoon we will walk for another 2 hours to the next Sorapampa camp located at an altitude of (4,700 m / 15,420 ft). Where at night we will have tea time, later dinner and rest from a long journey of the Ausangate trek 7 days to Machupicchu.
This will be the last day when we are going to climb one more mountain, as every day we are going to have a nutritious breakfast to continue our Ausangate trek to Machu Picchu.
We leave the camp at 7:00 am and start climbing up to the Jhampa pass (5,060 m/16,601 ft). At this pass, we will have incredible views of Los Tres Picos, amazing views of the glacier peaks right in front of us, and hopefully, we will be able to see some vicuñas and wild deer, and if we are very lucky, a condor.
Then we will gradually descend downhill between Ausangate Mountain and the two twin mountains for 2 hours to the last camp called Ninaparayoq (4700 m/15420 ft). Upon our arrival, we will have lunch and after that, the whole afternoon is to relax and see some lagoons that are part of the 7 lagoons tour circuit, in this last camp.
We will leave early again, waking up at 5:00 am to have another great day, after having breakfast we will walk downhill for 2 hours and 30 minutes to the town of Pacchanta, the endpoint of the Ausangate Trek, where we will have the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the hot springs (optional) and enjoy the last lunch prepared by our trekking cook.
Next, we leave the town of Pacchanta to drive for 4 hours until we reach the town of Ollantaytambo. We will drive through the true Sacred Valley of the Incas, following the Wilkamayu River to the west, along the narrow, flat and windy paved road between the river and the hills, where we will pass through the towns of Calca, Yucay and Urubamba before reaching Ollantaytambo. With several charming little towns scattered along the way.
Upon our arrival in this picturesque town, we will explore it walking through its typical and ancient Inca cobbled streets. Then in the afternoon, we will board the train to Aguas Calientes or Machu Picchu town (2,040 m / 6,693 ft), for 2 hours, where we will have dinner and spend the night in a hotel.
Today is the glorious day! Because we are going to conquer Machu Picchu, so we get up very early to have breakfast at the hotel, we go to the bus station to take the bus and drive for 30 minutes to the sanctuary, when we arrive we will go to Machu Picchu. “Even more sublime” will be the feeling in our hearts of having the Sacred City right in front of us, so we seal our feat with an epic picture with Machu Picchu in the background.
After the photography session, the tour will start, where our tour guide will be the main character for three hours about history, archeology and ancient architecture. Once the visit to Machu Picchu is over, you will have enough time to explore the sacred city. Whether you have reserved a climb to Wayna Picchu, you will climb the mountain after or before the tour, it depends on the availability of spaces for that date, more information see the Wayna picchu option.
In the afternoon you should take the bus from the Inca city of Machu Picchu back to the town of Aguas Calientes (Machu Picchu town), then take the train back to the Ollantaytambo train station and/or the Poroy train station, where our transport will be waiting for you. To take you back to your hotel in Cusco.
I just completed this hike for 7 days/6 nights. A must if you like to hike and camp! The landscape is spectacular. I am from the states and have done a few hikes but this was next level. The altitude makes it challenging. Most of the hike is over 4500 my friend and I had mild altitude sickness. We had been above 3000m for several weeks so it was unexpected that we felt so tired and had headaches. We did the full circuit, including Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu. Our guide and the food was excellent.
I highly recommend this place for 7 days trek plus visit machu picchu, there are not so many tourists, incredible views, the highest place is almost 5200 m, but it is not that difficult a trek. I really appreciate that the tour company recommended this place, it is definitely worth a visit.
My family and I did the tough Ausangate trek including a visit to the Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu, they were very difficult days of trekking, always above 4000 meters of altitude, we did this trek in 7D/6N. Fortunately, we hired the services of peru trek, as our trekking operator. After doing some research, we contacted them. Who organized everything very well for us.
We booked this trek a few months in advance and the booking process was very easy and simple, we just filled out the booking form on the website and then made an initial payment via paypal. Peru Trek was always serious, precise and kind, clarifying all our doubts.
