Ausangate Trek 6 Days

We leave Cusco about 09.00 for the 7-hour bus ride to the small village of Tinqui. We pass through beautiful countryside and several traditional villages including Urcos, Cattca and Ocangate, where we will have the opportunity to stop for a while and take some photos. We spend the first night in a small hostal in Tinqui.

We’ll set off on the trek at about 09.00. The first 3 hours, until lunch, will be a great introduction to the magnificent scenery of the Cordillera Vilcanota, with great views of the Ausangate mountain. After lunch it is only another 2 hours trek until we reach the hot springs at Urpis which offer fantastic views of Ausangate at the end of the valley. This is, naturally, a great place to camp for the night.

During the 3 hours trek in the morning we will hike the first pass, the Arapa pass (4,850m). From this pass we continue 3½ hours down the valley until we reach the turquoise Lake Jatun Puqa Q’ocha passing the green lake of Puqa Q’ocha on the way. We will set up camp here. From campsite you can climb the small ridge north of the camp to see Lake Vino Q’ocha The views of Ausangate are particularly close up and spectacular. Camping beside Jatun Puqa Q’ocha you may find that you are kept awake at night by the sound of dramatic ice falls into the lake, but do not worry itis quite safe.

In the morning we ascend the second pass of Apuchata (4,900m) with the turquoise Laguna Ausangate Q’ocha below. This lake is fed from the melting snow of Ausangate. From the lake we ascend to the Palomani pass (5,200m); the highest point of the trek. From the pass we follow the trail into the valley where we’ll rest and have lunch. Another hour of trekking brings us to our campsite at Pampacancha.

During the morning we’ll see the snowy peaks of Tres Picos and Puca Punta. We will continue east through the broad green valley of Pampa Jutunpata and up the Rio Q’ampa valley. After passing through the small community of Q’ampa we will North west to the last pass of this hike, the Q’ampa pass (5100m). We will see several different colored lakes, the final lake being Q’oma Q’ocha. We will camp beside this beautiful green turquoise lake.

We’ll have an easy days trekking for only about 2½ hours, until we arrive at the small village of Pacchanta. You will have the opportunity to rest, relax in the hot thermal springs for a couple of hours, and even have a well-deserved beer! It’s a 3 hours trek back to Tinqui where we’ll say goodbye to our arrieros (horsemen) and take the bus back to Cusco, arriving at about 18.00. You’ll have just enough time to have a hot shower and a meal.