The Peaks of Ausangate

Tour Type

Adventure
Climb
Trek

Peru

Overview

The Peaks of Ausangate – A Peru Adventure

The Peaks of Ausangate – An incredible 6 day trek & climb Peru adventure in the Cordillera Vilcanota, on a route known as the “Camino del Apu Ausangate”. The “Apu” is the bearer of life and guardian of one of the most pristine mountain ecosystems in the world.

A stunning and diverse route showing you a part of Peru that is largely untouched by tourism. Communities here continue to live traditionally and without many of the modern utilities that are in use today. Collecting you early from Cusco taking private transport; to meet up with our arrieros and mules at the start point. They will accompany us for the duration of the trek and climb expedition.

Following a short trek for 3 days; through the Vilcanota, you’ll then undertake a climb route of the Nevado Qampa.

Nevado Qampa (Jampa, also spelled Campa), is the easiest; and one of the most popular mountains in Cusco and may be climbed without experience in mountaineering. It requires a glacier hike and sometimes a small rock climbing pass depending on the season. Once at the summit it offers an incredible panoramic view; that reaches to Salkantay over 200km in a north western direction.

Highlights
Trek in the stunning Cordillera Vilcanota, surrounded by nevados (Ausangate, Callangate), lagunas, alpacas & vicuñas
Camp in traditional communities and experience local traditions
Climb the world famous ‘Rainbow Mountain’ and take your own IG photos!
Ice climb the Nevado Qampa and summit a 5,500m peak
Relax in the hot baths of Pacchanta

The Peaks of Ausangate – A Peru Adventure

Following a short trek for 3 days; through the Vilcanota, you’ll then undertake a climb route of the Nevado Qampa.

Included
Breakfast x 5
Lunch x 6
Dinner x 5
Private Transport – collection & drop-off
Professional bilingual guide
Cook
Muleteer & Mules
All camping equipment (Sleeping bags to hire + Walking sticks)

Not Included
International Airfare
Hotels before & after (can be organised as part of trip)
Tips for crew
Any additional extras
Domestic flights (can be organised as part of trip)
Crampons, Ice Axe, Harness, Helmet (can be hired as part of trip)
Machu Picchu Extension – Entrance Tickets, Transport & Guide (can be organised as part of trip)

Joining Arrangements	There will be a pre-trek briefing held usually the evening before departure, at your hotel, to go over the details of the trek and any specific requirements not already captured.
Food & Water	Prior to setting off we recommend you steer clear of street food and only eat in good restaurants, to avoid any stomach complaints. Likewise with tap water, it is largely untreated, please only consume bottled water only or sterilised water if you have the right equipment.
Special Diets	We’ll ensure that we cater for all of your dietary needs, at the point of booking we’ll collect this information from you. We can secure special menu requests also for your trek party.
Trekking Crew	We are able to customise our treks to suit you, but usually our treks are guided by a professional bilingual guide, mountain cook, arriero (horseman) and mules to carry all equipment (passenger horses also available on request). They become a large part of your trekking expedition and it’s a great experience working together.
Acclimatisation	This is a really important part of your trip planning process, please find a link below which explains a little more about preparing for altitude. Altitude Preparation
Preparation	Attached below are a couple of links which will explain how to prepare for your trip & trek in advance of your arrival. We recommend being prepared in advance to save time & stress whilst you’re in Peru. Trip Planning \| Trek Planning
Machu Picchu	An excursion to Machu Picchu can be included as part of your trip, including professional bilingual guide, entrance tickets, return trip bus tickets, Huayna Picchu & Machu Picchu Mountains (mountain climbs to be confirmed on reservation) & your return train ticket to Cusco. To be confirmed on reservation.
Covid-19 (Coronavirus)	We are working with the latest protocols issued by the Ministerio de Salud (Ministry of Health) to ensure our operations are safe and compliant for the future. We also have access to on-call health services for your time with us.
Covid-19 (Useful Links)	World Health Organisation \| World Health Organisation – Peru \| Covid-19 Data – Peru \| Covid-19 Daily Statistics
Available Discounts	Throughout 2022 we’re offering a 15% discount for each member of a group larger than 4+
Reservation	Please contact us to reserve your trek and we will send you our deposit & payment options.
Customer Service	Please feel free to contact us at any point before your trip for any queries or problems.

Details

Itinerary

Early in the morning, you'll leave Cusco to begin this Peru adventure. On a bus ride along the Vilcanota River Valley, and on to the town of Checacupe. After a visit to its Colonial Church of the Immaculate Conception, you'll start ascending the Pitumarca Valley, through the spectacular Japura Gorge that leads to Chillca. You'll start the trek near the Ausangate Community, from there you'll see the south face of the sacred Ausangate Mountain, continuing towards the red sandstone formations of the "Nevado del Inca".

Accommodation: Camping Anantapata
Maximum Altitude: 4750 masl / 15580 fasl
Approximate Walking Time: 3 hours
Approximate Driving time: 4 hours

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, you take the trail to another mountain pass. Dropping down, you'll hike by Lake Kayrawiri, surrounded by rugged mountain peaks and the great valley below. Striations of color are imbedded in the hillsides. Then you'll go on to Cerro Laya Grande via the massive glacier del Inca, and the most striking colors in the sediments of Yauricunca. This area is called ‘montana arcoiris’ by the locals, and often referred to as ‘Rainbow Mountain’ by visitors, the spectacular colours make for amazing photography. Lunch here in this unique landscape. On our way, we see hundreds of Andean geese nesting in the cliffs of Anta, and the flatiron formations of Apu Labrayani near Huampococha Tambo, where you'll spend the night at the Camino del Apu Ausangate.

Accommodation: Camping Huampococha
Maximum Altitude: 4980 masl / 16388 fasl
Approximate Walking Time: 7 hours

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a last climb over the Anta pass, we will gradually make our descent. In this section the first crops and houses come into view. The landscape changes quickly as the red sandstone formations are followed by the carsten erosion of limestone, forming a one of a kind stone forest, and a perfect habitat for “vizcacha” (members of the chinchilla family). By the time we get down the valley, you'll continue to head towards Pacchanta.

Maximum Altitude: 4900 masl / 16100 fasl
Approximate Walking Time: 4 hours
Approximate Driving time: 3 hours

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In Pacchanta, the following day we meet the muleteers and cook of the expedition, after lunch we start the hike 4 hours to the base camp, with impressive views of the main snowcapped Cusco region such as: Ausangate (6384 masl), Cayangate (6110 masl) and others, always accompanied by llamas and alpacas. Already in the base camp the personal high mountain equipment (harnesses, crampons, ice axes, helmets, leggings, gloves) will be delivered, the high mountain guide will teach you the correct way of using the equipment, how to act on a glacier and have them ready for promotion.

Dinner is at 6pm, then everyone can rest.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leaving at 3am you’ll have a light breakfast, it is necessary to attack a mountain at dawn. You’ll leave the base camp and in 2 hours of ascent by moraine arriving at the glacier, where we prepare ourselves with the mountain equipment to enter the glacier. Within about 3 hours on the glacier you’ll reach the summit of the Qampa mountain which is 5,500 meters above sea level. Taking half an hour on the summit to rest and enjoy the high Andean landscapes, surrounded by much of the snowy mountains of the Cordillera Vilcanota. The descent to the base camp will take a further 3 hrs, where lunch will be taken and you’ll have the whole afternoon free to rest after an intense day.

A special dinner will be prepared ready for 6 pm.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leaving at 9am for Pacchanta after breakfast, arriving at Pacchanta in about 3 hours where there’ll be the option to enter the thermal baths and buy handicrafts from Pacchanta and then have lunch and return to the City of Cusco where by around 6pm you’ll be dropped to your hotels, and you can spend the evening relaxing and recalling a great route!