Ausangate Rainbow Trek and Machu Picchu Package 9 Days 8 Nights

Ausangate Rainbow Trek and Machu Picchu Package 9 Days 8 Nights

The EXTENDED AUSANGATE – RAINBOW TREK & MACHU PICCHU PACKAGE is our most epic adventure!

Enjoy stunning views of snow-capped mountains, glaciers, lakes, wildlife, and the amazing Vinicunca Rainbow Mountains, all ending with a tour of Machu Picchu. You’ll see the highest peak (Ausangate 6,385 m/20,948 ft) in the Cusco region. This adventurous trek is approximately 100 km/62 mi and goes up to 5,400 m/17,716 ft. Ausangate is an excellent and quiet/remote trekking circuit offering stunning features such as spectacular mountain scenery, snow-capped peaks, hot springs, turquoise lakes, glaciers, herds of llamas, alpacas, and wild vicuña, picturesque villages, and traditionally dressed Quechua people.

Prices in USD: 6-10 trekkers: 1600, 3-5 trekkers: 1850, 2 trekkers: 2000 (per person)

Itinerary

Day 1: CUSCO – TINQUI VILLAGE – UPIS (camping at hot springs)

Pass By: Ausangate, Cusco 08002 Peru
Early transfer from your hotel in Cusco with 6:00 am departure. We drive for 4 hours on a new highway to Tinqui, passing Urcos Pass (4,000 m/13,123 ft) along the way. Tinqui is a village on the high plains “altiplano” east from Cusco and is where we will start our trek. We follow a wide, gently ascending path toward the northwest face of the impressive Ausangate mountain. We will have a small lunch around noon by the side of the trail. We will continue walking through fields and by scattered stone farm houses, and later in the day we will begin to see llamas and alpacas. We ascend gently to the Upis pass (4,435 m/14,107 ft) and camp at Upis Hot Springs (4,250 m/13,779 ft) where we will be surrounded by snow capped mountains (Ausangate and Maria Huamantilla).There are thermal springs at Upis where we can enjoy a soak at the end of the day. Happy hour at 4:00pm and dinner at 6:00pm. Walking distance approximately 16 km/9.9 miles (6 hour acclimatizing hike).

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Light box breakfast prior to hiking
• Lunch: Hot, buffet lunch with hot drinks and boiled/purified water
• Dinner: Hot, buffet dinner with hot drinks and boiled/purified water
Accommodation included: Overnight in 3 person, 4 season Mountain Hardwear Tent (2 people per tent). Can upgrade to private tent with a fee

Day 2: UPIS – ARAPA PASS – PUCACCOCHA

Pass By: Ausangate, Cusco 08002 Peru
After an early breakfast we begin our second day of the hike. You will hike very close to the Ausangate Glacier Peak and will have incredible views of this mountain as well as beautiful lakes and waterfalls. We may see some llamas, alpacas and wild vicuñas (the undomesticated ancestor of the alpaca) and perhaps a rare condor soaring above. We will have a 3-hour uphill hike to reach the first pass (4800m/15,748ft) where you will have magnificent views of the surrounding area. After taking a few amazing pictures we continue hiking gradually downhill for another 1.5 hours to our beautiful lunch spot. After lunch we hike for another 2.5 hours to arrive at our campsite at Puca Cocha (Red Lake). This spot is one of the most beautiful campsites located at the skirt of the Ausangate peak and at the bank of the lake. Approximate walking distance: 12km/7.5 miles (7-8 hours). Campsite elevation: 4300m/14,100ft

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Hot buffet breakfast with hot drinks and boiled/purified water
• Lunch: Hot buffet lunch with hot drinks and boiled/purified water
• Dinner: Hot buffet dinner with hot drinks and boiled/purified water
Accommodation included: Overnight in a 3 person, 4 season Mountain Hardwear Tent (2 people per tent but can upgrade to a private tent with fee)

Day 3: PUCACCOCHA – PUCA PASS – ANANTAPATA – WARMISAYA – YANACOCHA (Sunset hike to Rainbow Mountain Pass)

Pass By: Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain, Cordillera Vilcanota, Cercado de Lima 08225, Peru
Wake up early with a hot cup of coca tea to start one of the most beautiful days of the trek, enjoying majestic views of some of the highest peaks in the Andes and depths of the beautiful valleys. This morning we will summit the Puca Pass. After an early breakfast we begin our 2-hour steep climb to the Puca Pass at (5050m/16,568ft). Along the way we have gorgeous views of turquoise lakes and the Ausangate glacier. Once you reach the summit of this mountain, you will be located right in front of the Ausangate Mountain and you can enjoy the views of Chillca Valley, with alpaca grazing along these hills. Also, from this pass you will see the beginning of the Rainbow Mountain range with their strikingly striated colors.

After taking some great pictures we continue gradually downhill for another 2 hours until we reach our lunch spot located at Anantapata 4400m/14,435ft with amazing views of green hills and snow-capped peaks.

After lunch and a little rest and relaxation, we will hike gradually uphill for 1.5 hours until we reach the the Warmisaya (aka Pitumarca) pass 5050m/16,568ft. After enjoying the views at the top we descend for 20 minutes to Yanacocha lake where we set up camp for the night.

After dropping our bags we take our gradual 1 hour sunset hike to the Rainbow Mountain Pass and watch as the sun sets over the stunning Rainbow Valley. Once we have finished enjoying the view, we hike 45 minutes back down to camp at Yanacocha to have happy hour (tea and snacks) followed by a hearty dinner.

Approximate walking distance: 17.7 km/11 miles (about 7.5-8 hours). Campsite elevation: 4400m/14,435ft

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Hot buffet breakfast with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

• Lunch: Hot buffet lunch with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

• Dinner: Hot buffet dinner with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

Accommodation included: Overnight in a 3 person, 4 season Mountain Hardwear Tent (2 people per tent but can upgrade to a private tent with fee)


Day 4: YANACOCHA – RAINBOW MOUNTAINS (sunrise hike) – QUESOUNO – AUSANGATECOCHA

Stop At: Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain, Cordillera Vilcanota, Cercado de Lima 08225, Peru
After a very early breakfast (5am) we hike 1 hour up to the Rainbow Mountains (Vinicunca Mountains or Montañas de Colores) again to see the beautiful Rainbow Valley at sunrise! Enjoy the view for an hour without the crowds as we are one of the first groups to arrive. Your guide will walk you to the best spots to get the perfect postcard pictures of these incredible mountains and the other surrounding peaks. Your guide will explain what makes these mountains so unique: they are composed of various minerals, which make different colors of stone striations. This is definitely one of the most stunning places in South America and one of the most beautiful natural attractions in Peru. There are Rainbow Mountains in only a few other locations in the world. After enjoying the sunrise view we hike downhill for approximately 3.5 hours until we reach Quesouno where we stop for lunch. After a hearty lunch and a well-deserved rest, we hike 2 hours uphill to Ausangatecocha (part of the Ausangate Trail). Along the way you will see beautiful mountain scenery, small streams, herds of llamas and alpacas and snow-capped peaks. At Ausangatecocha we camp by a beautiful dark blue/green lake for the night with views of the Ausangate Mountain.

Approximate walking distance: 16 km /9.95 miles (about 6.5 hours). Campsite elevation: 4300m/14,108ft.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Hot buffet breakfast with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

• Lunch: Hot buffet lunch with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

• Dinner: Hot buffet dinner with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

Accommodation included: Overnight in a 3 person, 4 season Mountain Hardwear Tent (2 people per tent but can upgrade to a private tent with fee)


Day 5: AUSANGATECOCHA – PALOMANI PASS – COMERCOCHA

Pass By: Ausangate, Cusco 08002 Peru
After breakfast we begin a steep climb for 2-3 hours on glacial moraine to the Palomani Pass (5,350m/17,552ft). From the pass there are extensive views of all the peaks in the Cordillera Vilcanota. We then descend for 2 hours on a steep trail into the Huchuy Finaya Valley where we will stop for lunch, surrounded by beautiful mountain views. From our lunch stop we will have a view of “Las Dos Gemelas” or the two twin mountains. After lunch we hike another 2 hours to our campsite, 45 minutes of which is a steep climb and the rest is a gradually uphill trail. Along the way you see streams and a small waterfall, chinchillas, llamas, alpacas, and snow-capped mountains (the three peaks). We camp tonight at Comercocha 4400m/14,435ft.

Approximate walking distance 16 km/ 9.9 mi (7-8 hour hike). Campsite elevation: 4400m/14,435ft.

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Hot buffet breakfast with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

• Lunch: Hot buffet lunch with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

• Dinner: Hot buffet dinner with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

Accommodation included: Overnight in a 3 person, 4 season Mountain Hardwear Tent (2 people per tent but can upgrade to a private tent with fee)


Day 6: COMERCOCHA – PAMPACANCHA – QAMPA – PACCHANTA (Hot Springs)

Stop At: Aguas Termales Pacchanta, Quispicanchi Province, 08170, Peru
After some hot coca tea and a good breakfast we hike for 1 hour on a varied path through the Pampacancha Valley 4,300 m/14,107 ft where you will see wide open spaces and lots of llamas and alpacas. Once we pass through this valley we begin climbing up to the highest point of the trek, the Qampa Pass (5,400 m/17,716 ft) for 2 hours. At this pass we have incredible views of The Three Peaks, the Pacchanta Valley, and will hopefully get a glimpse of some wild vicuña and deer, and if we are really lucky, a condor. We then descend gradually through the Pacchanta Valley, walking between Ausangate Mountain and the Two Twin Mountains for 3 hours until we get to our campsite at Pacchanta (4200m/13,780ft). Along the way we see glacial moraines, beautiful lakes, and snow- capped peaks. This campsite is near the Pacchanta hot springs where you can take a well-deserved soak with stunning views of the Ausangate Mountain if you wish to (entrance fee 10 soles).

Approximate walking distance: 15 km/ 9.3 mi (6 hour hike). Campsite Elevation: 4200m/13,780ft.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Hot buffet breakfast with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

• Lunch: Hot buffet lunch with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

• Dinner: Hot buffet dinner with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

Accommodation included: Overnight in a 3 person, 4 season Mountain Hardwear Tent (2 people per tent but can upgrade to a private tent with fee)


Day 7: PACCHANTA – TINQUI – CUSCO

Pass By: Ausangate, Cusco 08002 Peru
After a good breakfast we begin hiking on a wide dirt trail (village road) for 3-4 hours until we reach the small town of Tinqui (3600m/11,811ft). Along the way you will see a lot of local people, farms, farm animals and many children will come running up to greet you. Please do not give them sweets as they do not have access to dental care, but you are welcome to share other items with them (fruit, pencils, etc). At Tinqui we enjoy a nice lunch, after which we take our private transport back to your hotel in Cusco (arriving around 4pm) – about a 2.5 hour drive that provides nice views of the Andes, passing some traditional villages along the way. Tonight we’ll enjoy a celebration dinner together in Cusco!

Approximate walking distance 9 km/5.6 mi (3-4 hour hike, 2.5 hour drive).

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Hot buffet breakfast with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

• Lunch: Hot buffet lunch with hot drinks and boiled/purified water

• Dinner: Dinner at a Cusco restaurant
Accommodation included: Overnight at a Cusco hotel in a shared double room (can request single room for a fee)

Day 8: CUSCO – MARAS – MORAY – SALINERAS – AGUAS CALIENTES

Stop At: Moray, Maras 08655 Peru
After breakfast at our hotel we take our private transport to Maras Village (3,300m/10,827ft). Maras is a beautiful little colonial town, still boasting some colonial architecture. You can see amazing facades made of thin stone, and lintels with sculptures in bas-relief. After exploring Maras we continue driving to Moray ruins located at (3,450m/11,319ft). Moray Ruins consist of circular agricultural terraces at high altitude with a complex system of irrigation. These terraces served as a natural green house to grow an extraordinary variety of crops that would normally only thrive in tropical climates. It has also been suggested that they had a cosmological meaning. After exploring the terraces we continue to Salineras, which consists of 3,000 small pools, roughly 5 square meters (53.8 ft²). Every three days, during the dry season, workers fill the pools with salt water that comes from local natural springs. When the water evaporates from the pool the salt is left for collection. This process is carried out over a one month period until the pools reach an approximate volume of solid salt that is 10 centimeters (4 inches) in height. The salt is ground up, treated with iodine, and packaged and sent to the various markets in the region. After exploring the salt mines of Salineras we take our private transport to Ollantaytambo where we catch the train to Aguas Calientes. Once in Aguas Calientes we check into our comfortable hotel to freshen up before dinner. You can soak in the local hot springs before or after dinner if you wish. Tomorrow we get up early to see the incredible Machu Picchu!
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast at your hotel
• Dinner: Dinner at a restaurant in Aguas Calientes
Accommodation included: Overnight at an Aguas Calientes hotel in a shared double room (single room can be requested at a fee)

Day 9: AGUAS CALIENTES – MACHU PICCHU – OLLANTAYTAMBO – CUSCO

Stop At: Santuario Historico de Machu Picchu, Machu Picchu Peru
Wake up call and breakfast is very early (Approx 4am) in order for us to take one of the first (5:30am, 25 min ride) buses directly to Machu Picchu (2,400 m/7,875 ft). Once we arrive at Machu Picchu you will show your entrance ticket and passport. If you are a student you must bring your ISIC card to the entrance or you will not be permitted entrance. From the entrance, it is a 15-minute walk to the famous views from the South Zone of the farming terraces at the end of the Inca trail. Enjoy watching the sun rise over the ruin site and the fascinating tour of Machu Picchu with your guide who will unfold the mysteries of this magical site, explaining the history and flora/fauna. Your guide will spend about 2 1/2 hours relating interesting and amazing stories, explaining temples and special sectors. Your tour of Machu Picchu will finish between 9 and 9:30am after which you will have a little free time to take photos and explore. The new rules for 2019 have split the entrance times into three slots per day. Our tour includes the first ticket (6-10am) so at 10am you would need to exit the ruin site unless you choose to purchase an extra time slot (or two). If you wish to do one of the extra hikes within Machu Picchu (Wayna Picchu or Machu Picchu Mountain) you would need to prepurchase a permit as well as an extra time slot in Machu Picchu (these new rules are dictated by the Peruvian government and we are sorry for the inconvenience). After you are done exploring the ruin site, either at 10am or later if you’ve booked more time, take one of the many, frequent buses down to Aguas Calientes. There are many restaurants to choose from and your guide can also help suggest a nice place to eat. After grabbing a bite to eat you will take the train back to Ollantaytambo where private transport will drive you back to your hotel in Cusco.
Meals: Breakfast in the hotel, snacks on the tour
Overnight: Not Included

HIKES WITHIN MACHU PICCHU
There are hikes within Machu Picchu that you can do on your own if you wish. The hikes that do not require an entrance ticket are The Inka bridge and the Sun Gate (where the Inka Trail ends with a view of Machu Picchu city). Wayna Picchu Mountain and Machu Picchu Mountain hikes both require a paid ticket and there are a limited number of spots (200 at 7am and 200 at 10am). If you want to hike one of these please let us know well in advance as these spots fill up very quickly. Please note we cannot guarantee you a spot for the mountains requiring tickets and that the trail is very steep and slippery and not for those afraid of heights or with vertigo).

We recommend the 10am time slot as Machu Picchu tends to be cloudy in the morning. You are only allowed to hike one of these mountains on a given day so if you would like to do both you would need to return the next day to hike the other one.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast: Breakfast at your hotel in Aguas Calientes
No accommodation included on this day.