Aunsangate Trek and Rainbow Mountain

This trail begins crossing the highland meadow approaching the foothill of the impressive and venerated Ausangate Mountain, offering amazing views of a beautiful landscape. Below, you will see lamas, alpacas, vicunas and paqochas (Andean traditional animals). Continuing the hike, the trail takes you up going through some Andean villages where you will see many traditional customs. Later on, you’ll reach a small village called Upis (4,140 m above sea level), from where you will enjoy a breathtaking view of the Apu Ausangate (6,372 m/20,906 ft)! Afterwards, you will walk to nearby hot springs where you’ll set a campsite and obviously enjoy a wonderful time in thermal waters.

Breakfast is served early and afterwards, you’ll ascend for two and half an hour towards the high Arapa Passage (4,850 m above sea level). Then, you will descend to the Pucaqocha Lagoon, also called Hatun Pucaqocha (4,605 m above sea level) enjoying great views of Ausangate Mountain. Then, you’ll set a campsite on the shores of the lagoon where you’ll have a once in a lifetime opportunity watching many Andean bird species.

On this day you’ll ascend to the Alcatani Pass (4,650 m above sea level) and descend to the glacier lagoon of Ausangate. Once that is done, you will climb up again, this time to reach the highest point of the entire Ausangate Trek which is the Palomani Passage (5,050 m above sea level) Once you arrive there, you’ll enjoy magnificent views of the south-eastern ridge of the Apu Ausangate. Finally, you’ll descend to the Jampa Valley (4,600 m above sea level) admiring Andean dwellers wearing typical clothes as well as plenty of sheep, lamas, alpacas and paqochas before you set your tent in the valley.

Your trek begins circling  northwest along the Ticllacocha Lagoon and over the Jampa passage (4,650 m above sea level). Then, you will continue hiking to the Pacchaspata Pampa where you’ll set up a campsite on the shores of the greatest turquoise lagoon of all Q'omercocha (4,580 m above sea level). 

After having a delicious and healthy breakfast, you will start descending towards the small village of Pacchanta (4,300 m above sea level) observing breathtaking views on the way. When you arrivee to Pachanta, you’ll enjoy its hot springs a lot. Afterwards, you will have an amazing chance to watch the powerful Ausangate. You will camp overnight.

On your last day of this amazing adventure you will get up early, have breakfast and follow the trail until you reach Rainbow Mountain. This magnificent mountain’s highest point is at 5,000m above sea level. You will do this trek carefully because it has some difficult and tricky paths. You can rent horses if you want to relax and enjoy the amazing view. This mountain is called like that because of its display of rainbow colors, this is because there are stones in erosion. After visiting this fabulous place you will return to Cusco in the evening to tell all your relatives and friends about it.

The path to Ausangate is one of the most amazing experiences ever, enjoy the view, birds accompanying you the whole trek is only part of this breathtaking opportunity life gives you and to make this adventure the best some aspects have to be taken into consideration. 

• Wear warm clothes (coats, mittens etc..) specially at nights
• Drink High Altitude Sickness or Soroche pills to acclimatize
• Bring extra money in the country’s currency to rent horses  (nuevos soles)
• Extra money to buy the following (Water, Lunch, cookies, etc…
• Wear sun glasses and a hat
• Wear sunscreen
• Portable oxygen might be needed if your body has problems acclimatizing
• Bring a backpack