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Ausangate & Rainbow Mountain To Machu Picchu Hike 8 Days

8 Days and 7 Nights
Multi-day hike
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From$1,500$880
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From$1,500$880
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  • Classic group serviceGroup Service 12 people
    Adult: $880 Children: $850
    Available: 30 seats
  • VIP private serviceAdult: $1000 Children: $980 Available: 30 seats

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Reservations for the great year 2024 - 2025 have already started, more than 5000 clients with reservations secured!

Are you thinking about taking a trip to Machu Picchu? What are you waiting for, make your reservation now and secure the best place to see Machu Picchu completely and live an unforgettable experience!.

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Spanish, English
Departure city: Cusco, Peru
Ends in the city: Cusco, Peru
Group Size: 12 PER GROUP
Availability: Available
Trip Styles: Hiking
Max Altitude: 5200 M. / 17060 FT.
Lodging Type: Camps, Hotel
Difficulty: Moderate
Overview

Ausangate Trek To Machu Picchu 8 Days

This tour is designed for mountain lovers who want to visit the most important peaks and valleys of Cusco: the Ausangate glacier and its crystalline lagoons, Rainbow Mountain, the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. During this journey, you’ll be able to see extremely diverse landscapes, starting from the highest, snow-covered peaks and going to the tropical valleys of the Andes. On the trail, the Apu Ausangate (6,372 m / 20,905 f) will be the protagonist; it’s the highest mountain in the Cusco region.

Your adventure will start in the community of Upis. The first day, after lunch, you’ll get to visit the pristine Huayna Ausangate Lagoon. You’ll see these incredible, once-in-a-lifetime landscapes with your own eyes as you reveal, one step at a time, the Vilcanota Mountain Range. Impressive mountain passes and glacial lakes await you as the prelude to presenting ourselves before the sacred Apu Ausangate.

Colorful scenes will illuminate your path to Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley. Hiking through these places will be an essential part of preparing you for the great challenge of conquering the Palomani Pass. From there, you’ll look out over mythical glaciers and other impressive, snowy peaks of the mountain range. Descending from those heights, you’ll be relieved to arrive at Pacchanta and enjoy its hot springs at the foot of Ausangate.

Later on, we’ll take you, in our private car, to the Sacred Valley of the Incas and visit Urco and Ollantaytambo. We’ll take the train to Aguas Calientes, and then you’ll finally be able to visit the magical Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. While you’re there, you’ll enjoy a rich culture of times past, both in its construction and its picturesque surroundings. Lastly, we’ll take you back to Cusco, and if it’s your first time here, we’re sure there’ll be many more.

Why Take the Ausangate & Rainbow Mountain To Machu Picchu Hike 8 Days?

  • On this tour, you’ll be able to combine adventure and culture as you visit the best of the region of Cusco: Ausangate, Rainbow Mountain, the Sacred Valley of the Incas and the great Inca citadel of Machu Picchu.
  • Join us on this breathtaking five-day trek through the Andes Mountains.
  • Marvel at majestic snow-capped peaks, glaciers, and crystalline turquoise lakes.
  • Get touch with indigenous people in rustic rural villages of the mountains.
  • Spectacular views from high altitudes especially while crossing two passes, the Palomani Pass and the Q’ampa Pass.
  • Catch a glimpse of Andean wildlife – condors, llamas, alpacas, vicuñas, and many aquatic birds.
  • Hike with a real direct & official local tour operator based in Cusco.
Itinerary

DAY 1Cusco - Upis - Upis Campsite - Huayna Ausangate Lagoon

Visit places
Cusco
Ocongate
Upis
Upis Campsite
Huayna Ausangate Lagoon

Our adventure begins very early at 5:00 a.m. We will pick you up from your hotel to head on a two-hour drive to Ocongate (3,500 m / 11,482 ft.), a picturesque place full of joy. You will enjoy the first views of the great Vilcanota range with its majestic Apu Ausangate mountain; we will pass through high Andean villages and see their people wearing colorful costumes. Keep in mind that these costumes represent the colors of the mountains.

We will continue our journey to the Upis community (4,250 m / 13,944 ft). Here, we will have a good breakfast, and meet the cook and the muleteers, who will be part of this adventure. We will walk for three hours along a trail used by the local people until we reach the Upis Camp (4,400 m / 14,436 ft).

Later, we will delight our palate with a delicious lunch and, after a short rest, we will head to the lake Huayna Ausangate Cocha (4,480 m / 14,436 ft), a charming place for the energy it transmits. Remember that on this short tour you can leave your things at the campsite.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
  • Accommodation:Camps
  • Difficulty:Moderate
  • Activity Duration:4-5 hours Hiking
  • Walking Distance:10 km/ 6.21 miles
  • Starting altitude:4,250 m / 13,944 ft
  • Minimum Elevation:4,250 m / 13,944 ft
  • Highest Elevation:4,480 m / 14,698 ft
  • Campsite Elevation:4,400 m / 14,436 ft

DAY 2Upis - Arapa Pass - Yanacocha - Hatun Pucacocha

Visit places
Upis
Arapa Pass
Yanacocha
Hatun Pucacocha Camps

Start the day off with attitude! We’ll wake you up with an energizing coca tea, and then our guides will tell you what to expect on this morning’s 2-hour hike up to the Arapa Pass. Once we’re there, you’ll feel the energy of the mountains enveloping you, and the horizon will open up, revealing all the earth’s striking colors.

Once you’ve have enough time there, you’ll keep going until you get to the Yanacocha Lagoon, where we’ll have lunch prepared by the chef and porters. Next, you’ll continue the journey two more hours to the Hatun Pucacocha and Huchuy Pucacocha Lagoons. In the afternoon, you can explore the beautiful surroundings of our campsite. We’ll finish off the day with a wonderful dinner.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
  • Accommodation:Camps
  • Difficulty:Moderate
  • Activity Duration:5-6 hours Hiking
  • Walking Distance:11 km / 6.83 miles
  • Starting altitude:4,400 m / 14,436 ft
  • Minimum Elevation:4,400 m / 14,436 ft
  • Highest Elevation:4,800 m / 15,748 ft
  • Campsite Elevation:4,500 m / 14,764 ft

DAY 3Hatun Pucacocha - Puca Pass - Anantapata - Warmisaya Pass - Surinecocha

Visit places
Hatun Pucacocha
Puca Pass
Anantapata
Warmisaya Pass
Surinecocha Camp

As you warm up with a hot cup of coca tea, we’ll get everything ready to start the day and recharge with an energizing breakfast. You’ll hike through two valleys to get to the Puca Pass (4,870 m / 15,978 f), from which you’ll see what you’ve already traversed and where you’re going next. Don’t forget your jacket, because it’s cold and windy here!

Along the entire trail, you’ll be accompanied by the Ausangate glacier and its gorgeous turquoise lakes. After we’re finished on the peak, you’ll keep going, now downhill, to Anantapata (4,750 m / 15,584 f) to have lunch. If there’s time, you can rest or take a short nap before moving on. Continuing on the path, you’ll trek up to the Warmisaya Pass (4,985 m / 16,355 f). Prepare yourself, because this part of the trail is steeper than the last.

After passing Warmisaya, you’ll go downhill to arrive at our campsite in Surinecocha. If the guide’s okay with it and there’s time, you can keep going on this path to watch the sunset at Rainbow Mountain. If you do go, you should return to the campsite before dark. At the end of the day, you’ll enjoy a delicious dinner and have a well-earned sleep.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
  • Accommodation:Camps
  • Difficulty:Moderate
  • Activity Duration:5-6 hours Hiking
  • Walking Distance:10 km / 6.20 miles
  • Starting altitude:4,500 m / 14,764 ft
  • Minimum Elevation:4,500 m / 14,764 ft
  • Highest Elevation:4,985 m / 16,355 ft
  • Campsite Elevation:4,800 m / 15,748 ft

DAY 4Surinecocha - Rainbow mountain - Quesouno - Ausangate cocha Camp

Visit places
Surinecocha
Rainbow Mountain
Quesouno
Ausangate Cocha Camp

We’ll wake you up before dawn to arrive at our destination precisely at the right moment, when the king of the stars first shoots his sunbeams across the sky and across the radiant Rainbow Mountain. Be sure to wrap up well, because it will be very cold there, especially at this time of day. Our guide, who has a wealth of knowledge, will make your visit extra special by helping you connect with the spiritual side of these mountains.

After enjoying this natural wonder to its fullest, you’ll walk to the Red Valley to see yet another incredible landscape and take amazing pictures. Later on, you’ll return to Rainbow Mountain and we continue our way back to Ananta where our cook will be waiting for us with lunch ready.

After You’ll continue to trek going a flat path for three hours through a green valley, and you’ll see local wildlife in their natural habitat: the beautiful woodpecker and other birds, and the Andean goose known as Huallata. If you’re lucky, you may also see the Andean fox, and its unmistakeable skunk smell will make itself known. When you get to the campsite at Ausangate Cocha, you’ll enjoy tea time and then dinner.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
  • Accommodation:Camps
  • Difficulty:Moderate
  • Activity Duration:7-8 hours Hiking
  • Walking Distance:17 km / 10.5 mi
  • Starting altitude:4,800 m / 15,748 ft
  • Minimum Elevation:4,376 m / 14,356 ft
  • Highest Elevation:5,100 m / 16,372 ft
  • Campsite Elevation:4,500 m / 14,764 ft

DAY 5Ausangate Cocha - Palomani Pass - Sorapata

Visit places
Ausangate Cocha
Palomani Pass
Comer Qocha Lake
Sorapata Camp

We’ll enjoy an energizing breakfast to keep our strength up all day long, and this will help us conquer the highest point on the trek. You’ll leave the campsite and make a two-hour ascent to the Palomani Pass (5,200 m / 17,060 f). From this once-in-a-lifetime viewpoint, you’ll see the magical Ausangate and the famous Vilcanota Mountain Range stretching out before you. It’s home to the highest glacier concentration in Peru with 469!

After practicing your photography skills to capture that landscape, you’ll descend an hour and a half to the community of Huchuy Phinaya (4,700 m / 15,420 f), where we’ll provide a satisfying lunch for you.

There’s another uphill climb awaiting you afterward, a two-hour hike to the Jampa gorge; it will give you beautiful views of the Callangate Mountain Range. Lastly, you’ll arrive at our campsite in Sorpata (4,650 m / 15,256 f) to have dinner and spend the night.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
  • Accommodation:Camps
  • Difficulty:Moderate
  • Activity Duration:5-6 hours Hiking
  • Walking Distance:10.5 km / 6.52 miles
  • Starting altitude:4,500 m / 14,764 ft
  • Minimum Elevation:4,500 m / 14,764 ft
  • Highest Elevation:5,200 m / 17,060 ft
  • Campsite Elevation:4,650 m / 15,256 ft

DAY 6Sorapata - Jampa Pass - Pacchanta

Visit places
Sorapata
Jampa Pass
Pacchanta Camp

You’ll wake up next to the Tres Marias (Three Marias), a set of snowy peaks just in front of our camp. After breakfast, you’ll begin today’s hike, a two-and-a-half hour ascent to the Jampa Pass (5,070 m / 16, 634 f). Along the trail, you’ll see a green valley extending on the horizon. One last descent is left to arrive at our campsite, where you’ll have lunch and spend the night. Pay attention! On this part of the hike, you can see three glacial lakes: China Otorongo, Orco Otorongo and Qomer Cocha. These are well-known in the Andean world and highly revered for their mystical significance.

In the afternoon, you’ll have a chance to take a dip in the Pacchanta hot springs in the community of the same name. After several days of trekking, you’ll finally be able to relax your tired legs and muscles. We’ll finish the day with a fabulous dinner.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
  • Accommodation:Camps
  • Difficulty:Moderate
  • Activity Duration:5-6 hours Hiking
  • Walking Distance:11 km / 6.80 miles
  • Starting altitude:4,650 m / 15,256 ft
  • Minimum Elevation:4,100 m / 13,451 ft
  • Highest Elevation:5,070 m / 16,634 ft
  • Campsite Elevation:4,100 m / 13,451 ft

DAY 7Pacchanta - Tinke - Sacred Valley - Maras - Moray - Ollantaytambo - Aguas Calientes

Visit places
Pacchanta
Tinke
Sacred Valley
Maras
Moray
Ollantaytambo
Aguas Calientes Hostel

After breakfast, you’ll have a moment to say goodbye to our trekking team who’s accompanied you on the magnificent Ausangate Trail: the professional chefs and the porters. After that, we’ll take you, in our private car, three and a half hours away into the Sacred Valley. First, you’ll go to the Maras Salt Mines Viewpoint and have lunch as you admire the surrounding landscape.

Next, we’ll take you to visit the archeological center in Moray, a place dedicated to agricultural. Moray Ruins consist of circular agricultural terraces at high altitude. These terraces served as a natural green house to grow an extraordinary variety of crops that would normally only thrive in tropical climates.

Continuing on, the car will take you to the living Inca city of Ollantaytambo. When we get there, we’ll take you for a walk to see its Inca walls and water canals around town, and then you’ll be able to hike up Pinkuylluna, a hill that houses the Collcas of the Incas, their granaries used to preserve agricultural products.

Finally, we’ll all take the train to Aguas Calientes and settle into a nice hotel. We’ll have dinner, and then you can get some rest and dream about the amazing places you’ve seen so far.

  • Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner.
  • Accommodation:Hotel
  • Difficulty:Easy
  • Activity Duration:1 hours Hiking
  • Walking Distance:1 km / 0.62 miles
  • Starting altitude:4,100 m / 13,451 ft
  • Minimum Elevation:2,900 m / 9,514 ft
  • Highest Elevation:4,100 m / 13,451 ft

DAY 8Aguas Calientes - Machu Picchu - Ollantaytambo - Cusco

Visit places
Aguas Calientes
Machu Picchu
Ollantaytambo
Cusco

Today, you’ll have the adventure of a lifetime as you enter the magnificent and world-famous Machu Picchu. There are people who only dream of visiting this Wonder of the Modern World, but you’re here in person! What you’ve heard about the charm of this place is nothing in comparison to what you’ll feel being here in real life. So that we can spend a long time in the citadel, we’ll go to the bus station early in the morning and try to be the first ones there. Once you’re inside, you’ll feel a special aura in the air; after all, this sacred temple of the Incas was made in perfect communion with Mother Earth.

The surrounding mountains are faithful witnesses to everything that’s happened on these grounds over the years. They saw all the effort that went into building this colossal, sacred citadel on the top of a mountain. Your guide will tell you all about this architectural jewel from its making to the present, a wonder that’s astonished the whole world. After this fantastic experience, we’ll return to Aguas Calientes to have lunch (not included in our tour) and then return to Cusco.

  • Meals:  Breakfast
  • Difficulty:Moderate
  • Tour in Machu Picchu: 2-3 hours exploring
  • Machu Picchu Site Elevation: 2,430 m / 7,972 ft
  • Huayna Picchu Mountain Elevation: 2,720 m / 8,924 ft
  • Machu Picchu Mountain Elevation: 3,000 m / 9,843 ft
Trip Info
Inclusions
Packing List
Before You Go

High Quality Service & Safety

  • Pre-departure briefing
  • Experienced Guide speaks English and Spanish
  • A professional cook only for our group
  • Medical Kit – First Aid Kit
  • Private Camping Equipment
  • One duffle bag per person
  • Customer Service 24/7
  • Extra oxygen

Permits & Entrance Tickets

  • Entrance Ticket to Machu Picchu Archaeological Site
  • Entrance ticket to Ausangate Trek
  • Entrance ticket to Rainbow Mountain

Transportation

  • Private transportation from your hotel in Cusco to the start of the trek.
  • Horses, and muleteers horses carry your 8-kg / 16-pound personal items.
  • Private transportation from the end of the hike to Ollantaytambo train station
  • Day 7: train ticket from Ollantaytambo to Aguas Calientes
  • Day 8: Bus ticket to Machu Picchu round trip
  • Day 8: Train Ticket from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo
  • Day 8: Private transport from Ollantaytambo train station to your hotel in Cusco.

Meals

  • Meals: 8 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches, and 7 Dinners
  • Meals: vegetarian and vegan
  • Water to drink on the trail every day
  • Wake up tea
  • Tea Time or Happy Hour
  • Snacks on the trail daily
  • Products for hygiene

Accommodation

  • Personal Accommodation in Private Campsites
  • Hotel in Aguas Calientes

Extra inclusions

  • Emergency horse to ride
  • Pillows throughout the tour
  • PRO Air sleeping pad, Therma-Rest brand
  • Sleeping bag
  • Trekking stick

What Is Not Included?

  • Travel Insurance
  • Tips for our staff
  • Additional costs or delays out of control of the management
  • Original Passport
  • Walking boots
  • Waterproof jacket / rain poncho
  • Warm jacket
  • Hat and gloves
  • T-shirts
  • Comfortable trousers
  • Sun hat
  • Sun cream (factor 35 or higher)
  • Insect repellant
  • Toiletries and hand sanitiser
  • Personal medication
  • Camera and film with extra batteries
  • Torch with spare batteries
  • Daypack

Information Before leaving for the Ausangate Trek To Machu Picchu 8 Days

We want to make your trip to Peru as memorable and as easy as possible. In this section, you will find speedy answers to all those questions you had about Ausangate & Rainbow Mountain To Machu Picchu Hike 8 Days in one place. Please read the following information carefully – it will help you with any questions about our services.Has another question that we haven’t answered here? Drop us a line, and we will get back to you asap!

Briefing or informative meeting

All information meetings are held in your hotel at 6:00 p.m., one night before the tour begins. If you cannot attend, you must coordinate another time at the Peru Hike offices. These meetings last approximately 30 to 45 minutes and there you will be given a small duffel bag, in which you’ll put all the belongings you intend to bring on the trek that won’t be in your day pack.

Duffel bag or canvas case

ou’ll receive a canvas case or duffel bag during your briefing. The porters will take them on the way and will deliver them to you when you get to each camp. They measure 66 cm / 2 ft. Long x 36 cm / 1 ft. Wide.

A maximum of 5 kg is allowed for each duffel bag that includes the weight of your sleeping bag, mat, clothes and other personal items.

Payment of Trek Balance (in Cusco)

The trek has to be paid for in full by at least 7.30 pm two days before departure. For example, if your tour departs on a Wednesday, then you must come to our office before 7.30 pm on Monday.

It would be much appreciated if you pay the trek balance in cash US dollars or local currency. You can withdraw some money from several ATMs along Avenida Sol (either in US dollars or local Peruvian Soles). You can pay by credit card or PAYPAL online, but you will have to pay an 8% service charge, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. We do not accept bank checks or payment of the balance by traveler’s checks.

Can I store my luggage at your office?

Of course! During the travel, your main luggage can be stored at our office(you can organize briefing day or by email) or at your hotel, both free of charge.

Any equipment that you are not going to need on the trek can be stored safely in your hotel. Nearly every hotel will provide this service. Don’t leave items of value with your bags, put them in the hotel safe and obtain an itemized receipt (In the unlikely case of theft many insurance companies require that you have a copy of the receipt itemizing all the items). Best put items such as credit cards inside a sealed, signed envelope for extra peace of mind.

Pick up of guests

Peru Hike can pick you up from your hotel, as long as it’s in the Historic Center of Cusco. The pickup time will be coordinated with your guide in the briefing. The pickup time may vary between 30 and 45 minutes due to traffic. Cusco is a very old city, therefore, it has many narrow cobbled streets. Some hotels and Airbnbs may be located on streets without access to cars or on long, steep slopes, making it difficult to transport luggage. We strongly recommend that you book accommodation with good access.

Return to Cusco

Returning from Machu Picchu requires quite a bit of logistics, but don’t worry. Everything is included in your tour!

  • In Machu Picchu you’ll board a bus that will take you for 25 minutes to the small city of Aguas Calientes. The buses are boarded according to your arrival.
  • In Aguas Calientes you’ll board a train to Ollantaytambo or Cusco. Your guide will give you the train tickets where the boarding time will be shown. Make sure you’re on the platform 30 minutes early. The train from Aguas Calientes to Ollantaytambo takes 2 hours.
  • Once you arrive at the station, our representative, identified with the Peru Hike clothing, will be waiting to transfer you to Plaza San Francisco, in Cusco. The trip from Ollantaytambo to Plaza San Francisco takes 2 hours.
  • In San Francisco, depending on your hotel’s location, we will take you to a smaller car from our company (Hyundai H1) to transfer you faster to your hotel in Cusco.

Group tours

Group tours are made up of different types of people. Physical conditions and ages can vary. By agreeing to be part of a group tour, you also accept that some people may be faster or slower than you. Therefore, each person can go at their own pace on the route. It may be the case that a group wishes to modify the tour; however, it will be the guide who decides, after consulting with all the participants, if said modifications can be made.

Strikes and demonstrations

Strikes and demonstrations are usually frequent in Peru and this may interrupt some of our tours. Roads can be blocked and train tracks can be taken over. However, we will try to keep your excursion as planned, even if it means leaving the night before the scheduled date. Under these circumstances, tours may also be cancelled. In case of changes or cancellations, all situations will be coordinated with you by our operations department. Your safety is our highest priority and our decisions will be made to protect it.

Lost objects

You’re responsible for your objects during the tour. Please pay attention to where you leave your things and remember to take everything once you leave our trucks, tents, or restaurants.

3 Reviews
Sort By:RatingDate

Janet Steves

Family Traveller

8 days and 7 nights a long trek to Machu Picchu it was worth doing this trek, in the high mountains of the Andes, we recommend taking coca sweets and acclimatizing before doing this tour since the entire circuit is more than 4000 meters . It is the best experience of my life. Recommended thanks to our guide and our Franklin acessor.

15 January, 2023

Michael Buchanan

Family Traveller

Without a doubt it was the adventure woman we had in Peru, Ausangate is really a very special mountain as it holds many secrets and stories, if you are going to Peru, keep this circuit on your list, I recommend it 100%.

14 January, 2023

Dianne Agbuya

Couple Traveller

We booked 6 months in advance, we thought that this adventure would be one of our dreams from the first moment we booked, and it was much more than that, it was an unforgettable adventure in the Peruvian Andes, we had many adventures in Peru, this adventure was the best of our lives, walking in snowy mountains and finally reaching Machu Picchu, we are happy and we recommend this company 100% to carry out this adventure.

8 December, 2022
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