The 6-Day Ausangate Trek with Rainbow Mountain is one of the most challenging, comprehensive, and extraordinary high-mountain expeditions in the Peruvian Andes, designed for mountaineers seeking a deep and remote adventure. This demanding route, operated under the high-quality standards of Vilcabamba Tours, encircles the imposing and iconic Ausangate snow-capped mountain and takes you through colossal landscapes that include mountain passes exceeding 5,000 meters in altitude, the Red Mountain Valley, hanging glaciers, and the famous Ausangate 7 Lakes circuit. Beyond a conventional trek, the Vilcabamba Tours service offers an ideal balance between the harshness of the environment and comfort on the route, combining nights in private cabins and shelters with traditional camping in spacious tents, fresh meals prepared by a chef, private transportation, porter service, and a robust security deployment including satellite phones and medicinal oxygen to ensure a totally safe and memorable journey.
Short Itinerary
- Day 1 (Cusco – Tinqui – Upis): Pickup at 6:00 a.m. at your hotel by the Vilcabamba Tours team, private transfer to Upis Pampa, and a moderate 13 km (5-hour) hike among streams and Andean villages. Stay in private cabins with a view of the glacier, lunch, and an optional hike to Upis Lagoon or relaxation in the hot springs.
- Day 2 (Upis – Arapa Pass – Yanacocha – Puca Cocha): Wake up at 5:00 a.m., 10 km hike (5-6 hours) crossing the Arapa Pass (4,968 masl) while observing Andean fauna. Arrival at the Puca Cocha campsite (4,577 masl) surrounded by glaciers, with an optional afternoon hike to the viewpoint and overnight stay in mountain cabins.
- Day 3 (Puca Cocha – Ananta – Surinicocha – Qeullacocha): A difficult 9 km day (7-8 hours) with an ascent to Puca Qocha Pass (5,051 masl) and descent through the Red Mountain Valley. Lunch in Ananta, climb to Surini Pass (4,500 masl) with views of Vinicunca, and tent camping in Qeullacocha.
- Day 4 (Qeullacocha – Rainbow Mountain – Alqatari – Ausangate Qocha): 45-minute hike at sunrise towards Rainbow Mountain guided by our specialist, optional 1-hour visit to the Red Valley, 3-hour descent to have lunch in the town of Alqatari, and a final 18 km hike in total to the campsite at Ausangate Qocha (4,488 masl).
- Day 5 (Ausangate Qocha – Palomani Pass – Sorapata): 3-hour ascent towards Palomani Pass (5,099 masl), the highest point of the entire trek with views of the Red Lagoon. Descent to Huchuy Pinaya for lunch and a final 2-hour hike (11 km total) to the campsite at Sorapata.
- Day 6 (Sorapata – Ausangate 7 Lakes – Pacchanta – Cusco): 17 km hike (7-8 hours) exploring the Ausangate 7 Lakes circuit, time to refresh in the water mirrors and final relaxation in the Pacchanta hot springs. Farewell lunch and return transfer to Cusco with Vilcabamba Tours, arriving at 6:00 p.m.
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Cusco – Tinqui – Upis.
The expedition begins at 6:00 a.m. with pickup at your hotel in Cusco in a private Vilcabamba Tours van, traveling southeast towards the Vilcanota Range to the Upis Pampa sector, located at the base of the majestic Ausangate mountain. The 13-kilometer hike progresses through streams and remote Andean communities until reaching the Upis sector (4,432 masl), where you will check into private cabins offering a direct view of the glacier. After enjoying a fresh lunch prepared by the route chef, you will have the afternoon free to take a two-hour hike to Upis Lagoon or relax in the local hot springs, closing the night under an impressive starry sky.
Day 2: Upis – Arapa Pass – Yanacocha – Puca Cocha.
After being woken up at 5:00 a.m. with a hot drink in your cabin, you will enjoy breakfast before starting the ascent towards Arapa Pass, located at 4,968 meters of altitude, flanking the imposing snow-capped wall of Ausangate. On the 10-kilometer route, the Vilcabamba Tours guide will share details about local fauna, with high chances of spotting condors, vicuñas, and chinchillas. The route descends slightly, crossing multicolored lagoons to the Puca Cocha campsite (4,577 masl), an alpine setting surrounded by hanging glaciers whose ice falls resonate in the valley; here you will have lunch in a mountain shelter and have the afternoon available to hike towards the lagoons or climb to the main viewpoint to capture photographs.
Day 3: Puca Cocha – Ananta – Surinicocha – Qeullacocha.
This 9-kilometer day represents one of the greatest physical challenges of the circuit, beginning with a steep ascent towards Puca Qocha Pass (5,051 masl), a natural viewpoint surrounded by mountains of mineral textures. From the summit, you descend towards the Red Mountain Valley, a pristine territory inhabited by herds of llamas, continuing the trek to the Ananta sector for lunch. Subsequently, the climb coordinated by our team continues towards Surini Pass (4,500 masl), a point from where you can see Rainbow Mountain for the first time in the distance, then descending along the edges of the lagoon to the Qeullacocha campsite (4,864 masl), with the option to climb to Vinicunca at sunset if you still have energy.
Day 4: Qeullacocha – Rainbow Mountain – Alqatari – Ausangate Qocha.
The most anticipated day begins at 6:00 a.m. with tea service in your tent, followed by a 45-minute short hike towards the summit of Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca), enjoying priority time thanks to Vilcabamba Tours’ management to explore the site before the massive arrival of tourists. Optionally, there is a one-hour circuit through the spectacular Red Valley, then undertaking a continuous three-hour descent towards the town of Alqatari for lunch. With renewed energy, you will complete the final 18-kilometer stretch of the day walking through high valleys until setting up camp near the Ausangate Qocha lagoon (4,488 masl).
Day 5: Ausangate Qocha – Palomani Pass – Sorapata.
A physically demanding day will take you to conquer the highest point of the entire route: Palomani Pass, located at 5,099 meters above sea level. The three-hour ascent passes through green grazing pampas and intensely colored lagoons, revealing at the summit an impressive panoramic view of the Vilcanota Range and the Red Lagoon. After the achievement, a marked descent is made towards the community of Huchuy Pinaya to enjoy lunch, followed by a final two-hour hike on softer terrain (completing 11 kilometers in the day) until arriving at the Sorapata campsite (4,591 masl) under the constant monitoring of our support staff.
Day 6: Sorapata – Ausangate 7 Lakes – Pacchanta – Cusco.
The final day offers a spectacular landscape closure of 17 kilometers through the Ausangate 7 Lakes circuit, where travelers have the unique opportunity to refresh in the glacial waters with the snow-capped mountain as a backdrop. The trail finally leads towards the town of Pacchanta, where you can immerse yourself in its comforting outdoor medicinal hot springs with direct views of the snow-capped peaks. After celebrating the farewell lunch of the trek and saying goodbye to the horseman and the chef, you will board the private return transport, arriving in the city of Cusco at approximately 6:00 p.m. to successfully finish this great expedition organized by Vilcabamba Tours.
Includes
- Informative briefing and orientation at the Cusco office one day before departure.
- Exclusive round-trip private transport with pickup and drop-off at your Cusco hotel provided by Vilcabamba Tours.
- Professional bilingual native guide service equipped with a radio communication system.
- Professional mountain chef in charge of preparing all fresh meals.
- Full board: 6 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 5 dinners (with options adapted for vegetarians, vegans, celiacs, and lactose intolerant individuals).
- Daily happy hour in the afternoons with hot drinks, popcorn, and cookies.
- Wake-up tea service directly in your tent or cabin.
- Daily filtered and boiled drinking water for refilling bottles.
- Specific accommodations: 1 night in private cabins (Day 1), 1 night in mountain shelters (Day 2), and 3 nights in high-mountain tents with capacity for 3 people (used only by 2 passengers for more space).
- Muleteers and pack horses for the transport of all camping and kitchen logistics.
- Assignment of a large duffle bag to carry up to 7 kg / 15 lb of your personal belongings on the horses.
- Eco-friendly cloth bag for daily snacks (single-use plastic-free operation).
- Official entrance tickets included: Access to Rainbow Mountain, Red Valley, and tolls for private lands on the Ausangate route.
- Large dining tent with tables, stools with seats (on selected nights), and complete utensils.
- Hygiene furniture: Tent with private portable toilet, water containers, and paper towels at each campsite.
- Foam sleeping pad for resting.
- Safety implements and assistance from Vilcabamba Tours: Satellite phone for emergencies in remote areas, first aid kit with certified assistance, metallic oxygen tank, waterproof backpack cover, and high-density plastic rain poncho.
Not Included
- High-mountain sleeping bag (available for rent for a cost of $30 for the entire route).
- Professional trekking poles (available for rent for a cost of $30 for the entire route).
- Personal riding horse for walking sections (available for optional rent according to requirement).
- Local entrance ticket to the medicinal hot springs of Upis and Pacchanta.
- Voluntary tips for the guide staff, drivers, and chefs.
- International adventure travel insurance.
