ausangate trek 4 days

Ausangate trek 4 days highlights

The Ausangate trek 4 days is different from other treks, mostly because you don’t visit Machu Picchu or any other Incan ruins. Instead, its highlights are natural attractions, including beautiful glaciers, colorful lakes, precious wildlife, and colorful mountains and on the last day, you will enjoy the famous Rainbow Mountain (the second most visited attraction in Peru). In addition, you will hike through remote Andean villages that still keep their traditions.

Why you should book the Ausangate trek 4 days with us?

• We don’t overload our pack horses. We stand as the only Travel Agency offering Ausangate Trek 4 days, distinguished by our commitment to preventing the mistreatment of animals. In practice, this translates to our pack horses bearing a load that does not exceed 50 kilograms (equivalent to 100 pounds).
• Private campsites. Our Private campsites are located in the perfect location. 2 of them are the viewpoint of Ausangate and the beautiful lakes.
• Our horsemen are treated with respect. They receive all their equipment for free from our Company AB Expeditions to work on the Ausangate trek 4 days to Rainbow Mountain. We provide them a fair salary, a decent tent with a pad, proper meals, trekking shoes, hiking pants, and a Winter hut. We care for their health, well-being, and the health of their families, and we are committed to social projects to improve their lives
• Our last private campsite is 45 minutes from Rainbow Mountain so you visit it 2 times, for the sunset and sunrise.
• You will hike through the Red Valley with very few people after visiting the Vinicunca on the last day, and you won’t come across Rainbow Mountain day trip crowds.
• Small groups.  02 to 08 people maximum. This fact sets us apart from other travel companies that take bigger groups.
• Top-notch equipment. We provide Mountain wear Sleeping bags, Black Diamond trekking poles, and sleeping pads. We only use top brands and quality to guarantee ache-less nights up in the mountains.
• Satellite phones. Our guide brings the satellite phone all the time. We want you to stay in touch with your loved ones at all times.
• Portable toilets. We provide you with an Eco-friendly, comfortable & clean Toilet.
• Transportation: Each of our vans has approvals from the Ministry of Transport. Each of them has a first aid kit, oxygen supply, and a GPS system to navigate speeds exceeding 90 kilometers per hour. Moreover, our drivers have extensive and well-credentialed driving licenses.
• Hotel to Hotel service.  Direct pick-ups and drop-offs from your hotel in Cusco. We will never leave you stranded before or after our Ausangate trek!
• We are a reliable Travel company, practical, punctual, welcoming individuals or groups. Check out our reviews on Trip Advisor.
• 100% Local Company. AB Expeditions is A 100% locally owned Travel Company and fully licensed Ausangate operator.
• Highly Trained Guide. Our Tour Guides pride themselves on being up-to-date and have a comprehensive program of continual professional development. We love showing what a fascinating and amazing Ausangate in Peru is.
• Ground logistics. Transportation, Private lands permits, Rainbow Mountain tickets, Red valley tickets.  We book, secure, and deliver all minuscule details of your hike for you.
• We pay on time. At AB Expeditions, our horsemen, guides, driver, and Cooks receive their salaries as soon as they finish their job.
• We don’t share our group of Ausangate trek 4 days with other companies.
• Cabins and Huts Included. You will spend the night in our Cabins and mountain Huts.
• Our itinerary of the Ausangate Trek 4 Days is specifically designed to get used to the altitude.
• We offer a group discount. If you are more than 3 people, we will give you discounts. Send us an email.
• Horses carry all the equipment and supplies so you can travel light.
• Our last campsite is located at 4900 meters above sea level and sometimes it is very cold and windy. If that happens, we will set up your tent inside our house.
• You will spend the second night in our private Pucacocha Campsite, considered the best in Ausangate área.

AUSANGATE TREK 4 DAYS ITINERARY

Day 1: Cusco – Ocongate –  Tinqui – Upis Lake – Upis.

We will pick you up at 06:00 am from your hotel and go by private van for about 2 hours to Tinki where we will get off to stretch our legs and we will take advantage of visiting the Tiki town where we will see people still wearing their typical dress. Then we drive for about 1 hour on dusty and bumpy roads. Once we get to the trailhead of our hike, we will have our delicious breakfast and then meet our horsemen. We will start the hike From Upispampa through many remote villages with many stream crossings until you get to the small town of Upis. The trail is almost flat with some ups and downs. We will hike for about 3 hours until we get to our campsite. Here we have our private Cabins where you will spend the night. Our cook will prepare a delicious lunch. After enjoying our meal, you have the option to hike to Upis Lake which takes 2 hours round trip. The trail to this beautiful lake is flat for about 40 minutes and the last 20 minutes is a gradual uphill. Once we come back from the lake, we will enter our cabins where we will have a chair to sit in and enjoy the tea looking at the amazing Ausangate through the window. Then we will have our dinner then we will go out to enjoy the first starry night, you will remember it

• Elevation Gain: 330 m / 1082 ft.
• Elevation Loose: 56 m / 183 ft.
• Walking Distance: 8 km/ 4,9 miles.
• Hiking Hour: 3 hours roughly.
• Trailhead Elevation: 4,179 meters / 13,710 feet.
• Difficulty: moderate.
• Campsite Elevation: 4,432 meters / 14,540 feet.
• Highest Point: 4,432 meters / 14,540 feet.
• Accommodation: Cabins.

Day 2: Upis – Arapa Pass –  Yana Cocha – Puca Cocha:

We will wake you up at 05:00 am with coca tea or coffee delivered to your Cabins and you are given a delicious breakfast for the day ahead. In The morning start hiking up to Arapa Pass (4968m) Along the way we are going to observe local farmers and alpacas, Ausangate snow-capped to your left side, and you will have English- a speaking guide explaining about flora, and fauna and talking about the landscape along the trail. if we are lucky we might see condor, chinchillas, and vicuñas. Also, we will enjoy colorful lakes and get to our campsite of Puca Cocha where we are going to be surrounded by high mountains and unbelievable hanging glaciers, watch and hear the glacier crashing into the tarns below! As usual, tents are going to be set up inside the mountain huts for us to change, take a nap, and have our lunch. Since this campsite is close to Puca Cocha Lake, you will go to the lake where you will see many types of ducks, Andean geese, and many other types of birds. Then you will have dinner at our dining room which is built with rocks and mud. 

• Elevation Gain: 490 m / 1607 ft.
• Elevation Loose: 294 m / 964 ft.
• Walking Distance: 10 km/ 6,21 miles
• hiking hour: 5 – 6 hours roughly
• Difficulty: moderate/difficult
• Campsite Elevation: 4,577 meters / 15,016 feet.
• Accommodation: Mountain Huts
• Highest Point: 4740 m / 15,551 ft.

Day 3: Puca Cocha –  Apacheta Pass – Ananta – Surini Pass – Queulla Qocha

Today is a difficult day, You start with Puca Cocha pass (5051), the very colorful mountains that surround you. As well as you have a spectacular view of Mount Ausangate and colorful glacier lakes then you will enter into the Red Mountain valley, an intact landscape with vivid colors all around, and llamas eating grass right close to you.  Then you will have lunch at our dining room where our Rainbow Mountain 2 day spend the night. After our meal, we need to climb the second pass called Warmi Saya pass(15,090ft-4500m-14,000feet)from where you see this amazing Rainbow Mountain in the distance, but you are not quite there yet! From this place, you go downhill to circle the lake and keep walking a Peruvian flat until we reach our campsite. If the weather is good, we will go to the Rainbow Mountain for the sunset.

• Elevation Gain: 723 m / 2372 ft.
• Elevation Loose: 468 m / 1535 ft.
• Highest Point: 4918 m / 16,135 ft.
• Walking Distance: 8 km/ 4,971 miles
• Campsite Elevation: 4,864 meters / 15,958 feet
• hiking hour: 7 – 8 hours roughly
• Difficulty: Difficult
• Accommodation: Camping in Tents.

Day 4: Queulla Qocha – Rainbow Mountain – Red Valley – Cusco

Today is the day you have been waiting for. We will wake you up at 06:00 am with coca tea delivered to your tent then you will hike for about 45 minutes until Rainbow Mountain.  you will have time to explore the area and take pictures. We will spend approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour (depending on your trekking speed and weather conditions). After enjoying the RAINBOW MOUNTAIN for about one hour, we go to visit the RED VALLEY which takes another 30 minutes. Then we go to the bus station to catch our van. Today after our last supper we say goodbye to our horseman and the chef and get back to Cusco where you will be dropped off at your hotel around 03:00 pm.

• Elevation Gain: 194 m / 636 ft.
• Elevation Loose: 435 m / 1427 feet.
• Highest Point: 5,040 m / 16,535 ft.
• Walking Distance: 5 km/ 3,107 miles
• Trailhead Elevation: 4,864 meters / 15,958 feet
• Difficulty: Easy
• Hiking Hour: 2 hours roughly

INCLUSIONS

Included

• Satellite Phone. Ausangate is a remote área where you will not find a signal so in case of emergency, our guide uses our satellite phone.
• Cabins for the first night, mountain huts for the second night, and for the third night will be in tents.
• English-speaking guide with radio communication.
• Pre depárture briefing which will be carried out in our Office 1 day prior to your departure.
• Portable private toilet tent.
• Dining room with seats every night where you can rest after a long hike.
• Professional cook.
• Wake up tea. It can be Coca tea, Coffee, chocolate, or any type of tea.
• Mules which carry all of our trekking gear.
• 7 kilograms of your personal belongings.
• Large duffel bag provided by the company, for your 7 kg personal belongings.
• Wáter every day. We boil water and cool down to refill your bottle.
• Happy hour. Every afternoon our cook will prepare hot tea, and you will drink it with popcorn and biscuits.
• A cloth bag for your snack. When our AB Expeditions team went to clean the Aussangate área, we found a lot of plastic along the trail so we avoided using plastic.
• Snacks for every single day.
• Entrance fees to access private lands of the Ausangate area.
• Large Dining tent, table, stools, all cutlery, and kitchen tent.
• Tents to overnight, and Thermarest. Three-person tents are provided for 2 people to provide you with plenty of space for personal gear.
• Entrance fee to Rainbow Mountain.
• Red Valley ticket.
• Meals: 4 Breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 3 dinners with option for vegetarians, Pescatarian, gluten-free, lactose intolerance.
• Private transportation to and from your hotel in Cusco.
• Foam Mattress.
• First aid kit. Every February our guides receive training about first aid kids. They carry in their backpack basic medications to face diarrhea, altitude sickness, any injuries, etc.
• A metal tank of Oxygen. Our guide will have a tank of oxygen at all times.
• Hygiene Product. We will provide you with a bowl a wáter and towel paper to clean your hands at every campsite.
• Plastic Poncho. When it rains a lot, your jacket will be very wet that’s why we give the plastic Poncho to protect you from the heavy rain.
• Rain cover for your backpack.

Not Included

• Sleeping Bags. We rent a Mountain Hard Brand sleeping bag. It costs $20 for the entire trip.
• Trekking poles. We rent Black diamond hiking sticks. They cost $20 for the entire trip.
• Personal riding horse. Additional horses may be rented according to the needs of the individual and group.
• Voluntary Tips for Guide, Driver, and Cook.
• Travel Insurance.

WHAT TO BRING FOR AUSANGATE TREK 4 DAYS

• Day pack with a Rain cover.
• Torch/ headlamp.
• Extra socks (wool is best).
• Hiking pants and shirts- layers.
• Rain pants.
• swimming suit.
• Camping shoes/ sandals- to wear in the evenings.
• Camping pillow.
• Water-resistant trekking shoes.
• Warm clothing (thermal underwear, fleece, hat, and gloves).
• Waterproof clothing (poncho).
• Synthetic or cotton clothing (trousers, shorts, t-shirts).
• Sunhat and sunglasses.
• Sun cream.
• Lip Balm.
• Camera/ extra battery.
• Water bottles such as Nalgene.
• Basic medications.
• Walking sticks.
• Personal items.
• Personal snacks.
• Cash (if you’d like to purchase souvenirs).

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

THINGS TO KNOW 

• We expect the tour will run as the itinerary describes to Ausangate Trek 4 days. Participants should accept that there is the possibility of changes, being necessary liable to local conditions, e.g., strikes, or natural disasters.
• This tour is not recommended for children because they may have trouble walking, but if the child enjoys hiking at high altitudes, they can do it.
• If you have medical problems, you should consult your doctor and indicate that you want to or are planning a hike in the Peruvian Andes and the height is 5040 m (16,400 ft) above sea level. If you have medication, you must bring it with you to continue your treatment.
• Our third campsite is 40 minutes away from Rainbow Mountain so We have a better chance to enjoy Rainbow Mountain in solitude.
• This 4-day Ausangate trek to Rainbow Mountain is not recommended for travelers with back problems
• Our guide always oxygen tanks which are important as you get over 5040 meters/16,500 feet above sea level! Not all travel agencies offer this, so this is definitely something to look out for when choosing the best Ausangate tour operator.
• We only organize Ausangate Trek 4 days all year because we have shelter in every campsite.
• Daily departures with a group of 2 or more.
• There is no access to a wheelchair for the Ausangate trek 4 days.
• Our pick-up time changed to 5 am in September because the rainy season started and most of the time it rains in the afternoon so It is better to hike in the morning.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Make sure you are acclimatized to Cusco’s altitude before you set off on your hike to the Ausangate. This is by far the best insurance for a smooth and enjoyable trip. We recommend you spend at least 3 days in Cusco prior to the excursion.
• We recommend you keep your iPhone inside your sleeping bag and during the day in a warned place. Batteries tend to die due to cold.
• Bring 2 pairs of shoes, one for hiking and the other for the campsite.
• Make sure that your sleeping has a rating of -15 degrees Celsius. We rent Mountain hard wear Brand and they are really good for the Ausangate area.
• The higher elevation also means colder, nearly freezing temperatures, so be prepared. If you decide to take the Ausangate 4-day hike, make sure to wear very warm clothes.
• Sunglasses are a must. Sometimes it snows and the reflection of the snow damages our eyes and you might get blind for about 24 hours.

DUFFLE BAG

We will give you a duffel bag at our office at the end of your briefing. Our horses will carry them and you will have access to them only at the campsites. Put your clothes and other personal items that you won’t need hiking. Things like water, snacks, a first aid kit, and rain gear should be in your day pack. The duffel should weigh 7kg.

STRIKES

Strikes and roadblocks are frequent in Peru and can disrupt our Ausangate 4-day trek. We will do our best that your hike to Ausangate continues as planned with some changes.

• If the strike happens the first day of your Ausangate 4-day hike, we will take you to the trailhead the night before your start date.
• If the strike happens the day that you finish your Ausangate 4 days. We will send our vans to Kayrawiry one night before. So you will get the van at 05 pm because the strike is over after 5 pm. You will arrive at Cusco at 10 pm.

AUSANGATE WEATHER

The weather is unpredictable in the Andes. The dry season in Ausangate is from April to October and the rainy season is from November through March, but this does not stop rain from falling in the dry season or the sun from coming out in the rainy season so just be prepared. No matter what season you are hiking Ausangate trek, make sure that you get rain gear such as a rain jacket, rain pants, poncho, and waterproof gloves.

Ausangate weather changed in minutes. You might experience 4 seasons in only one day too. So you must be prepared. Layers are the key since they are easy to adapt to different temperature changes. Be prepared with down jacket since the early morning and evening will be very cold.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

We recommend you to get a travel insurance because if you cancel your Ausangate 4 day tour in a last-minute it can reimburse you for your prepaid money. Also when you get sick or hurt while you are far away from home, it can reimburse you for care following a covered medical emergency while traveling.

BEST TIME TO HIKE AUSANGATE.

The best time to hike Ausangate is from May to September which is the dry season here in Cusco región. So you will have a better chance of having a clear sky and you will see the Andes Mountains in its splendor. You can still hike in April, October, November, and December. But you need to have good rain gear. We don’t recommend hiking Ausangate in January and February because it rains heavily almost every day.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

This hike is difficult beause of the altitude, it’s highly recomeded to be in a good physical condition; The classic Ausangate trek elevation changes make the hike tough as there are four passes during your trek.

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS FOR SOLO TRAVELER

During the Ausangate trek 4 days, solo travelers will be paired to share a tent with another traveler of the same sex and couples will have a tent to themselves.

PRE-DEPARTURE BRIEFING

There is a mandatory pre-departure briefing at our Cusco Office one day before your departure to Ausangate at 6pm. You will meet your guide and He will give you detailed information about your trek, a list of what to bring, rental equipment or questions in general. Our office is located at: Marquez Street 250, Second Floor. Office 03. Cuzco, Peru.

TIPPING

Tipping is common on Ausangate trek 4 days. On the last day of the adventure, we will say goodbye our amazing horseman and profesional chefs. This is the time that you will give a tip for all of them please. Anything extra is always really appreciated. Please know that tipping is not Mandatory and that you should never feel forced into this.

Usually our customers pool their tipping money together for the chef and horsemen. For your tour guide, you tip once he/she will drop you off at your hotel. You decide the amount of money based on your experience with them. Soles is better for Our Horseman and Chefs. Guides can receive U.S. dollars or Soles without any problem.

This is our recommendations below. Sometimes they receive more or less. It is in your heart.

• Tips could be for our porters:  50 – 60 soles per Horsemen.
• Tips could be for our Cooks: 80 – 120 soles per cook.

FREQUENT ASK QUESTION

HOW TO BOOK THE AUSANGATE TREK 4 DAY HIKE WITH AB EXPEDITONS?

In order to book your Ausangate trek 4 days with us, Click on the BOOK NOW button, then select the day of your departure, then fill out all the personal information of each participant. The last step is the payment which you can do with your Credit card or debit Card. Send us only a deposit of $100 per person. The outstanding balance, can be paid to us here in Cusco at our office 2 days before your departure. 

On our booking form, you will find extras such as walking sticks and Sleeping bags. You don’t need to book in advance, you can book here in Cusco at our office 1 day before your departure. They never run out, we have plenty of them. 

Once we get your deposit, we will send you a manual confirmation for your trip. So you will be 100% confirmed. 

WHAT ABOUT THE OUTSTANDING BALANCE?

The Outstanding balance can be made in cash 2 days before your trip in USD or soles. Also, you can pay us with a Credit card (5% service fee applies).  Please let us know what you prefer. Cash payment MUST be paid 1 day prior to your trip.

HOW ABOUT THE STUDENT DISCOUNT?

Unfortunately, there is no student discount for the Ausangate trek

MAY I CHANGE THE DEPARTURE DATE?

Yes, it is possible. But you should let us know 48 hours in advance. The last-minute changes are not possible. 

DO I NEED TO BRING MY ORIGINAL PASSPORT ON THE AUSANGATE TREK 4 DAYS?

It is not mandatory to bring your Passport. But if you want to have a stamp of Rainbow Mountain, bring it. The stamp on your Passport costs 2 soles.

CAN I STAY IN THE SACRED VALLEY FOR MY AUSANGATE TREK?

Not recommended, because our Ausangate tour groups leave from Cusco. If you stay in Sacred we will pick you up 1 hour earlier than Cusco and there will be an upgrade of $30 for the transport from the Sacred Valley.

WHAT TIME DO WE RETURN TO CUSCO ON THE LAST DAY?

We usually return to Cusco at 3 pm.

ARE THE 7 LAKES OF AUSANGATE INCLUDED IN YOUR AUSANGATE TREK 4 DAYS?

It is not included. However, we can include them in case you are a good hiker. In our normal itinerary, you will hike for the first day for only 3 hours to get used to altitude. If you want to include the 7 lakes, the hiking time will be 7 hours on the first day and the pick up time will be 3 am.

• Note: You should let us know in advance if you want to include the 7 lakes. We can’t organize at the last minute.

IS THE RED VALLEY INCLUDED IN YOUR AUSANGATE TREK 4-DAY?

Yes, It is included in the Red Valley in our Ausangate 4-day trek.

DO YOU STILL ORGANIZE IN RAINY SEASON YOUR AUSANGATE 4-DAY TREK?

In the Rainy season, we only organize the Ausangate trek 4 days because we have shelter in every campsite. Also, we only hike in the mornings and In the afternoon, we relax at our campsite. It usually rains in the afternoon, at that time, we will be already in our campsites.

WILL WATER BE PROVIDED DURING THE HIKE?

We will give you water 3 times a day, after breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We usually filter then boil and cool down to refill your bottles. We make sure it is safe for drinking. We recommend you bring a bottle of 2 liters to refill.