The Ausangate to Rainbow Mountain tour is a once in a lifetime experience that will take you through the most spectacular landscapes of the Peruvian Andes. During this tour, you will have the opportunity to hike the impressive Ausangate and Palomani mountains, while admiring glaciers, turquoise lakes and panoramic views of the highest peaks of the mountain range. In addition, you will visit the famous Colored Mountain, also known as Vinicunca, with its vibrant colors ranging from red, pink, green and yellow.
Day 01
Cusco - Tinqui - Upis
We depart early from Cusco traveling by private van to the small village of Tinke to begin our trek through the Rainbow Mountains of Peru. We will see the impressive Vilcanota mountain range and pass through several traditional Andean villages along the way and have time to take some pictures. When we arrive in Tinke, we will have a delicious breakfast prepared by our cook.
Then, our riders will organize all the group’s equipment and packs on the horses and our trek will begin, we will start our tour through the agricultural communities and enjoy the breathtaking views of the mountains. We will hike for about 3 hours and then we will have 1 hour to have lunch, after lunch we continue for 2 hours to reach Upis 4,100 m. / 13,448 ft. There we will have the opportunity to soak in the local hot springs before dinner and camp for the night.
Day 02
Upis - Ausangate lagoon
This early morning, after breakfast we cross the Arapa pass (4,850 m.a.s.l.) from here, we continue for 3 hours through the valley, passing the Pucaqocha lagoon, arriving at Jatun Pucaqocha, then we climb to the Laguna pass (4,850 m.a.s.l.), overlooking the impressive Ausangate lagoon. This lake is fed by the melted snow of Ausangate, here is our campsite.
Day 03
Ausangate lagoon - Rainbow mountain
We have breakfast with the sun, to continue our hike, we will climb a slope to reach the Palomani Pass (5,100 m.a.s.l.), from here we can see the true panoramic view of Ausangate. Then we will descend by a path that is an impressive route, and we will arrive to Vinicunca (Mountain of colors), here we see the magnificent red hill, called for having spots of arsenic stone sediments, in this place we will camp.
Day 04
Rainbow mountain - Ticllaqocha
This day we will arrive to Ticllaqocha, accompanied by the Colorado trails, we will arrive to Paso Apacheta, then we will descend to Huchuy Jampa, from here, we will follow a light trail, Ticllaqocha will be our campsite.
Day 05
Ticllaqocha - Pacchanta
We will wake up early in the morning, have breakfast with a view of the beautiful mountains, then go up the Jampa (5,100 m.a.s.l.) and then descend, observe and appreciate the lakes, and we will continue our trail, always appreciating the beautiful landscapes and then we will arrive to Pacchanta (4,200 m.a.s.l.) where it will be our camp and relax our muscles, we have the opportunity to enjoy the hot springs.
Day 06
Pacchanta - Tinqui - Cusco
Today is the last day of our trek in the Peruvian Andes, so we get up early, have breakfast and descend with all the memories and vivid landscapes, stored in our life history, to the town of Tinque (3,950 m.) and then we go to the imperial city of Cusco.
