Cusco, Machu Picchu, Agua Calientes
From: $ 577Group Price
per adult
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Mount Ausangate (6,377mts/20,921ft) is the highest and most sacred mountain in Southern Peru, which for centuries has been central to the religious beliefs of the Andean people. In modern Peru, Ausangate Mountain attracts thousands of Pilgrims every year. They make their way to the summit a week before Corpus Christi. Your tour will take you to Rainbow mountain, the most eye-catching freak of nature, you will ever come across. There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world and stands tall at 5 020 meters/17 060feet. Before taking the train to the Inca Citadel of Machu Picchu. With spectacular glacial vistas, uninterrupted beauty and solitude, this is a spectacular trip for seasoned trekkers who love a true outdoor adventure.
Click on the link to find out more about our Ausangate Trek & Rainbow Mountain Experience..!
Your Andean mountain adventure begins at 4:00am when your guide picks you up from your hotel in Cusco! Our drive is 2 hours before reaching the Pitumarca Village, where we stop to collect supplies and then continue for 1 more hour to Q’esuyuno community. Along the way, we view amazing canyons, Inca farming terraces, rugged mountains and some isolated communities. Upon arrival, we meet our horsemen and horses. We begin our hike gradually heading up to the Kayrawiry community where we have lunch. After enjoying lunch and taking a little siesta, we continue our hike towards Rainbow Mountain! Once there, we will enjoy the amazing colored mountain, which is the highlight of the day. You may see the rare vicuñas or condors at the amazing glacial lakes that you visit. Finally, we hike downhill to Kayrawiry, where our camping tents will be ready. It is time to enjoy afternoon tea and dinner.
We will wake you up early in the morning with a hot cup of coca tea to start one of the most beautiful days of the trek. You will enjoy the majestic views of some of the highest peaks in the Andes and the depths of the beautiful valleys. After an early breakfast, we will hike back to Q’esuyuno, then start a 2-hour steep climb to Condor Pass at (5100m/ 16732ft) in elevation. Along the way, you will always have gorgeous views of the blue lakes and the majestic views of Ausangate Glacier Peak towering over you. Sometimes you can see ice calving happening from the glacial hills with ice crashing into the lakes below. Once you reach the summit of this mountain, you will be located right in front of Ausangate. There you can really enjoy the valley full of alpacas grazing amongst the hills. It is so impressive! After getting our fill of the surroundings, we head downhill to our lunch spot. After a little siesta, we continue with our hike for 3 more hours to Ausangate Lake where you will enjoy our famous daily happy hour of hot drinks and settle into our campsite for the night.
After an early and nutritious breakfast with your trekking team, you will prepare for the third day of the hike. Today you will be hiking very close to the wonderful views of the Ausangate Glacier Peaks, experiencing spectacular views of lakes and waterfalls. You may even see some llamas, alpacas and wild vicuñas (the undomesticated ancestor of the alpaca, the national animal of Peru), as well as condors soaring above. We will ascend for 3-hours to reach the Abra Campo Pass, which is at (5000m/16404ft), where you will discover magnificent views of the surrounding areas. It is possible that in some months of the year, we will have snow hikes, but mostly in the dry season, you just get great views. This is an excellent place to look for vicuñas, which are the most important wild animals still living in Peru, they belong to the family of Andean Camellias. Their fleece is the most expensive wool in the world today and are the national animal of Peru and found in the quote of arms. After taking a few amazing pictures we continue to our lunch spot, with a gradual descent for another 1.5hours to a beautiful area where you will enjoy your third day’s lunch. It will be another 2.5-hour hike to arrive at our campsite in Qampa.
After 3 days of hiking and acclimatization, on Day 4 we are ready for another adventure! We take breakfast early and begin our hike for approximately 1 hour to reach the glacier base and than the top of the mountain! After enjoying the spectacular views of the Vilcanota Range, we descend back down to enjoy a delicious lunch. In the afternoon, we head towards the Qomer Lake just before arriving at Pacchanta after a 5-hour walk. Pacchanta is a little community with attractive hot springs where we can enjoy a relaxing dip. Then we take our transportation back to Cusco.
The Ausangate Trek is available to depart any day of the week as long as we have a minimum of two participants.
***This price includes the extra pack horse which will carry your belongings up to 7kgs, we provide you a duffel bag, in which to put your things.
***We provide large Eureka 4 person tents for each 2 trekkers.
***Private price is $200 USD extra per person.
Please read the following information carefully; it will help with your questions about our services and the Ausangate Trek.
You will be greeted at the airport in Cusco and taken to your hotel, please ensure that you inform us of your full flight details at least 14 days prior to arrival. Look for our representative holding an orange SPIDER TRAVEL PERU board at the exit from the arrivals terminal.
Your briefing will take place the night before your trek. It will be held at our office at 6 or 6:30pm, depending on your confirmation email details. The office is located at Garcilaso Street 210 , Office Nº:207 (2nd Floor) in the la CASA DEL ABUELO shopping center.
Of course! During the Ausangate Trek your main luggage can be stored at our office or at your hotel, whichever is more convenient for you.
FIRST, to book your Ausangate Trek, you need to select your trek/tour date and the number of tFIRST,FIRST, to book your Ausangate, you need to select your trek/tour date and the number of travelers on the right hand side. Then proceed to the next page to complete the booking form.
Please be ready with the following information (FROM EACH PARTICIPANT in your group). We cannot purchase an Ausangate, permits and entrances without the following information:
SECOND, we require a deposit of US$211.00 per person in order to purchase a permit for the Ausangate Trek. You can make you deposit by clicking on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on the top of our home page, or you can click on the VISA or PAYPAL symbols on our booking page or click here on the payment of your choice, either VISA or PAYPAL.
If you would like to avoid the high credit card fees in Peru, you may pay in cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) here in Cusco. There are many ATMS within the historical center to withdraw money. You can also pay by VISA or PAYPAL online but you will have to pay a 5.5% service fee, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. To pay your balance through PAYPAL, you need to log into your PAYPAL account and use our email address in@spidertravelperu.com to complete the payment.
Yes, but with some restrictions. Please contact the office as soon as possible if you need to change your date.
*** If you cancel your Ausangate Trekking, the deposit is non-refundable!
The weather is very unpredictable and it’s difficult to foresee. BUT you will have many different seasons as you pass through the numerous microclimates and will depend on the altitude. With the Ausangate Trek, we highly recommend you bring some very warm clothes and good rain gear in your day backpack. It can be very cold at the high altitudes of this trek.
In general if you exercise regularly and spend 3 days in Cusco, or in the Sacred Valley for acclimatization to the altitude, you may be just fine.
The recommended medicine for altitude sickness is WATER, COCA TEA and OXYGEN IF NEEDED; our guides are trained to treat you for Altitude Sickness. For more detailed information on Altitude Sickness click this link: Altitude Sickness.
We offer the Cusco City Tour and Sacred Valley tours that you can book while you are acclimatizing. Check out our day tours on our Main Page.
The evening before you start your Ausangate Trek, you will be given a SMALL DUFFEL BAG to pack your clothes for the next four days. Your weight allowance is up to 7kg/15p. Your team of pack horses will carry your duffel bag for you, together with the food and camping gear. It’s important to be aware that you will not have access to your items in the duffel bag until the end of each day, as the horses will always be ahead of the group. During the Ausangate Trek, you need a day backpack big enough to carry your personal belongings such as a warm jacket, a rain jacket, your camera, sunscreen, snacks, water, etc. Usually a 30 to 40 litre backpack is sufficient.
Yes, it is a challenging trek with most of the trail over 4000 meters or 13123 feet. You need to be in good physical condition and used to hiking.
In preparation: try walking 15kms in a day or go to the fitness club in the months leading up to the trek. It is also important to be well acclimatised to the altitude. Try to spend at least 3 days in Cusco (3350m/11,047ft) prior to starting the Ausangate trekking .
This has been highly appreciated by most of our clients, especially by our trekkers, who want a private, clean and sanitary toilet! SAM Travel Peru toilet facilities have an individual tent and a camping toilet with a seat. Check out the picture, which illustrates how we set up our camping toilet on the trek by using this link: picture of toilet tent. Our toilet is always set up a comfortable distance from our campsite. At night if you need to use the toilet it is readily accessible and clean, unlike the dirty facilities supplied by the government.
In the unlikely scenario that you are unable to finish the Ausangate trekking due to a health issue, Sam Travel Peru will assist you to the nearest town for help with transportation. We always carry oxygen on the trek for any respiratory problems. In extreme cases, a helicopter pick up can be arranged at your own expense. (Travel insurance required). There are no refunds in the unlikely situation that you are unable to finish the Ausangate trekking .
If you’re happy with the services provided, a tip – though not compulsory – is appreciated. While it may not be customary in your country, it’s of great significance for the people who will take care of you during the trek. It inspires them to give excellent service and is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many SAM Travel Peru destinations. Of course you are free to tip as much as you feel appropriate, depending on your perception of the quality and the length of your trip. Remember, a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
Yes, we are a local, sustainable & responsible tourism operator for that we incorporate the universal principles of tourism: protect the environment and benefit the local communities by respecting their culture and religion. With this in mind, we have trained all our local staff to know and understand, respect the places and the local people.
As a Professional Direct Local Tour operator we provide you with a duffel bag at your briefing and INCLUDE an extra pack horse who will carry up to 7 kgs or 15 pounds including your 2.5kg sleeping bag, mattress and extra clothing. By Peruvian law, a duffel bag must not weigh more than 7 kilograms (15lbs). This limit is set to protect the health of the porters or horses. All bags will be weighed before being accepted. If you require more than 7 kilograms, it will then be your responsibility to carry the extra weight with your day pack. In this 7 kilos, please count 2 kilos for your sleeping bag and 1 kilo for your sleeping pad. This leaves you about 4 kilos for your personal gear.
We highly recommend a small backpack 30 to 40Litres for hiking in the day. A big backpack will not be allowed into Machu Picchu. The remainder of your belongings will be in your duffel bag at camp.
Water: Please supply your own water until the first lunch spot, then we will provide you with cold boiled water at every meal time. Please bring your canteens.
Just got back from our wonderful trip two days ago! Our group was a group of adult siblings/SOs ( age 27-35) with our 64-year-old parents. Most if not all of the positive reviews you see are similar to what my family experienced, so sharing a few other highlights that may get a little less shine:
Amanda A
January 19, 2024Just got back from our wonderful trip two days ago! Our group was a group of adult siblings/SOs ( age 27-35) with our 64-year-old parents. Most if not all of the positive reviews you see are similar to what my family experienced, so sharing a few other highlights that may get a little less shine:
Amanda A
January 19, 2024Just got back from our wonderful trip two days ago! Our group was a group of adult siblings/SOs ( age 27-35) with our 64-year-old parents. Most if not all of the positive reviews you see are similar to what my family experienced, so sharing a few other highlights that may get a little less shine:
Amanda A
January 19, 2024Just got back from our wonderful trip two days ago! Our group was a group of adult siblings/SOs ( age 27-35) with our 64-year-old parents. Most if not all of the positive reviews you see are similar to what my family experienced, so sharing a few other highlights that may get a little less shine:
Amanda A
January 19, 2024Just got back from our wonderful trip two days ago! Our group was a group of adult siblings/SOs ( age 27-35) with our 64-year-old parents. Most if not all of the positive reviews you see are similar to what my family experienced, so sharing a few other highlights that may get a little less shine:
Amanda A
January 19, 2024Just got back from our wonderful trip two days ago! Our group was a group of adult siblings/SOs ( age 27-35) with our 64-year-old parents. Most if not all of the positive reviews you see are similar to what my family experienced, so sharing a few other highlights that may get a little less shine:
Amanda A
January 19, 2024
All our guides have many years of experience in the industry and come highly recommended. They are fully versed in the values and vision of Spider Travel and will provide a service inline with those values. Our guides are knowledgeable and passionate about Inca Heritage and culture and in Peru as a whole. They dedicate themselves to continuous professional development and growth to ensure that you receive the most recent accurate and recognized theories about Inca and Andean culture. They are well educated, usually holding a degree in more than one field of study and can therefore hold a conversation on a broad spectrum of issues. Finally, expect to have an amazing time while trekking, our guides are fun loving and great sportsmen.
Our porters personify hard work. We employ about 90 porters from local communities. They are mostly farmers by trade and are native Quechua speakers. They mainly come from the indigenous communities around the trail. We refer to our super porters as ¨Red Machine¨. This is because they work hard during the treks but carrying duffel bags, camping gear, and more! It is important to us that we employ porters from local villages because we are supporting them to become self-efficient and helping communities grow their economy to better the quality of lives.
We provide the following items to our porters and cooks for free: Working insurance, Jacket, sun hat, warm hat, t-shirt, pants, hiking boots, comfortable duffle bags, canteen, girdle for protecting their spine, sleeping bags, mattress.
Our porters are what make everything look seamless and smooth. They have your tent ready before your arrival in your tent and most importantly they significantly lighten that camping gear load.
This is where youth comes in handy. Our chefs are fully trained to provide the most scrumptious, abundant and simply mouthwatering meals in the outdoors with limited equipment. Our chefs prepare the best of fusion cooking that includes Peruvian and International dishes, using organic local and exotic ingredients. Our chefs are very versatile, serving even better specialty dishes for those with food allergies and specific dietary requirements. It has been a highlight for a majority of our hikers and we have yet to disappoint a trekker. Enjoy a complete and immersive culinary experience while trekking through the rugged Andes Mountains.
Enjoy a good night sleep in our 4 season igloo waterproof, spacious and professional EUREKA tent. All our tents are 4 person tents. ONLY 2 people will sleep in each, leaving lots of room to spread out comfortably and store your duffel bag. They also include a little vestibule in front, giving you some extra outdoor space to leave your boots and walking poles so you don’t have to bring the dirt inside. We also bring our own portable camping toilet, so you can use our clean facilities instead of the ones provided by the government. Our dining tent is spacious, with room to hangout during meal time and get to know your fellow hikers and guide.
