Explore the bases of Ausangate Mountain, a place of striking geographic beauty around one of the most significant and sacred mountains in the Andean cosmovision. This trek takes you daily across a mountain pass accompanied by the magic of leaving one scenery to find another in front of your eyes.
Hike through villages stopped in time, and see hot springs and lakes of an impressive turquoise color.
Crossing communities, lakes, agricultural fields, and cattle ranches of the Southern Valley, you arrive from Cusco to the small village of Tinki, where the local muleteers will give you a warm welcome. With their horses, they carry the equipment along the route. Their millenary beliefs and traditions will add a deeper connection to the places you will be exploring along this trail.
This route begins with a slight ascent within view of the snow-capped Ausangate, a sacred mountain for the inhabitants of this region. Among lakes surrounded by rock formations and the typical landscape of the Andean puna, you will reach Upis to camp and relax in the remoteness of the Andes.
Ascend to the Arapa Mountain Pass and immerse yourself among the lakes of Pukacocha, HatunPukacocha, and Qomerqocha, where their red, green, and turquoise waters lie at the feet of the surrounding snow-capped peaks.
A new ascent will take you to the second mountain pass, the Abra de Apuchata, after which we arrive at the campsite.
Today, feel on top of the world as you reach the Palomani Mountain Pass, the highest point of the entire trek. Enjoy the unique scenery at over 5,200 meters (17,060 feet).
Descend along a trail through a high Andean plain surrounded by snow-capped peaks, llamas and alpacas, until you reach Q’ampa where you will spend the night under a million stars.
With refreshed energy, ascend to the Q’ampa Pass, the second-highest on the route, and once again fill your senses with the excitement of being in one of the most remote and beautiful places in the world, guarded by the magnificent snow-capped Colquecruz.
Continue downhill to Qomerqocha, which in Quechua means “the green lake”. A trail near the lake will take you to Pacchanta, a small community where you will enjoy a well-deserved rest in its natural hot springs.
We say goodbye to these mountains, walking the last stretch of this route until we reach the village of Tinki.
Don't see exactly what you are looking for? Contact us
To ensure the well-being and safety of our travelers and staff throughout our operational chain, Terra Explorer will comply with the health and safety measures and protocols established by the Peruvian Association of Adventure Tourism and Ecotourism (APTAE), and implement the Covid-19 health and safety guidelines for adventure tourism developed by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA).
Our experiences are designed considering the least possible exposure, where the final destinations are usually remote places. By their very nature, our adventure activities are considered to be low risk, mainly because they are performed outdoors where ventilation is constant and making it easy to achieve social distancing.
During these times we are working together with a small staff of honorable people who have been part of the Terra Explorer family for many years. They and their families are aligned with the established health and safety measures. Employing these staff members also seeks to reactivate the local economy.
We guarantee a safe, soul-fulfilling trip to all our travelers for whom we make these adventures possible.
Terra Explorer will strictly comply with the safety, cleaning, and hygiene protocols during our internal processes, third parties, and throughout your trip. This involves:
Follow the instructions related to health and safety given by the Terra Explorer team and your guide, before and during your trip.
Stay home if:
With the intention of delivering the most flexibility at the time of confirming your trip, we will determine the amount of the initial deposit individually and according to your itinerary characteristics.
Secure your trip with a deposit and pay the rest in one or more payments, at a time that suits you best. Please make sure you adhere to our policy and pay in full at least 31 days prior to your trip date.
If you need to cancel your trip, we will apply the following flexible policies.
For more detailed information on our terms and conditions and Covid-19 policies, please contact us at [email protected]
