Rainbow Mountain Trek: Explore Cusco's Natural Wonder

Embark on a 5-day Ausangate Trek and Rainbow Mountain adventure. Witness vibrant peaks, serene valleys, and Andean night skies. Experience tranquility and natural wonders.

Duration: 5 days
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights

Cusco, Upis to Yana Qocha Campsite

Nevado Auzangate - The day begins with a 4:30 am pickup from your hotel, followed by a 3-hour journey to the trek’s starting point. After breakfast, the adventure starts on a flat trail leading to the lunch camp, followed by a 2-hour ascent to the Aarapa Pass (4,800 m / 15,748 ft).
The journey continues with a…

What's Included
  • Vegetarian and vegan meals
  • Sleeping bag
  • Tea Time or Happy Hour, every afternoon
  • Pre-departure briefing
  • Emergency horse to ride
  • Professional cook for our group
  • Rubber warmers for the night
  • PRO Air sleeping pad, Therma-Rest brand
  • Lunch, Dinner, Breakfast
  • One duffle bag per person
  • Water to drink on the trail every day
  • Wake up tea,…
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Our Mother Nature will surprise you with an impressive display of vibrant and varied colors spread over the high peaks of Cusco. Remember that when you put your eyes on Rainbow Mountain, you’ll be contemplating millions of years of geological history and a natural wonder that’s not repeated on almost any other corner of the planet. You can also feel…

Location
Cuzco Main Square
Del Medio
We will meet in the middle of Cusco's main square at 4:30 am.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(2 Ratings)
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Breakfastbuffets
Dec 3, 2024
A truly breathtaking and epic trek, with excellent logistical support from Peru Hike - My wife and I did the 5D4N trek around Ausangate, including a detour to see Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain). We were the only trekkers in our group. Both of us rate this trek as one of the best we've ever done, given the literally breathtaking scenery and the variety of landscapes that we passed through. We got many peeks of snow-capped peaks, went up close to gigantic glaciers, climbed up many rocky passes, traversed over fields of grass and moss, as well as passed by numerous beautiful lakes and the occasional waterfall. We also managed to see many alpaca herds, some llamas, as well as spotted a family of vicuñas once. Although we did this trek during the start of the rainy season and thus often experienced a variety of precipitation (rain, hail and snow—sometimes all in a single day), we were fortunate enough to get some pockets of decent weather. The support provided by Peru Hike was excellent. Franklin, the owner, was quick to respond to my queries via email or WhatsApp, and met up with us for a briefing the day before we departed. Richard, our guide, took great care of us during the trek and was constantly upbeat, making the five days highly enjoyable! We also appreciated how he actually grew up in the Upis community (near the start of our trek) and thus knew the various places along the trek intimately (e.g. he would know who stayed in the houses that we passed by). Not surprisingly, we learnt a ton about life around Ausangate (what people did for a living, their customs, their challenges, etc.), as well as the flora and fauna of the region. This made the trek all the more meaningful, as it wasn't only about walking through a pretty place, but also getting immersed in its culture. Wilber, our cook, made the most exceptional meals, which often surprised us in a good way. Who would have thought we could enjoy a plate of piping hot lomo saltado or chaufa de quinoa (fried quinoa) in the remotest of locations? With a bowl of hot soup (divine in the cold weather) and generous servings of a protein, vegetables and carbs for every lunch and dinner, we were well-nourished throughout and never went hungry. Wilber also prepared small snack packs every day to fuel us for our long day of trekking, which we largely completed between an early breakfast and lunch to avoid the afternoon rains. Don Juan, our horseman, was a tireless and dependable guy who made sure that our bags and equipment arrived safely from point-to-point. Thanks to him, we almost always had our tent ready for us when we arrived at the campsite for each day, with our duffel bags and sleeping bags already placed inside. We also constantly saw him fetching water and cleaning the various cooking utensils—the hidden force behind making sure that all our logistics were in order. The equipment provided by Peru Hike was great too. My wife and I had a spacious tent with ample space to put our personal belongings. The sleeping bags and sleeping pads provided by Peru Hike was also of good quality and very comfortable. To keep us warm in the cold weather, we were also given a thick blanket to line the sleeping bag, as well as a hot water pouch every night. My wife and I also appreciated the little gestures like a cup of hot tea every morning delivered directly by Wilber or Don Juan to our tent before breakfast, and being provided a bowl of hot water to wash our hands before meals. Separately, we also appreciated that Peru Hike worked a lot with the local communities around Ausangate for this trek. Besides our guide, Richard, who was from the Upis community, Don Juan was from Upis village. It was important to us to know that our tourism dollars were going to the communities we visit, so that they can continue to safeguard Ausangate and its natural surroundings. (On a separate note unrelated to Peru Hike, we noticed that there was some litter in a couple of the campsites, especially the Yana Qocha campsite on our first night. So even though Ausangate is relatively less popular, there are still enough visitors and their trash to create a negative environmental impact.) All in all, my wife and I had a fantastic experience on our trek with Peru Hike. For anyone looking to trek Ausangate, we can highly recommend them!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rubenbx4262kc
Sep 27, 2024
Trekking through Ausangate - We did the Ausangate Trek. Challenging but very beautiful, worth it. Miguel who was our Guide was very helpful, always attentive and coordinating daily activities. Spectacular cook, very good breakfast, lunch and dinner. Very attentive and helpful muleteers. Equipment such as tent, envelopes, blankets and mattresses of very good quality. Peru Hike is highly recommended for activities in the Cusco area. Franklin was always very attentive to the queries and doubts we had before starting the activity.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 12 guests
1 Adult
January 2025
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