AUSANGATE TREK & RAINBOW MOUNTAIN HIKE ADVENTURE
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, who still go on annual pilgrimages to its icy slopes. With spectacular glacial vistas, uninterrupted beauty and solitude, this is a spectacular trip for seasoned trekkers who love a true outdoor adventure.
Hiking completely around this mystical mountain, you will camp near hot springs and turquoise lakes inhabited by numerous bird species, including Andean goose and the almighty Andean condor. As you trek, you will walk amongst herds of llamas and alpacas in remote native Quechua villages.
In addition, you will get to enjoy the natural colors of the rarely visited Rainbow Mountain, hiking through some isolated communities, in which you may interact with the local people who are still keeping the culture alive! You will see snowcapped peaks, herds of llamas, glaciers and turquoise lakes, all set within an incredibly colourful mountain range created by the various mineral deposits. The Rainbow mountain trek also offers a selection of wildlife; including soaring condors, vicunas, bobcats and pumas. The colourful sandstone mountains in the Vinicunca area is probably the coolest thing you will see in Peru.
Click on the link to find out more about our Ausangate/Rainbow Mountain Trekking Experience..!
We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at 4:00am to begin this amazing hike! We will drive for 2 hours until we reach the Pitumarca Village, where we will stop to collect supplies and then continue for 1 more hour to Qesuno 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. We will also see a lot of vicuñas, condors and amazing glacial lakes. Finally, we hike downhill to Kayrawiry Lake, where our camping tents will be ready. It is time to enjoy an 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 start with 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 surrounding you. Sometimes you can see avalanches 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 valleys of alpaca grazing amongst the hills. It is so impressive! After time to enjoy the amazing views from the pass, we head downhill and reach 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) as well as condors soaring above. We will have a 3-hour ascension 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. There is a good chance you will see vicuñas, which are the most impressive animals still living wild in Peru, they belong to the family of Andean Camellias. Their fleece is the most expensive wool in the world today. 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 second day’s lunch. It will be another 2.5-hour hike to arrive at our campsite in JAMPA. After 3 days of hiking and acclimatization, on Day 4 we are ready for another adventure! We take breakfast early and begin our hike of approximately 1 hour to reach the glacier base and then to 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 descend towards the Qomerqocha Lagoon 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. This trek is available to depart any day of the week as long as we have two people. ***This price includes the extra porter who will carry your belongings up to 7kgs, we provide you a duffle bag, to put your things. ***We provide large Eureka 4 man tents for each 2 trekkers. SAM (initials of Saul Alvarez Montalvo) Travel Peru is a family owned travel agency and direct local tour operator based in Cusco with personal experience over many years of trekking. SAM Travel Peru is a 1oo% Cusquenian Company without any shareholders. My dream as the owner was to create small personalized tours & treks strictly and only operated by local professional staff catering in PERSONALIZED and HIGH QUALITY SERVICE. We take pride in having a reputation as being a RESPONSIBLE & SUSTAINABLE tour operator. My staff are my extended family. I ensure they are supported financially by paying them a good wage. I am proud of my team without them I couldn’t give the best service and lifetime experiences to our clients. In an effort to provide a more personalised service to our passengers, we, in SAM Travel Peru have a policy that our groups will not exceed 8 people. This sets us apart from other companies that operate departures with bigger groups. Our itinerary is slightly different than the other trekking companies. Our camps are far away from others and we visit the 2 amazing glacial lakes when no one else is there. We hike up to Llactapata Inca ruins which is overlooking Machu Picchu and you can enjoy the guided tour into Machu Picchu in a small group group. I am very proud of my guides! Highly professional, speaking fluent English, very knowledgeable, passionate for the Inca heritage/ history, dedicated to a steady personal development, learning to ensure that you receive accurate and recognised theories about the Inca Andean culture. Fun loving, great sportsmen and well educated crew as well as having a degree in Archaeology, Botany, History or Anthropology. Some of them are great entertainers and the best “Salsa Dancers” on this side of Machu Picchu. Hiking the Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu with SAM Travel Peru is a life changing experience with a fully portered trek where your comfort and enjoyment are our first priority. We make sure that you get the best experience for your holiday in Peru while you interact with the locals, explore fantastic sites and re-discover remote ancient Inca towns and buildings. Having the opportunity to learn some words in Quechua and about the fascinating Inka history. Immerse yourself in the stunning landscape and simply feel the magic of Mother Nature (Pachamama) and the Andes. We carry your gear, prepare your meals, set up your tents avoid crowded campsites and take care of you while you sit back and relax. We provide the following items to our porters and cooks for free: Jacket, sun hat, warm hat, t-shirt, pants, hiking boots, comfortable duffle bags, canteen and girdle for protecting their spine, sleeping bags, mattress´s and insurance. Fabulous Cooks… The food on the trek has been highlighted by all our clients they say “that it was better than in the restaurant’s. “Delicious and abundant gourmet style meals, Peruvian and International Cuisine are prepared by our professional and dedicated cooks from a mixture of local and exotic produce. If you are vegetarian or have food allergies of any kind, we can cater our meal to adjust to your needs. SAM Travel Peru honours any food restrictions and special diets such a vegetarian or Vegan! Our team (Guides, Cooks, Porters, Cowboys) and our equipment are what really makes SAM Travel Peru stand out from all the competitors…. For all our adventures we hike we include the following items: SAM Travel Peru has always believed that we should “give back” to the communities we pass through when on our treks. Therefore, as part of our commitment to responsible tourism, we always do many social projects and hire locally. SAM Travel Peru is so proud to be able to support these beautiful people, not only employing them work but also to keep things at grassroots, to share in their homes and with their families. This makes us happy to have this holistic approach with our highland employees and their families! A beautiful reflection of our attitude in everything we do, is making life richer and more meaningful for all involved. “Please read carefully the following information; it will help with your questions about our services and the trek to Machu Picchu” You will be greeted at Cusco airport and taken to your hotel, please ensure that you inform us of your full flight details at least 14 days prior to trek´s start. Look out for our representative holding an orange board of SAM Travel Peru at the arrival terminal. It will take place the night before the trekking departure at 6pm at our office which is located at Calle Santa Teresa Nº383 ; 303 (second floor) we are next to SUBWAY restaurant. Of course! During the Salkantay trek to Machu Picchu your main luggage can be stored at our office or at your hotel, both are for free. FIRST, to book your Ausangate Trek, we need you to fill out our booking form by clicking on BOOK NOW on our homepage or click here the link BOOK NOW. Please be ready with the following information (FROM EACH PARTICIPANT in your group). We cannot purchase an Ausangate Trek entrance tickets without the following information: SECOND, we require a deposit of US$200.00 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. It would be greatly appreciated if you pay in cash at our office (US dollars or Peruvian soles) here in Cusco. We have many cash machines in 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 charge, charged by VISA and PAYPAL. To pay your balance through PAYPAL, you need to log into your PAYPAL account using our email address of samtravelperu@gmail.com. Unfortunately the answer is generally “No”. Once the tickets have been bought the government does not allow any changes, so we can’t change any departure dates. Tickets are not transferable nor refundable. With alternative treks we may be able to change dates for a fee depending on what has been already purchased. Please contact the office as soon as possible if you need to change your date. 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 location. 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 maximum group size is 8 persons. Usually our groups are between 2-6 persons. Sam Travel Peru specializes in SMALL, PRIVATE groups and provides a personalized service. You will have 1 cook per group. The number of porters depends of the size of the group. For a group of 2 trekkers, they will have 4 porters, 4 trekkers will have 6 porters, 6 trekkers will have 9 porters, 8 trekkers will have 12 porters. The evening before you start your trek, you will be given a SMALL DUFFLE BAG to pack your clothes for the next four days. Your weight allowance is up to 7kg/14p. Your team of porters will carry your duffle 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 duffle bag until the end of each day, as the porters will always be ahead of the group. During the 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 50 litre backpack is sufficient. Yes, it is a challenging trek with most of the you are over 4ooo 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 trek. It has been highlighted by most of our clients, especially by the female ones 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 scenario that you are unable to finish the trek 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 trek. Absolutely!! Included in the package and on the last day we will drop you at your hotel in Cusco! If you have booked your hotel in the Sacred Valley like Ollantaytambo or Urubamba, we will drop you there too! If you’re happy with the services provided, a tip – though not compulsory – is appropriate. While it may not be customary to you, 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 more or less as you feel it, 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 duffle bag at your briefing and INCLUDE an extra porter who will carry up to 7 kgs or 14 pounds including your 2.5kg sleeping bag, mattress and extra clothing. 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.Overview
Day 1: Cusco – Pitumarca – Qesuno – Kayrawiry Lake.
Day 2: Kayrawiri Lake – Ausangate Cocha.
Day 3: Ausangate Lake – Jampa.
Day 4: Jampa – Pacchanta
Inclusions
WHAT IS INCLUDED
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Price
PRICE – US$577 per person
DISCOUNTS
EXTRAS
ADDED VALUES for FREE
Why SAM
WHY CHOOSE SAM TRAVEL
SMALL GROUPS
BEST TREKKING ROUTE
OUR TOP TOUR GUIDES
OUR SUPER COOL PORTERS
OUR COOKS ON THE SALKANTAY TREK
OUR EQUIPMENT
OUR KITCHEN & DINING TENTS: The dining tent is used as our meeting room at meal time. It´s a place to enjoy our meals and the company of fellow trekkers.OUR SOCIAL PROJECTS
Important Info
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR AUSANGATE TREK
WELCOME TO CUSCO
THE BRIEFING
CAN I STORE MY LUGGAGE AT YOUR OFFICE
HOW TO BOOK THE AUSANGATE TREK
WHAT ABOUT THE BALANCE?
MAY I CHANGE THE DEPARTURE DATE AFTER THE TICKETS HAVE BEEN BOUGHT?
*** If you cancel your Ausangate Trek, the deposit is not refundable at all!WHAT IS THE WEATHER LIKE ON THE AUSANGATE TREK
WHAT ABOUT ALTITUDE SICKNESS ON AUSANGATE TREK
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE THERE PER GROUP?
HOW MANY COOKS/PORTERS FOR THE GROUP?
HIKING AUSANGATE TREK
IS THE TREK DIFFICULT, DO I NEED TO BE FIT?
WHAT ABOUT TOILETS ON THE TREK?
WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM UNABLE TO FINISH THE AUSANGATE TREK
ARE WE GOING TO BE DROPPED AT OUR HOTEL AFTER THE TREK?
TIPPING
ARE WE SUSTAINABLE?
Packing List
WHAT YOU HAVE TO TAKE WITH YOU
WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR DUFFLE BAG
TOILETRIES
WHAT TO PUT IN YOUR BACKPACK
