Summary
3-Day Trek Ausangate, Rainbow Mountain, Red Valley and Upis’ Hot Springs. This short hike through the Andes will start on the date that you and your group decide to do it.
Summary of the 3-day Trek to Ausangate Mountain
Day 1: Cusco – Tinki – Upis
- 07:00 am. Pick you up from your hotel in Cusco
- 11:00 am. Arrival to Upis
- 12:00 pm. Lunch
- 1:30 pm. visit the Ausangate lagoon
- 5:30 pm. Coffee time
- 6:30 pm. Dinner
Day 2: Upis – Puca Cocha – Chillca Pass – Ananta.
- 5:30 am. Breakfast
- 6:00 am. Hiking start
- 12:00 pm. Lunch in Puca Cocha
- 4:00 pm. Arrival at the Ananta campsite
- 5:30 pm. Hot drink time
- 6:30 pm. Dinner and camping in Ananta
Day 3: Ananta – Rainbow Mountain – Red valley – Chillwani – Cusco.
- 05:30 a.m. breakfast
- 6:00 am. Trekking Start
- 08:30 a.m. Arrival at Rainbow Mountain
- 09:30 a.m. Through the red valley
- 12:00 p.m. Last lunch in Chillwany community
- 5:00 p.m. Arrival in Cusco – Hotel
Itinerary
The detailed itinerary of the 3 day hike to Ausangate
Day 1: Cusco – Tinki – Upis.
To start the 3-day Trek Ausangate, leave the city of Cusco at 7:00 a.m., then travel by private bus to the south of the city of Cusco. On this 3 and a half hour trip, you will pass through the beautiful small towns, Urcos, Ocongate, Tinki and finally reach the community of Upis, located on the slopes of the Ausangate mountain.
After your first lunch, you will have free time to take a walk around the Ausangate lagoon. If you are well prepared physically, you can climb the glacier until you reach perpetual snow (5,300 meters / 17,388 feet). To reach perpetual snow, you do not need climbing equipment; you can only arrive with trekking shoes because the snow is in a very accessible place. Just in case, the tour guide will take a crampon and a rope.
Later, relax in the hot springs and enjoy your dinner (6:30 p.m.)
- Altitude of Upis camp: 4,210 meters / 13,809 feet
- Accommodation: Camping
- Walking distance: 9 km / 5.6 miles
- Walking time: 4 hours.
- Accommodation: Upis’ campsite.
Day 2: Upis – Puka Qocha – Paso Chillca – Ananta
Today will be the challenge day of the 3-day hike Ausangate walk because you will walk more than 20 kilometers and also pass 2 higher points. Arapa pass 4,980 meters / 16,335 feet and Chillca pass 4,995 meters / 16,384 feet.
To start today’s activity. You’ll wake up at 5:00 a.m. with coca tea in your store and at 5:30 a.m., have an energetic breakfast. Then, start walking uphill to Puka Qocha (red lagoon), where you will enjoy your healthy lunch with beautiful views: stone forests, small freshwater streams, picturesque lagoons, and steep snow-capped mountains.
After your delicious lunch, continue your journey to the Ananta camp, where you will spend your second night of the 3-Day Trek to Ausangate, Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley. In the same way, this part of your adventure will be unique, since you will pass to the second-highest point, the Chillca Pass. From where you will have the splendid beauty of nature. You will also see hundreds of South American Camelids (Vicuñas, Alpacas, and Llamas) and, finally, you will arrive at the Ananta camp.
- Walking distance: 18 km / 11.2 miles
- Hiking time: 9 hours approximately
- Highest elevation: 4,995 meters / 16,384 feet.
- Difficulty: moderate / difficult.
- Accommodation: Camping
- Ananta campsite elevation: 4,710 meters / 15,449 feet
Day 3: Ananta – Rainbow Mountain Tour – Red valley – Chilliwani – Cusco
Today is the last day of your adventure, 3-Day Trek Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain. However, it is a long-awaited day, because you will visit one of the places that have become so famous and touristic in the last 3-year, “the Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley”.
To be the first to arrive at this colorful place, have breakfast at 5:30 am, then cross the Warmisaya Pass (4985 meters / 00 feet). From here, on the horizon, you can see the Rainbow Mountain or the Mountain of 7 colors.
You try to reach the Rainbow Mountain before 9:00 a.m. and also before the crowd arrives by bus from Cusco. When you get to the viewpoint, take excellent pictures without tourists. After 9:00 a.m., this place is full, more than a thousand tourists visit every day, by then, you will already be going towards the red valley, which is another fantastic place.
After appreciating the natural beauty, you will begin to descend to the Chilliwani community, where your private minivan will be waiting for you to take you to the city of Cusco.
Before starting 3 and a half hours trip to Cusco, say goodbye to the adventure team (muleteers and cook).
Arrival in the city of Cusco – Hotel at approximately 5:00 p.m.
- Walking Distance: 9 km/ 5.6 miles
- Highest Elevation: 5,030 meters / 16,502 feet.
- Difficulty: moderate
- Hiking hour: 5 hours roughly
Inclusions
What’s Included and Excluded in the 3-Day Trek to Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain.
What’s included
- Brief information about hiking a day before the start
- Mobility from Cusco – Upis / Chilliwani – Cusco
- Professional guide who speaks English, Spanish and Quechua
- Professional chef and 1 assistant for groups of more than 8 people
- Muleteers in the area to drive the horses that will transport the camping equipment
- Horses to transport the camping equipment.
- Food: 2 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners, snacks (optional vegetarian without additional cost).
- Dining tent and kitchen tent.
- Chairs and dining table.
- 1 store with 4 stations for 2 people plus mats.
- First aid kit.
- Oxygen bottles.
- Entrance to the Ausangate Natural Park, the 7-color Mountain, and red valley.
What’s Excluded
- Sleeping bags (we can rent)
- Travel insurance: it is strongly recommended to take out travel insurance for the duration of your trip
- All flights
- Accommodation in Cusco
- Personal stuff
- Walking sticks
- Breakfast on the first day, dinner on the last day
- Tips for the guide, cook, and muleteers (optional)
Findings
Recommendations
- To do 3-Day Trek to Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain, you have to be in Cusco a minimum 2 days in advance to acclimatize.
- For the best acclimatization, drink the infusion of coca leaves, you should take short walks through the city of Cusco on your own, or you can also hire a short tour like the City Tour, the Sacred Valley, salt mines of Maras – Moray or Machu Picchu full day (booking separately).
- Wear suitable clothes for treks
Packing list
The travel agency Matours will provide you with a duffle backpack where you can take all your things that are mentioned below.
- Long pants
- Sweater and a thick jacket
- Sunglasses
- Personal medications
- Walking or tennis shoes
- Canes
- Hat or cap
- Gloves
- Thick socks
- Water bottle
- Raincoat
- Toilet paper
- Sunscreen
- Lipstick
- Appetizers
- Binoculars (optional)
- Flashlight
- Camera with an extra battery
- Some cash in small bills (soles)
- A lightweight backpack for the route
Prices
Prices of the 3-Day hike to Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain
All our service is private (Exclusive)
Our service is totally personalized, the whole tour will be exclusive for your group, so you can fully enjoy your adventure. The group can be integrated by your family, friends, co-workers or special trips such as weddings, anniversaries, etc.
The price varies according to the size of your group.
Your group size | Price per person | Apply |
| 2 Hikers | US$ 479 | Booking |
| 3 Hikers | US$ 429 | Booking |
| 4 Hikers | US$ 380 | Booking |
| 5 Hikers | US$ 330 | Booking |
| 6+Hikers | US$ 290 | Booking |
Optional services
All these services are not included in this package; if you wish, you must add it to your reservation.
- A pen sleeping bag minus 25 degrees below zero, US$ 10 during the entire trip.
- Supplement for an individual tent, US$ 15 for the entire tour.
- 2 Walking sticks US$ 5.
