If you are one of those people who like to hike, this program is ideal for you. We design an itinerary with the two most visited routes in Cusco that will take you to visit impressive places, where you will enjoy immense glaciers, colorful mountains, and cloud forests. We offer you a trip full of mysteries so you can get the most out of this adventure. All this, in addition to living the experience of spending the night in the comfort of the Sky Camp designed to enjoy the breathtaking night view.
We will leave Cusco early in the morning towards Quesiuno, where we will start an ascent to the Puca Pass. Afterwards, we will descend to Anantapata, have lunch and ascend again until we reach the Warmisaya Pass. We will spend the first night in our campsite at the Surinecocha lake. The next day, we will visit the Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley viewpoint. Then, we will head to Andahuaylillas and visit its famous colonial church. We will also explore Rumi Punku and the Huacarpay Wetland. We will spend the night at the Sky Camp in Soraypampa.
Continuing with this adventure, we will conquer the trek's highest point, the Salkantay Pass. We will appreciate the incredible views that this magical trail offers us and descend through the Chaullay cloud forest to our campsite at the Andean Huts; from here, we will walk along the train tracks until we reach the town of Aguas Calientes. The next day, we will finish this journey by visiting the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu and learning about its incredible history.
We will leave Cusco at 4 a.m. in our private transportation to the village of Quesiuno (4,376 m / 14,357 ft.) for breakfast. We will start with three hours of ascent until we reach Puca Pass (4,870 m / 15,977 ft), where we will enjoy the impressive views of the turquoise-blue lakes known as Pucacochas. In addition, we will have the opportunity to contemplate the beauty of the imposing Ausangate snow-capped mountain in all its extension.
After a well-deserved rest and recharged with energy, we will continue for an hour and a half of descent until we reach the lunch spot, Anantapata (4,750 m / 11,614 ft). Continuing with our hike, we will ascend for two hours to the Warmisaya Pass (4,985 m / 16,355 ft), where we will see the beginning of the Rainbow Mountain with its striking colors that dazzle every visitor. Finally, we will descend for 45 minutes until we reach the camp point known as Surinecocha (4,800m / 15,748 ft).
Our day begins by heading towards Quesiuno; we will ascend for three hours until we reach Puca Pass. After observing the beautiful scenery this route offers us, we will rest and continue descending to have lunch in Anantapata. After enjoying a delicious lunch, we will ascend to Warmisaya Pass. Finally, we descend towards our campsite in Surinecocha for dinner and overnight.
We will wake up early and enjoy a delicious breakfast that will give us the necessary energy to enjoy this day to the fullest. We will ascend slowly to warm up, and, after two hours of hiking, we will arrive at the Rainbow Mountain (5,100 m / 16,732 ft). Our guide will give us information about the place and important facts that will help us to better understand the importance of Vinicunca for the local people. After appreciating the beautiful views of the landscape, we will descend to go to the Red Valley Viewpoint and admire its reddish mountains.
We will continue walking until we reach Llacto (4,630 m / 15,190 ft), where we will take a well-deserved rest. We will leave in our private transportation for an hour and a half until we reach Andahuaylillas (3,122 m / 10,242 ft); here, we will visit its famous church known as the Sistine of America. After nourishing ourselves with the history of this cultural monument, we will return to our vehicle for a 20-minute drive to Rumi Punku, considered the main entrance to the imperial city of Cusco in Inca times.
We will descend for 45 minutes to the Huacarpay Wetland (3,030 m / 9,940 ft), a perfect place to observe migratory birds. Here, we will enjoy a delicious lunch before embarking on a three-hour drive to Soraypampa, where you will spend the night at our Sky Camp.
Our day starts early to have a hearty breakfast and head to the Rainbow Mountain. Open your eyes wide; you don't see a landscape like this every day. Then, we will walk to the Red Valley Viewpoint and contemplate the reddish mountains that nature gives us. We will descend towards Llacto, and we will leave in our private transportation until we reach Andahuaylillas and appreciate its colonial church. Later, we will arrive at Rumi Punku, and after learning a little more about the history of these magical places, we will descend to the Huacarpay Wetland for lunch. At the end, the transportation will be waiting for us to go to Soraypampa to rest in the Sky Camp.
We will walk to the trek's highest point, the Salkantay Pass (4,630 m / 15,190 ft), and slowly advance along the path of the seven snakes, named for its sinuous shape. At the top, you will appreciate the impressive views of the Salkantay glacier (6,271 m / 20,574 ft); in addition, you will see the valley route, along which we venture to reach our destination.
After completing the great challenge of the day, we will descend to our lunch spot, Wayracmachay, where you will enjoy a delicious meal made by the expert hands of our cooks. We will rest for a while before leaving again. In the afternoon, we will enter the cloud forest, also known as the eyebrow jungle, and hike for approximately three hours, appreciating the dense jungle.
The scenery along this hike is truly beautiful, you will enjoy many magical places in a single day, glaciers, mountains, and unique native plants of the area. Finally, you will arrive at your campsite in the small village of Chaullay (2,900 m / 9,514 ft), and enjoy a delicious dinner and a well-deserved rest in our Andean Huts.
Today we will slowly advance along the trail of the seven snakes until we reach the highest point of the trek, the Salkantay Pass. After contemplating the beautiful views, we will descend to our lunch point in Wayracmachay. In the afternoon, we will walk through the cloud forest and, in approximately three hours, we will arrive at our resting place, the village of Chaullay. We will spend the night in the Andean Huts.
We will enjoy a warm morning descending for approximately six hours through the Santa Teresa valley to the town of La Playa. Taking advantage of the tropical climate that the road offers us, we will taste our last lunch and then be part of a small exhibition of the delicious coffee of the area.
After a well-deserved rest, private transportation will take us to the town of Hidroeléctrica. From here, we will hike alongside the railroad track and the Urubamba River until we reach Aguas Calientes in approximately three hours. If at this point you feel tired, you can opt to take the train service.
Upon arrival, we will settle into our hotel; here, the decision is yours; you can rest or explore the town of Aguas Calientes before heading to an exclusive restaurant for dinner.
We will descend for approximately six hours towards the village of La Playa, where we will have lunch and participate in a local coffee exhibition. We will rest and, in our private transportation, we will go to Hidroeléctrica. Once here, we will begin the three-hour hike to Aguas Calientes, or, if you wish, you can choose to board a train (not included). In the evening, after settling into a hotel, we can explore the area before going to dinner.
Very early in the morning, and after enjoying a delicious breakfast, we will head to the bus station for a half-hour ride to our long-awaited destination, the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. We recommend you to use the restrooms before entering. We will enjoy this marvel in a tour of approximately two to three hours. Our guide will take you to explore the most important places of the sanctuary.
Hours later, we will return to Aguas Calientes, we will have time to have lunch and explore this town one last time before boarding the train back to Ollantaytambo, where the transportation will be waiting for us to take us back to the city of Cusco.
The day is finally here! After a hearty breakfast, we will head to the bus station to go to the long-awaited Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. During this guided tour, we will learn about this marvel and its mythical places. After witnessing such beautiful architecture made by the Incas, we will return by bus to Aguas Calientes to board the train back to Ollantaytambo and, after a few hours, head back to Cusco in our private transportation.
Your tour will be led by a trained and highly experienced professional with a very solid guiding background, years of hiking and wilderness experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into unforgettable adventures.
After a challenging trek we know how important a good hot meal can be to prepare your body and warm you up. That’s why on every trek with Salkantay Trekking we employ chefs with years of experience cooking on the trails so that they provide filling.
All of our hiking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola.
Our Horseman and his horses are in charge of all our gear and will always await us within the safe and comfortable camp sites.
So you are planning to trek the famous Ausangate?
his Ausangate Packing List will help you to prepare for your outdoor adventure in one of the most stunning regions of South America.
In it we have provided as much detail on every piece of kit you will need for a safe and successful trekking. The packing list includes personal recommendations on gear that we own and use. We believe these recommended items of gear provide the best value for money and deliver the best performance.
The "Rainbow Mountain - Salkantay Challenge" can leave any day of the week, from March through January. We do not run this trek in February because rainy season & maintenance.
This small-group journey is guaranteed to operate with just two guests.
Notice that PayPal charges a fee of 8%, which we ask the client to cover since it's due to the use of its service. This tax is just for online deposits so that you will pay the remaining in cash (the briefing day in Cusco) without charges.
lease, after your deposit, send us the transfer number to info@ausangateperu.com; only after that, we'll be able to confirm your deposit and reservation.
Extensions & Offers
There are several extensions you can include to your Peru Adventure.
Additional Items
There are additional items you can include in this trip. Below is a quick list of prices.
Price Guarantee
Once your booking has been confirmed, we guarantee the price won’t increase, whatever the circumstances. So please, before booking, ensure you’ve read all our important tour information.
Our collection of the most fabulous hiking trails in Peru bring you up close and very personal with the region’s most jaw-dropping highlights: from the snow-peaked Andes to turquoise lakes, waterfalls, and glaciers that seem to hang as if by magic, as well as an abundance of wildlife spotting and a breathtaking, unforgettable adventure in nature.
We did the 2-day tour through Ausangate, the rainbow mountain, and the red valley. The tour was private, the guide Jimmy was very friendly and professional, the whole trip has well organized the food was delicious during the excursion.
I thank the travel agency for this beautiful experience, and I recommend it.
-- NICHOLAS A