Early in the morning, on a private car along the fertile valley of the Vilcanota River, towards Checacupe. After a visit to the magnificent colonial temple, we will follow upstream the Pitumarca River, […]

Early in the morning, on a private car along the fertile valley of the Vilcanota River, towards Checacupe. After a visit to the magnificent colonial temple, we will follow upstream the Pitumarca River, by the road that leads to Congomire, where we will start our trek for a steep mountain. After arrival to the lodge, built in front of a spectacular landscape, we will relax and enjoy the beauty of this place.


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DAY 1: CUSCO – HUAMPOCOCHA

Early in the morning, on a private car along the fertile valley of the Vilcanota River, towards Checacupe. After a visit to the magnificent colonial temple, we will follow upstream the Pitumarca River, by the road that leads to Congomire, where we will start our trek for a steep mountain. After arrival to the lodge, built in front of a spectacular landscape, we will relax and enjoy the beauty of this place.

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DAY 2: HUAMPOCOCHA - ANANTAPATA

Our lodge has been built right in front of the Huampococha lagoon, enjoying the most spectacular vistas of it. Today we hike-climb, following the valley between the two peaks south east of the lodge. Then go through the highest pass and then make our way down into another valley. We take the path that leads into the town of Huito. On the way we can appreciate the shepherds of the Osefina community with their llamas and alpacas.

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DAY 3: ANANTAPATA - MACHURACAY

Our favorite trail day, we hike across Colorful Mountains, Different tonalities of red, yellow, gray, blue, green veins. This segment offers an important opportunity to witness geology in action and to admire the singular beauty of this almost ethereal landscape, we will have a great chance of observing, small flocks of the funny Vicuñas that live in this isolated fields.

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DAY 4: EXTRA DAY MACHURACAY

Impressive vistas to the south glacier of “Apu” Ausangate will inspire us as we hike; as we approach the mountain will hike along the red sand Stone formations of “Nevado Del Inca”. Well do lunch on the banks of Lake Ausangatecocha and we star our hike up to the Palomani, pass at 5200 msnm, and later well descend to Machuracay Tambo, The highest in the world Lodge (4800msnm), at the foothills of sacred Ausangate.

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DAY 5: CUMBRE MARIPOSA

We will be on the trail before 4 am, to deal with the approximation before dawn, with the first sun rays we will negotiate a rocky section to the ice, we fit our crampons and continue by the ice, through a field of sun cups, gaining altitude to the col between summit 1 and 2 and the we proceed to the ridge on Mariposa 5 800 meters above sea level.. Technically experienced climbers can continue to Summit 2 After enjoying the wonderful mountain scenario will star descent to the Tambo, depending on the conditions the climb, we will be coming back mid to late afternoon. In the comfort of the lodge will share our farewell dinner.

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DAY 6: MACHURACAY-CHILLCA-CUSCO

After a 3 hour down walk towards Chilca, our bus will meet us in the Killita Bridge, where we will load our material, say goodbye to our field personnel and depart for Cusco.

Altitude

5,800 m

Duration

6 DAYS/5 NIGHTS

Difficulty

High

IT INCLUDES

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Services of expert guides in high mountain hiking

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Private transport to Chillca and back to Cusco

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Accommodation in double rooms

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Breakfast and dinner served in the lodges, snacks and lunches served on the way

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First aid kit and oxygen

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Waterproof bags for the baggage carried by llamas

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COMMENTS
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HEALTH
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WEATHER
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EQUIPMENT
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PRIVATE DEPARTURES
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GROUP DEPARTURES

Life changing!


We had the absolute privilege of trekking the Trail of the Apu with the Andean Lodges team. Bruno, our guide, was amazing. He was knowledgeable about the geography, the people, the challenges of altitude, and the amazing history of the region. His pop culture knowledge was pretty impressive too! We had a ton of fun and lots of laughs.
Nico, Nellie, Jorge, and Senor Kruz took incredible care of us throughout our five days. We had delicious three-course meals every evening, comfortable beds with fresh sheets (and warm water bottles), and a llama herd that did all of the heavy liftings. It's rare today to go somewhere that is so uniquely beautiful in every way. Thank you, Andean Lodges team, for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Date of experience: June 2011

Incredible Scenery, Excellent Guide, Comfortable Lodges, Great Food!


This trek exceeded our expectations! It is in a remote location with few other tourists and the hiking is spectacular. Our guide, Alfredo, was excellent. He judged the group well and added on some side trips that made the trip extra special, especially an amazing ridge walk on a clear day. Our cook, Esteban, was also excellent and the entire crew was friendly and helpful. The lodges have no electricity or central heating but are comfortable with private bedrooms and bathrooms. We enjoyed being "off the grid" and eating by candlelight. It is chilly in the bedrooms at night but hot water bottles tucked in the beds help with that. Warm showers were much appreciated. We highly recommend a long acclimatization period or taking prophylactic altitude drugs so that you can enjoy the trek without worrying about altitude sickness.

Date of experience: May 2018

Amazing Ausangate Trip


It was an amazing experience, the whole trip was great, we began with a comfortable trip around the Vilcanota Valley (cool views) then we have lunch made by the local people of Chillca's Town. During the following days, we hiked around the Ausangate, you can get great shots, the views are awesome. Totally recommended.

Date of experience: June 2011

A climatization period is essential for enjoying adventures in high mountains. We can help you to make the best of your time during this initial phase, and to stay healthy throughout the trip.

All travelers who trek the Apu Ausangate Route must take a prior 3 to 4-day climatization period to allow for enjoying the trek at over 5,000 m. without experiencing any health problems. Additionally, hike participants must be in good health and physically fit to carry out trekking activities. Symptoms of altitude sickness, known in Peru as soroche, can sometimes occur at altitudes above 3,000 meters. The most common symptoms include: headache, loss of appetite, dizziness and difficulty sleeping, among others. To alleviate such ailments, you can follow these simple but important suggestions for the climatization phase: get good rest, take light walks, eat a light diet and drink large amounts of water, along with coca leaf tea; avoiding alcohol consumption during the first few days is also very important.

Prior to your departure, we suggest you consult with your doctor to ask about medicinal products recommended for high altitude, such as Diamox. If you’d like to obtain more detailed information and suggestions regarding medical issues during travel, please contact us

These departures can leave any day and without a minimum of travelers. The price per person depends on the number of participants in a group.

A challenging, and occasionally harsh climate; a perfect setting for adventures in high mountains.

In the high Andean zone, days are mostly beautiful and sunny, with light to swift winds in the mornings. Temperatures range between 0° to 23 ° C during the day, and travelers must be prepared to experience changing temperatures and diverse weather conditions.

At this latitude only two climate seasons occur: dry season from June through September, and rainy season, which is subject to heavy rains from November through April. Due to seasonal conditions, we recommend that you travel between April and November, when you’ll have the best chances for excellent weather - perfect for enjoying hikes and other activities.

During the dry season, temperatures below zero are frequent at night, with milder temperatures during the day.

Maximum daytime temperatures during dry season: Between 12 C° and 20 C°.

Minimum nighttime temperatures: between 5 C° and -5 C°.

Our four ecolodges along the Ausangate Route are well-equipped with all the necessary safeguards and everything our travelers need to enjoy a comfortable rest under most any weather conditions.

Clothing:
  • Hiking boots (it’s important to wear in new boots before hiking, to avoid blisters).
  • Long sleeve t-shirts (one per day).
  • Walking pants.
  • Thermal hiking undergarments.
  • Wool sweater or down vest.
  • Insulated parka or down jacket.
  • Thermal sleeping clothes.
  • Long cotton pants.
  • Wool gloves.
  • Scarf.
  • Wool socks.
  • Wool cap, and hat or cap for shade.
  • Waterproof Gore-Tex jacket and pants, or rain poncho.
  • Comfortable sandals or slippers (for use at the lodges).
  • Small towel.
  • Additional gear: Hiking poles are very useful for providing balance and walking ease on hikes.
Gear:
  • Flashlight or headlamp.
  • Pocket knife.
  • Water bottle or canteen.
  • Plastic baggies, for batteries and other items.
  • Plastic bags for dirty or wet clothing.
  • Daypack for short hikes (large enough for snacks, a change of clothing, water).
  • Binoculars.
  • Spare memory cards and batteries for your cameras (batteries can lose their charge due to low temperatures, and there is no current to charge them along the mountain route).
  • Toiletries and first aid kit.
  • Money belt.

CLIMBING MATERIAL PARTICIPANTS SHOULD BRING WITH THEM:

  • Ice axe, a general uses one for 30-40 degree slopes.
  • Crampons, 12 point, glacier & snow climb, crampon straps.
  • Carabiners, four in total, preferably locking.
  • Prusic knot or jumar ascender; one per pax, (for use in case of crevasse rescue)
  • Seat and chest harness
  • 1 additional pair of boots for climbing (they should be double plastic or leather and hold crampons well)
  • Gaiters and/or over-boots
  • Glacier glasses,

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