Trekking through the 7 Lagoons of Ausangate (All Day)

Trekking through the 7 Lagoons of Ausangate (All Day)
Trekking through the 7 Lagoons of Ausangate (All Day) 2
DURATION 1 Day
DEPARTURE Hotel in Cusco - City of Cusco
GROUP SIZE 1-19 pax
MAX. ALTITUDE 4867 m.a.s.l.
DIFFICULTY Challenging

The beginning of the journey

  • Enjoy the stunning lakes of the Ausangate mountain, where you can have a unique adventure exploring colorful lakes and majestic Andean landscapes, fully connecting with nature.
  • Connect with local wildlife, observing alpacas, native birds, vizcachas, and, hopefully, the imposing Andean condor.
  • This will be an 11-kilometer trek with approximately 5 hours of hiking, requiring good physical condition.
  • Throughout the hike, you will discover the 7 lakes, each with its charm and surrounded by spectacular views that will leave you in awe.
  • At the end of the circuit, we will return to the Pacchanta community to enjoy a relaxing bath in hot springs and a typical regional lunch to regain strength.
  • The weather is cold and can be unpredictable; you may experience both sunshine and rain.
  • We depart from Cusco at 4:30 am and return approximately between 7:00 and 7:30 pm.

Itinerary

At around 4:30 am, we will pick you up from your hotel. Then, we will drive for about 2 hours to reach Pacchanta, where we will have breakfast to gather the energy needed for our hike through the snow-capped Ausangate and its turquoise lakes. Along the hike, we will witness breathtaking landscapes, encounter local animals such as llamas, alpacas, and vizcachas, and if we are lucky, we will see the majestic Andean condor. As we ascend, we will make stops at the lakes.

The names of the 7 Lakes of Ausangate are:

  • Laguna Azulcocha: located at approximately 4,618 m.a.s.l.
  • Laguna Otorongo: located at approximately 4,620 m.a.s.l.
  • Laguna Oq’ecocha: located at approximately 4,631 m.a.s.l.
  • Laguna Pucacocha: located at approximately 4,670 m.a.s.l.
  • Laguna Pachaspata: located at approximately 4,867 m.a.s.l.
  • Laguna Alqacocha: located at approximately 4,752 m.a.s.l.
  • Laguna Q’omercocha: located at approximately 4,666 m.a.s.l.

After visiting all the mentioned lakes, we will take a break to return to Pacchanta, where you can enjoy the hot springs during our free time. Then, we will savor a delicious traditional lunch as a reward for our hiking efforts. Finally, we will return to Cusco and expect to arrive around 7:30 pm

What's included

  • Pickup from your hotel. Hotel pickups start at 4 am for group tours. For private tours to the Rainbow Mountain, the pickup time can be arranged.
  • Bilingual professional guide (Spanish and English). In group tours, the tour is conducted in Spanish and English, one after the other. In private tours, you can choose to have the tour in Spanish, English, or Portuguese.
  • Transportation. Includes tourist transportation to the attractions.
  • First aid kit and oxygen tank.
  • Trekking poles.
  • Breakfast and buffet lunch. We will enjoy breakfast in Kusipata at the beginning of the tour, and a buffet meal at the end of the tour.
    • At breakfast, the following is offered: Andean bread (pan chuta), pancakes, fruit salad (watermelon and diced papaya), jam and butter, 2 varieties of cereals (granola and crispy rice), 2 varieties of yogurt (strawberry or vanilla), and scrambled eggs. There is an opportunity to serve yourself coffee, chocolate, and muña tea from thermoses. Sometimes juice and salad are served.
    • For lunch, you can serve yourself spaghetti, white meat (fried chicken, loin, beef stew, trout chicharrón), red meat (lamb stew, beef, pork chicharrón), quinoa chaufa, legumes, Andean potatoes, as well as white rice or jardinière rice (a Peruvian dish with vegetables). For lunch, there are also 2 types of salads: cooked (carrot, broccoli) and raw (lettuce, cucumber, tomato, excellent vegetarian options). If you want soup, you can serve yourself quinoa soup. For dessert, you can try mazamorra morada or arroz con leche (both are among the most popular Peruvian desserts), gelatin, or a peach stew. Hot beverages included: muña tea, coca tea, coffee.

    • In private tours, breakfast and lunch are provided in higher category restaurants, offering a greater variety of cuisine.

  • General Entrance Ticket to the 7 Lakes of Ausangate.
    • S/. 20.00 Soles. Payment can be made at the entrance.
  • Hot Springs of Pacchanta.
    • S/. 5.00 Soles. Payment can be made at the entrance.

    • To purchase tickets, you will need to bring Peruvian Soles in cash.

  • Horse rental. You can rent a horse to lighten the hike:
    • S/. 90.00 Soles – Round trip price. Maximum capacity 75 kilos. Rental available at the beginning of the hiking circuit.
  • Beverages, snacks.
    • You can find kiosks in nearby communities, where you can buy candies, water, alcohol, and flavored water.
  • Beverages are not included in lunch.
  • Dinner.

Recommended to bring

  • Oxyshot, in case you need it to adapt to the lack of oxygen.
  • Good hiking shoes (trekking).
  • 1 liter of water.
  • Camera.
  • Sweater and gloves for the cold.
  • Raincoat or poncho.
  • Sports clothing.
  • Hat or cap.
  • Sun glasses and sunscreen.
  • Standard backpack.