Embark on an unforgettable adventure to the 7 Lakes of Ausangate, departing from Cusco at 4:30 am. We will start with breakfast in the Pacchanta community, and then begin our 5-hour hike through stunning Andean landscapes to the 7 Lakes of Ausangate, each with its unique color. Along the way, you may spot alpacas, llamas, vizcachas, and, with a bit of luck, the majestic Andean condor. After the hike, enjoy a relaxing bath in the hot springs of Pacchanta, followed by a traditional lunch. The experience concludes with our return to Cusco around 7:30 pm.
Itinerary
Day 1: The 7 Lagoons of Ausangate
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
Inclusions
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.
Not Included
- 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.
Recommmendations
- 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.
Faqs
According to the Inca mythology of this mountain and the nearby lakes – among which Sibinacocha stands out – gives birth to the masculine energy that fertilizes Mother Earth, Pachamama. After a long course, the waters are lost in the unknown lands of the Amazon, only to return to fill the lakes and glaciers every night, transformed into the River of Stars or Willkamayu, known in the West as the Milky Way. The Chillca community, composed of llama and alpaca herders, is known as the guardian of these pristine landscapes. From here, you can embark on mountain hikes, spending nights in comfortable lodges or tambos, with Machuracay Tambo standing out, in a trek known as the “Path of the Apu Ausangate.”
Every year, on the northern side of Ausangate, the Qoyllur Rit’i festival (Quechua: “star snow”) has been celebrated since time immemorial before the Corpus Christi festival. During this event, thousands of Quechuas make a pilgrimage to the Lord of Qoyllur Rit’i in the Sinakara temple (a rock painting). This pilgrimage was included in the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
TREKKING THROUGH THE 7 LAGOONS OF AUSANGATE
The collection of lagoons comprising this tourist attraction is fed by the melting snow of the immense Ausangate, the highest peak in Cusco (with its summit reaching 6,384 meters above sea level). The local communities decided to harness the natural beauty of the area by creating a circuit of 7 lagoons: Pucacocha Lagoon, Patacocha Lagoon, Alqacocha Lagoon, Qomercocha Lagoon, Otorongo Orco Lagoon, Otorongo Chinese Lagoon, and Cocha Blue Lagoon.
