- For many centuries the people
of Peru’s rural areas have maintained their
ancestral traditions.
- One of the areas that has
experienced few changes is the area around
the massive peak of Ausangate, where
communities continue to live as their
ancestors did five centuries ago.
- This unforgettable trip gives
travellers an in-depth look at the way of
life of the ancestors of the ancient Incas.
Itinerary
Dominating the horizon
southeast of Cusco, the magnificent peak of
Ausangate (6387 metres/20,950 feet) is the
highest and most sacred mountain, or Apu,
in southern Peru. For centuries it has been
central to the religious beliefs of the
Andean people and annual pilgrimages to its
icy slopes are still made by local people.
Treks in the Ausangate area
take seven days. The scenery is spectacular;
snow capped peaks and glaciers look down
impassively on seemingly endless grasslands
studded with turquoise lakes and thermal
pools. Herds of llamas and alpacas graze
under the watchful eyes of their owners, who
live in the same isolated and picturesque
villages that their ancestors founded
countless generations ago.
CUSCO – OCONGATE – TINQUI
-
We leave Cusco and take
the road southeast towards Puno, following
the course of the Huatanay and Vilcanota
rivers and passing the pre-Inca Wari site of
Pikillacta and the villages of
Andahuaylillas and Huaro, which are both
famous for their colonial-era parish
churches. At the village of Urcos we leave
the main road and drive up to the trailhead
at the village of Tinqui, with the mountains
of Ausangate and Jampa looming on the
horizon.
-
- SECOND DAY: TINQUI - UPIS
-
Beginning our trek, we hike
up to open grassland, or puna,
towards the base of the Ausangate massif,
crossing a high pass before descending to
our campsite near the thermal springs at
Upis (4400 metres/14,400 feet).
- THIRD DAY:UPIS - PUKACOCHA
-
We begin this day by crossing
the fertile Upis river valley past herds of
grazing llamas and alpacas, before ascending
screen slopes and crossing the high Arapa
pass (4750 metres/15,585 feet), before
descending to Lake Pukacocha (4600 metres/15,080
feet). From this campsite on the lakeshore
there are excellent views of the surrounding
lakes dominated by the western face of
Ausangate.
- FOURTH DAY:PUKACOCHA - PALOMANI
- Passing turquoise lakes, we
cross the Apacheta pass (4800 metres/15,750
feet) and descend to Lake Ausangate (4620
metres/15,154 feet) before ascending once
again to cross the highest pass on the trek
at Palomani (5060 metres/16,600 feet), with
spectacular views of the eastern ridge of
Ausangate and the Mariposa, Jampa, Acero and
Caracol
- mountains. Condor, puna ibis,
Andean geese, hawks and mountain caracara
may be seen along this section of the trail,
as well as the mountain rabbit, or vizcacha,
vicuña and even deer.
- FIFTH DAY:PALOMANI – JAMPA - PACHASPATA
- From our campsite we descend
to Uchuy Finaya and hike past the remote
village of Jampa in the valley of the same
name, the horizon dominated by snowcapped
peaks. Circling to the northwest, we pass
the Ticllacocha lake and cross the Campa
pass (4650 metres/16,400 feet) to the
meadows of Pachaspata, where we will camp on
the shores of Q’omercocha (“Green Lake” in
Quechua).
- SIXTH DAY:PACHASPATA - PACCHANTA
-
Descending through the
valley, we reach the village of Pacchanta
(4253 metres/13,950 feet), where we will
spend the rest of the day and have a chance
to relax in the nearby natural thermal
pools.
- SEVENTH DAY:PACCHANTA - TINQUI – CUSCO.
-
Rewarded by fine views of
Ausangate and the snow-wreathed summits of
the Vilcanota range we continue our trek,
passing the typical villages of Culpacata,
Yanama, Mojonpata and Quimsapuqjio. The
hillsides are grazed by herds of llamas and
alpacas, watched over by their Quechua
speaking owners. Finally, we reach Tinqui,
where our vehicle will be waiting to take us
back to Cusco, where we will arrive in the
late afternoon.
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