Ausangate Tours from Cusco: Compare All 5 Treks
Our Ausangate tours from Cusco go from a one-day hike to the 7 Lakes, from $35, to the full five-day circuit around the mountain, $500. All five include pickup in Cusco's historic center, a local guide and meals; the camping treks add tents, sleeping bags and pack horses.
One day gets you the turquoise 7 Lakes and back to Cusco the same evening. Two days add Rainbow Mountain, with a night in Pacchanta. Three to five days put you in a tent below the glacier, and five close the full loop over two passes above 5,000 m.
Which Ausangate trek is right for you?
 |  Ausangate 7 Lakes Full-Day Hike |  Ausangate Trek 2 Days: Rainbow Mountain & 7 Lakes |  Ausangate Trek 3 Days: 7 Lakes to Rainbow Mountain |  Ausangate Trek 4 Days: 7 Lakes, Glacier Lagoon & Rainbow Mountain |  Ausangate Trek 5 Days: The Full Circuit & Rainbow Mountain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From | $35.00 | $129.00 | $300.00 | $400.00 | $500.00 |
| Duration | 1 day | 2 days · 1 night | 3 days · 2 nights | 4 days · 3 nights | 5 days · 4 nights |
| Highest point | 4,770 m (7 Lakes) | 5,036 m (Rainbow Mountain) | 5,036 m (Rainbow Mountain) | 5,036 m (Rainbow Mountain) | ~5,200 m (Palomani pass) |
| Distance | 14 km loop | 14 km loop + Rainbow Mountain climb | ~40 km | ~50 km | ~60 km |
| Difficulty | Moderate to hard | Moderate to hard | Hard | Hard | Hard |
| Where you sleep | Back in Cusco | Guesthouse in Pacchanta | Tents, 2 nights | Tents, 3 nights | Tents, 4 nights |
| Rainbow Mountain | No | Yes | Yes, at sunrise | Yes, early morning | Yes, at sunrise |
| Ausangate lagoon | No | No | No | Yes, one night | Yes, one night |
| Hot springs | Optional, Pacchanta | Optional, Pacchanta | Upis | No | Upis + optional Pacchanta |
| Free cancellation | 48 hours before | 72 hours before | 72 hours before | 5 days before | 7 days before |
| View tour | View tour | View tour | View tour | View tour |
Choosing your Ausangate tour
Which Ausangate tour should I choose?
Choose by how many days you have and how high you want to sleep. With one day, hike the 7 Lakes and be back in Cusco by night. With two, add Rainbow Mountain and a bed in Pacchanta. With three to five, camp below the glacier; five days close the full circuit over two passes above 5,000 m (16,400 ft).
Which Ausangate tour is the easiest?
The easiest Ausangate tour is the one-day 7 Lakes hike: a 14 km (8.7 mi) loop of 4–5 hours with about 450 m (1,500 ft) of climbing, back in Cusco the same night. It's still moderate to hard because you walk above 4,300 m (14,100 ft), so spend at least 3 days in Cusco first.
Which Ausangate tours sleep in tents and which in a bed?
The 3-, 4- and 5-day Ausangate treks sleep in tents, with sleeping bags rated to −5 °C (23 °F) and hot dinners at camp. The 2-day tour sleeps one night in a guesthouse in Pacchanta, and the 7 Lakes hike brings you back to your hotel in Cusco the same evening.
Ausangate trek 3 days vs 5 days: which is better?
Choose the Ausangate trek 3 days to link the 7 Lakes, the Upis hot springs and Rainbow Mountain at sunrise in the least time. Choose 5 days for the full circuit around the mountain: it adds a night by the glacier lagoon and two passes above 5,000 m (16,400 ft), for experienced hikers.