Tour overview
Cusco Ausangate Route 10D/9N is our ten-day program combining Cusco’s great classics with the hike to the Ausangate snow peak. On the first day we pick you up at the airport, give you a few hours to acclimatize, and in the afternoon do the Cusco City Tour (Cathedral, Qoricancha, Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Pucapucara, and Tambomachay). On the second day we spend a full day in the Sacred Valley of the Incas (Taray viewpoint, Pisaq, Urubamba, Ollantaytambo, and Chinchero). On the third day we travel by train to Aguas Calientes, visit Machu Picchu with a guide, and return to Cusco. From day four to day nine we do the 6-day, 5-night Ausangate hike: Cusco – Tinki, Tinki – Upis, Upis – Pucacocha – Apacheta, Apacheta – Jampa, Jampa – Pacchanta, and Pacchanta – Tinki – Cusco, with colored lakes, hot springs, and a closing pachamanca. On the tenth day, after breakfast and free time, we transfer you to the airport. We run the program with tourist transport, a professional guide, admission to every place, the Cusco Tourist Ticket, train tickets to Machu Picchu, and ongoing support from our team.
-
Best time to travel Approx. April to October (dry season)
-
Approximate altitude Cusco ~3,400 m · Machu Picchu ~2,430 m · Apacheta ~4,950 m · Pacchanta ~4,100 m
-
Physical difficulty Moderate on days 1–3; demanding on hiking days 4–9
-
Minimum number of passengers 2 adults (double-room base rate)
-
Maximum number of passengers Depends on the hotel
-
Booking lead time Book in advance; confirm flights, train, and hotel category
Overview
- Day 1 – Arrival and Cusco City Tour: airport pickup, transfer to the hotel, time to acclimatize, Cusco Cathedral, Qoricancha (Temple of the Sun), Sacsayhuamán, Qenqo, Pucapucara, Tambomachay, and return to the hotel.
- Day 2 – Sacred Valley full-day tour: Taray viewpoint, archaeological site of Pisaq, Pisaq craft market, buffet lunch in Urubamba, archaeological site of Ollantaytambo, archaeological site and craft market of Chinchero, and return to Cusco.
- Day 3 – Machu Picchu full day: transport to Ollantaytambo, train to Aguas Calientes, bus to the sanctuary, 2-hour guided visit at Machu Picchu, buffet lunch in Aguas Calientes, craft market, train to Ollantaytambo, and transport to Cusco.
- Day 4 – Ausangate hike: Cusco – village of Tinki: pickup at about 10:00 a.m., tourist bus, lunch in Urcos, village of Tinki (3,060 m a.s.l.), and the first night.
- Day 5 – Village of Tinki – Upis: hike of about 7 hours, crossing of the Ocongate River, foot of the Ausangate snow peak, lunch, and camp beside the Upis hot springs (4,200 m a.s.l.).
- Day 6 – Upis – Pucacocha – Apacheta: hike of about 8 hours, climb to 4,500 m a.s.l., Pucacocha and lunch, Apacheta camp (4,950 m a.s.l.), and dinner.
- Day 7 – Apacheta – Jampa: hike of about 7 hours, Uchuy Finaya estate, colored lakes, lunch, Jampa camp (4,800 m a.s.l.), and dinner.
- Day 8 – Jampa – Pacchanta: downhill hike of about 6 hours, lakes and landscapes, village of Pacchanta (4,100 m a.s.l.), hot springs, dinner, and overnight in a guesthouse.
- Day 9 – Pacchanta – Tinki – Cusco: hike of about 4 hours, arrival in Tinki at about 12:30 p.m., pachamanca, tourist bus to Cusco, and transfer to the hotel.
- Day 10 – End of the trip: breakfast at the hotel, free time, transfer to the airport, and farewell.
Itinerary
Day 1 — Arrival and Cusco City Tour
When you arrive at Cusco airport, our staff will be waiting to take you to your hotel in the city. Once you get there, you will have a few hours to acclimatize to the altitude.
In the afternoon we start the Cusco City Tour. We pick you up in our vehicle and take you to the city center. Our first stop is Cusco Cathedral, on the main square. After the guided visit to the Cathedral, we walk to Qoricancha, the Temple of the Sun, where Inca and Spanish cultures meet.
When we finish at Qoricancha, we leave Cusco. Our first stop is the archaeological site of Sacsayhuamán, where your guide explains the importance of its massive walls. We then continue a few minutes outside Cusco to Qenqo, a mysterious place you will get to know.
To finish the tour we visit Pucapucara and Tambomachay and learn a little more about the Incas. When the circuit ends, we drive back to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel.
Day 2 — Sacred Valley full-day tour
You have breakfast at your hotel in Cusco and our vehicle picks you up. Your hotel needs to be in central Cusco; if it is outside the center, arrange an extra transfer with our travel agency. On the way we stop at the Taray viewpoint for photos of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.
We continue with a visit to the archaeological site of Pisaq and then the Pisaq craft market, where you can buy a few souvenirs. After that we head to Urubamba, where you have our buffet lunch.
After lunch we continue to Ollantaytambo to visit its archaeological site. When that ends we go to Chinchero for a guided visit to its archaeological site and its craft market.
When the tour ends we set off back to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel.
Day 3 — Machu Picchu full day
You have breakfast at your hotel in Cusco and we pick you up to drive you to Ollantaytambo train station. From there you travel by train to Aguas Calientes, where we meet you at the station and go to the bus station to board the bus to the Machu Picchu Sanctuary.
We enter the Machu Picchu Sanctuary for a 2-hour guided visit. When the guided tour ends we board the bus back to Aguas Calientes, where you have a buffet lunch. After lunch you have time to visit the craft market in Aguas Calientes, also called Machu Picchu Pueblo.
At the agreed time we go to the train station and board the train back to Ollantaytambo. When you arrive in Ollantaytambo we will be waiting with our vehicle to return to Cusco and drop you off at your hotel.
Day 4 — Ausangate hike: Cusco – village of Tinki
Today our 6-day, 5-night hike to Ausangate begins. You have breakfast at your hotel and we pick you up at your hotel in Cusco at about 10:00 a.m. We travel by tourist bus and stop in Urcos for lunch.
We then continue to the village of Tinki, at 3,060 m a.s.l., where we spend the first night.
Day 5 — Village of Tinki – Upis
You have breakfast at the hotel or in the village and we start a hike of about 7 hours, crossing the Ocongate River, until we reach the foot of the Ausangate snow peak, where we have lunch.
At the end of the day we reach our camp, near the Upis hot springs, at 4,200 m a.s.l., where we spend the night.
Day 6 — Upis – Pucacocha – Apacheta
We have breakfast at camp and start a hike of about 8 hours, climbing steep slopes until we reach 4,500 m a.s.l. We arrive at Pucacocha, west of the Ausangate snow peak, where we have lunch.
We continue walking until we reach the Apacheta camp, at 4,950 m a.s.l., where we have dinner and spend the night.
Day 7 — Apacheta – Jampa
We have breakfast at camp and start a hike of about 7 hours toward the Jampa camp. On the way we visit the Uchuy Finaya estate and its colored lakes, and we have lunch.
We continue until we reach the Jampa camp, at 4,800 m a.s.l., where we have dinner and spend the night.
Day 8 — Jampa – Pacchanta
We have breakfast at camp and start a downhill hike of about 6 hours, visiting several lakes and landscapes.
We arrive in the village of Pacchanta, at 4,100 m a.s.l., where you can enjoy the hot springs (USD 2.00). We have dinner and spend the night in a local guesthouse.
Day 9 — Pacchanta – Tinki – Cusco
On this last day of hiking we walk about 4 hours downhill to the village of Tinki, around 12:30 p.m. There we enjoy a delicious pachamanca prepared by the local people.
We then board the tourist bus for Cusco and take you to your hotel.
Day 10 — End of the trip
You have breakfast at your hotel. The day is free for time on your own.
At the agreed time, our travel agency picks you up and takes you to the airport, where we say goodbye.
Recommendations
General
- Leave your luggage at the hotel and bring a small backpack for each excursion.
- Bring snacks or small drinks.
- Follow your guide’s advice on what to wear.
- Bring your camera and extra batteries.
- Bring some cash for souvenirs.
Acclimatization
- When you arrive in Cusco, give yourself at least half a day to acclimatize, because the altitude can affect you.
- At your hotel, drink some coca tea to help you acclimatize.
- If you have any health issues, tell your travel agent so we can take them into account in your program.
What's included
Included
- Airport–hotel transfer on arrival and hotel–airport transfer at the end of the trip.
- Tourist transport for all our excursions.
- A professional guide on all our excursions.
- Admission to every place we visit.
- Cusco Tourist Ticket.
- Tourist train tickets to Machu Picchu.
- Ongoing support from our travel agency team.
Meals included
- Breakfast at the hotel: days 2, 3, 4, and 10.
- Breakfast on the hike: day 5 (at the hotel or in the village of Tinki) and days 6, 7, and 8 (at camp).
- All lunches: day 2 (buffet lunch in Urubamba), day 3 (buffet lunch in Aguas Calientes), day 4 (in Urcos), day 5 (at the foot of the Ausangate snow peak), day 6 (at Pucacocha), day 7 (on the way to Jampa), and day 9 (pachamanca in Tinki).
- Dinners on the hike: day 6 (Apacheta), day 7 (Jampa), and day 8 (Pacchanta).
Not included
- International flights.
- Domestic flights.
- Dinners (except those listed during the Ausangate hike).
- Meals not mentioned in the itinerary.
- Tips or extra expenses.
- Entry to the Pacchanta hot springs (USD 2.00).
- An extra transfer if your hotel is outside central Cusco (arrange it with our agency).
Frequently asked questions
Where do I sleep each night?
Nights 1, 2, and 3 you sleep at your hotel in Cusco. On the hike you spend night 4 in the village of Tinki, night 5 at the camp near the Upis hot springs, night 6 at the Apacheta camp, night 7 at the Jampa camp, and night 8 in a guesthouse in Pacchanta. On night 9 you are back at your hotel in Cusco.
How many hours do you walk each day on Ausangate?
About 7 hours on day 5, 8 hours on day 6, 7 hours on day 7, 6 hours on day 8, and 4 hours on day 9. Day 4 is a bus transfer to Tinki.
How high does the hike go?
The highest overnight point is the Apacheta camp, at 4,950 m a.s.l. The other camps sit between 4,100 and 4,800 m a.s.l., and Tinki is at 3,060 m a.s.l.
Are there hot springs on the route?
Yes. On day 5 we camp near the Upis hot springs, and on day 8, in Pacchanta, you can enjoy the hot springs (USD 2.00).
Which meals are included?
We include hotel breakfast on days 2, 3, 4, and 10, trek breakfasts on days 5 through 8, lunches on days 2 through 7 and the pachamanca on day 9, and dinners on days 6, 7, and 8 during the hike.
How long is the visit to Machu Picchu?
The guided visit in the Machu Picchu Sanctuary lasts 2 hours, with a same-day round-trip train from Ollantaytambo.
How is the price calculated?
The price is based on 2 people in a double or matrimonial room and varies with the hotel category you choose (category 1, 2, or 3). We confirm the exact amount when we quote.
