Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain in 4 days: complete guide
This trek reaches Rainbow Mountain the way few people do: on foot, after three days among the glaciers, lagoons and herding communities of the Ausangate range. You soak in hot springs, cross passes above 4,800 m, camp by high lakes and arrive at Vinicunca’s famous stripes on the last morning.
The trek at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Duration | 4 days, 3 nights camping |
| Highest point | About 5,020 m (Rainbow Mountain and the passes around it) |
| Difficulty | Challenging — very high altitude |
| Price with us | US $450 |
Day 1: Tinki to the Upis hot springs
A private van crosses the Vilcanota range to Tinki for breakfast. You trek through farming communities for about three hours to lunch and on to Upis (about 4,100 m), where you can soak in the hot springs before dinner. About 12 km.
Reach Rainbow Mountain on foot
Four days through the Ausangate range with hot springs, guide, chef, horses and camping gear — US $450.
Day 2: Arapa Pass and the coloured lagoons
You climb the Arapa Pass (about 4,850 m), with a striking contrast between arid hills and snow peaks, and pass the red, green and turquoise lagoons of Pucacocha, Hatun Pucacocha and Qomercocha, camping near the Ausangate glacier. About 12 km and 7–8 hours.
Day 3: the Ausangate Pass and the first view of the Rainbow Mountains
Over the Ausangate Pass (about 4,930 m) you reach red mountains and the village of Alccatauri, then climb to the Minasniyuq Pass for your first view of the Rainbow Mountains and a traditional offering to Pachamama. You camp by the Surine lake (about 4,800 m). About 12 km and 8–9 hours — the longest day.
Day 4: Rainbow Mountain
A two-hour hike brings you to Rainbow Mountain (about 5,020 m) and its mineral stripes. You descend to Quesiuno for lunch and drive about three and a half hours back to Cusco, arriving around 6:00 pm.
What is included
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| Bilingual guide and pre-trek briefing | Sleeping bag (rent US $40) |
| Private transport to the trailhead and back | Trekking poles (rentable) |
| Full camping equipment, dining tent and portable toilet | Tips |
| Chef and kitchen assistant; meals and drinking water | — |
| Muleteer, horses and an emergency horse; oxygen and medical kit; entrance fees | — |
How to prepare
- Every night is above 4,000 m and the passes approach 5,000 m: spend at least three or four days acclimatizing in Cusco first.
- Nights are well below freezing in the dry season; bring a warm sleeping bag, down jacket, hat and gloves.
- The dry season (May to September) gives the best conditions.
- Short on time? Do Rainbow Mountain as a day trip; want the full circuit? See the Ausangate 5-day trek and Ausangate for first-timers.
Frequently asked questions
Challenging: every camp is above 4,000 m and the passes reach about 4,900–5,000 m. It suits fit, well-acclimatized hikers.
Yes, at Upis on the first evening.
On the morning of day four, after a two-hour hike from the Surine lake camp.
It is a completely different experience: three days of remote landscapes before arriving, instead of a long day trip from Cusco.
The dry season, from May to September.
