Peru cannot be known just in several days. The country is so diverse and has so much to offer that it is difficult to reach all the interesting places in a short time. However, nothing is impossible! With very good organization and thoughtful plan you can see a lot and even more experience.
The recipe is simple! You have to choose the best of the best; the most beautiful of the most beautiful; the most valuable of the most valuable; the most interesting of the most interesting!
In the series the best of the best in Peru, today more about one of the most beautiful trail in the region of Cusco, which is the route around Ausangate summit – the fifth highest mountain in Peru.
In my opinion the landscapes on this route are amazing and definitely worth seeing. This is not only one of the most interesting routes in the region of Cusco, but in general in Peru. Of course, what is most interesting, or beautiful is always a matter of taste and preference but if any of you, above all dreams about being surrounded by snowy peaks, about beeing at altitudes up to 5,000 meters above sea level, will not be disappointed.
In addition to these attractions trekking around Ausangate offers hot springs, numerous lagoons, herds of llamas, alpacas and tiny villages perched high in the mountains, inhabited by communities wearing colorful, beautiful clothes. Can you imagine a better place to take a break from the daily life and learning about Peruvian Andes and the local Andean population? The answer to this question may be easier to make after seeing the pictures and video, which you can find at the end of the article.
One thing is certain, in the region of Ausangate life is lived by their own rules and their own pace. In this place you can feel 100 % of naturalness, freshness, simplicity which are less and less available in typical tourist destinations. Who appreciates these qualities, for sure will feel perfect on this route.
Ausangate trekking – in how many days?
In principle, you can do Ausangate trek or in 4 or in 5 days. You can also choose longer 7-day version. It is also possible to do the trail in 3 days, but in that case you need to be prepared that it will be long, exhausted and very hard adventure (but of course very beautiful). A relation from that kind of very “active” expedition, conducted by me in 2013, can be found here. But do you really need to spend so much time to see the best of the best? The good news is – NO. To see the best, you do not need to cross the entire trail.
Realizing that a lot of people do not have time, resources, or physical capacity to do full Ausangate trek I decided to check whether it is possible to choose from the entire route a section, which could be considered as the most beautiful and equally attractive, as the whole trail. It turns out that such a shortened version of Ausangate trekking exists and can safely be treated as an exceptional and enough to experience the very best.
Of course, if someone has an unlimited amount of time, sufficient resources, strength and desire to spend a few days in mountains, definitely should try to overcome all route. Every day, the trail provides the participants with incredible views, experiences and feelings. However, if you know that there is lack of any of above-mentioned factors or simply if you do not like or for various reasons cannot stay in the high mountains for longer time, two-day adventure with Ausangate surely satisfy you.
Shorter, two days long, version of Ausangate trek – the best of the best in the region of Cusco!
Two days is quite a little, but at the same time enough to see and get to know better Peruvian Andes and the local communities in mountain areas. What primarily can be expected on the route?
First, the route can be overcome either by foot or on horseback, or partly by foot and partly on horseback.
Secondly, to reach the trail you need to wake up very early in the morning and go by bus or by car from Cusco approximately 3-hours to a small village high in the mountains. It can be a little bit difficult for sleepers, but stunning landscapes for sure will reward all the inconveniences.
Thirdly, on the trail among other you will have possibiity to see beautiful Andean landscapes, snow-capped peaks, numerous mountain lakes and friendly local communities. If you like hot springs, there will be waiting for you two nice pools with the view for Ausangate mountain, where you can take healthy, warm bath.
Besides that you will have oportunity to know the secrets of the breeding of the llamas and alpacas, you will check how it is to be on the altitude of around 5,000 meters above sea level and much, much more.
If you would like to do Ausangate tour, just contact me and I will prepare the offer for you.
I invite you to see galery of the pictures from one of our Ausangate trekking advneture on Facebook Sylvia Travel.
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