Designed for passionate hikers, this 2-day trek immerses you in the raw beauty of the Vilcanota Range and Cusco’s South Valley. Journey through untouched landscapes where towering glaciers, turquoise lakes, and silent peaks set the scene. From the vibrant hues of Rainbow Mountain to the dramatic landscapes of the Red Valley, this high-altitude trek offers more than breathtaking scenery—it’s an inspiring personal challenge and a rare chance to reconnect with nature at its most pristine.
Designed for passionate hikers, this 2-day trek immerses you in the raw beauty of the Vilcanota Range and Cusco’s South Valley. Journey through untouched landscapes where towering glaciers, turquoise lakes, and silent peaks set the scene. From the vibrant hues of Rainbow Mountain to the dramatic landscapes of the Red Valley, this high-altitude trek offers more than breathtaking scenery—it’s an inspiring personal challenge and a rare chance to reconnect with nature at its most pristine.
Uncover a world of vibrant colors on an unforgettable journey through Cusco’s hidden gems. Before reaching the world-famous Rainbow Mountain, we'll venture into a secluded valley where nature’s palette truly comes alive. Spend the night beneath a blanket of stars near Surinecocha Lagoon, preparing for the iconic sight of Vinicunca—a peak so grand no photograph can truly capture it.
Beyond the high peaks, rich cultural treasures await. Marvel at the intricate baroque art of the Andahuaylillas Church, known as the "Sistine Chapel of the Americas," and explore the ancient Inca pass of Rumi Punku. To round off this extraordinary adventure, we'll admire the mirror-like reflections of the Huacarpay Wetland before making our comfortable return to Cusco.
We’ll leave Cusco at 4 AM in private transportation that will take us three and a half hours away to the town of Quesiuno (4,376 m / 14,357 f) where we’ll have breakfast. Before starting our day, we’ll share a brief introduction to present the chef and porter that will accompany us during the trek. We’ll start uphill and arrive three hours later to the Puca Pass (4,870 m / 15,977 f), and we’ll enjoy one of the most impressive views of the turquoise lagoons. You’ll see the entire extension of the Ausangate snowcap, and its energy will help you recharge.
After a well-deserved rest, we’ll go downhill an hour and a half, surrounded by impressive vistas and colorful hills that will let us know we’re very close to the Rainbow Mountain. We will see llamas and alpacas all around until we get to Anantapata (4,750 m / 11,614 f) where we will have lunch.
We’ll then continue uphill two hours to the Warmisaya Pass (4,985 m / 16,355 f) and appreciate the striking colors that dazzle every visitor. Lastly, we’ll continue downhill for 45 minutes until arriving at our campsite, known as Surinecocha (4,800 m / 15,748 f).
We’ll leave Cusco at 4 AM to arrive by car three hours later in the town of Quesiuno to have breakfast. From here, we’ll go up to the Puca Pass and then continue our hike downhill to have lunch in Anantapata. Filled and satisfied, we’ll once again go uphill two hours to the Warmisaya Pass, which is even more charming than the first. We’re sure you’ll love it. Next, we’ll go down to our campsite for a well-earned rest and a delicious dinner in Surinecocha.
We will enjoy a delicious breakfast to start the day. We’ll then fill our water bottles and slowly make our way two hours uphill to warm up. We’ll approach the Rainbow Mountain (5,100 m / 16,732 f) and take our time to enjoy this really special and beautiful landscape. Next, we’ll go down to the viewpoint of the Red Valley to see how this creation of Mother Earth comes to life in the perfect contrast between the red colors and the green color of the valley. We’ll continue gradually down the mountain for an hour until arriving in Llacto (4,630 m / 15,190 f) and having a well-deserved rest.
Next, we’ll travel an hour and a half by car to Andahuaylillas (3,122 m / 10,242 f) to visit its famous cathedral, known as the Sistine Chapel of the Americas. After that, we’ll return to our vehicle to travel 20 minutes to Rumi Punku. Finally, we’ll go downhill 45 minutes to the wetlands of Huacarpay (3,030 m / 9,940 f), the perfect place for observing migratory birds, and we will enjoy the last lunch prepared by our talented chef. Lastly, we’ll return to Cusco again after an hour and a half, taking the best memories of this journey with us.
We’ll get to the Rainbow Mountain after a two-hour uphill hike, and it will be so satisfying! Here, we’ll relish being at the highest point (5,100 m / 16,732 f). After taking some incredible photographs, we’ll make our way to the viewpoint of the Red Valley. After going downhill for one hour, we will arrive in Llacto to go by car to the picturesque town of Andahuaylillas to visit the cathedral known as the Sistine of the Americas. Later, we’ll go toward Rumi Punku and then have lunch in the wetlands of Huacarpay. Finally, we’ll go back to Cusco to finish this delightful journey.
At Ausangate Peru, we specify the included and non-included services under all the tour itineraries listed on our website. We take care of all the logistics, but please pay attention to the details to avoid missing anything. Some items may differ for specific programs, so please read carefully before booking with us.
Your tour will be led by a trained and highly experienced professional with a very solid guiding background, years of hiking and wilderness experience, medical certifications, and a passion for leading people into unforgettable adventures.
After a challenging trek we know how important a good hot meal can be to prepare your body and warm you up. That’s why on every trek with Salkantay Trekking we employ chefs with years of experience cooking on the trails so that they provide filling.
All of our hiking tours include a diversity of tasty meals packed full of critical carbohydrates, proteins and fats. We carry foods that travel well in the backcountry – rice, pastas, lentils, beans, couscous, packaged meats, nuts, breads, oatmeal, granola.
Our Horseman and his horses are in charge of all our gear and will always await us within the safe and comfortable camp sites.
So you are planning to trek the famous Ausangate?
his Ausangate Packing List will help you to prepare for your outdoor adventure in one of the most stunning regions of South America.
In it we have provided as much detail on every piece of kit you will need for a safe and successful trekking. The packing list includes personal recommendations on gear that we own and use. We believe these recommended items of gear provide the best value for money and deliver the best performance.
The "Rainbow Mountain & Red Valley 2 days" can leave any day of the week, from March through January. We do not run this trek in February because rainy season & maintenance.
This small-group journey is guaranteed to operate with just two guests.
Notice that PayPal charges a fee of 8%, which we ask the client to cover since it's due to the use of its service. This tax is just for online deposits so that you will pay the remaining in cash (the briefing day in Cusco) without charges.
lease, after your deposit, send us the transfer number to info@ausangateperu.com; only after that, we'll be able to confirm your deposit and reservation.
Extensions & Offers
There are several extensions you can include to your Peru Adventure.
Additional Items
There are additional items you can include in this trip. Below is a quick list of prices.
Price Guarantee
Once your booking has been confirmed, we guarantee the price won’t increase, whatever the circumstances. So please, before booking, ensure you’ve read all our important tour information.
Our collection of the most fabulous hiking trails in Peru bring you up close and very personal with the region’s most jaw-dropping highlights: from the snow-peaked Andes to turquoise lakes, waterfalls, and glaciers that seem to hang as if by magic, as well as an abundance of wildlife spotting and a breathtaking, unforgettable adventure in nature.
We did the 2-day tour through Ausangate, the rainbow mountain, and the red valley. The tour was private, the guide Jimmy was very friendly and professional, the whole trip has well organized the food was delicious during the excursion.
I thank the travel agency for this beautiful experience, and I recommend it.
-- NICHOLAS A