Day 1 CUSCO - TINQUI - UPIS

Leaving Cusco very early in a private vehicle, we head south towards Urcos. From there, we start our winding ascent to the Urcos Pass (4270m) from where we can spot Mt. Ausangate - the highest in Cuzco at 6380m. We continue through small villages and remote communities to reach Ocongate. We start the day hiking through small villages where the families work in their fields and we can see their community way-of-life. Then we continue across wide open spaces above small settlements of herders and weavers. As we approach the northern face of Mt. Ausangate, we will run into herds of alpacas. We will be accompanied by a crew of packhorses and "arrieros" - Donkey Drivers. We make camp at Upis (4480m), right below the snowcapped mountains. (Trekking: 5 - 6 hours) Accommodation Tents Meals L, D

Day 2 UPIS AUSANGATECOCHA

Our campsite is left below us as we slowly ascend up Upispampa, getting closer to the north face of Ausangate. An ascent up the Inkapampa valley brings us to the Arapa Pass at 4750m. We border and traverse the arid rolling landscape to then slowly descend to the small lakes. We pass through the valley of Samacancha to arrive at Lake Pucacocha below one of the Ausangate glaciers - a beautiful place to enjoy lunch. If we are lucky we will hear and see an ice fall. Above the lakes the rocky spire of Mt. Sorimana will stand guard.. Leaving the lunch spot, a slow ascent will bring us to the Alcatani Pass (4830m). From here, we begin our descent to Ausangatecocha (4720m)- a beautiful blue lake formed by the melt-off from the glacier - with a view of the southern face of Ausangate. Camp (Trekking 8 hours) Accommodation Tents Meals B, L, D

Day 3 AUSANGATECOCHA PASO PALOMANI - JAMPA

From Ausangatecocha we start a steep ascent to the Palomani Pass at 5150m. As we cross into the valley of Machuraqay we are rewarded with beautiful views of Mt. Mariposa with its cone peak. We descend to Chillcaphinaya (4400m), a valley filled with grazing llamas and alpacas. The surrounding ridges of the Cordillera Vilcanota have varying hues of rock, sand and reddish earth. We ascend to the large plateau of Jatunpampa where we camp at 4,730m. (Trekking 7 - 8 hours) Accommodation Tents Meals B, L, D

Day 4 JAMPA - PACCHANTA

We begin our ascent to the Jampa Pass - Mt. Callangate, with its jagged spires covered in ice, dominates our trek as we hike over the pass at 5080m. We have lunch at Pachapata. The ridge above offers a view of the lakes of Qomercocha and Harmacocha. We traverse the ridge and enter the watershed of Mt. Ninaparayoc with its lake below. We follow this valley with Mt. Ausangate behind us - we have now completed almost a full circle around the mountain. Rolling hills extend below us as we hike into Pacchanta for a chance to visit the hot-springs. Camp at 4350m. (Trekking 6- 7 hours) Accommodation Tents Meals B, L, D

Day 5 PACCHANTA - TINQUI - CUSCO

We start descending to Tinqui, crossing the vast hills and fields that are occupied by local farmers. We reach Tinqui at midday and after a good lunch we get in our vehicle to return to Cusco. Meals B, L