Allow yourself to be captivated by the brilliant crystals of Ausangate.
The Tour of the 7 Lakes is one of the most beautiful routes in all of the Vilcanota Mountain Range; you’ll stand before the imposing Ausangate, one of the 5 highest snowcaps in Peru. You’ll have the opportunity to connect with the purest of nature and gaze upon a gorgeous place in the Andes of Cusco surrounding these multi-colored lakes.
On top of that, you’ll take a dip in the hot springs of Pacchanta to relax before enjoying a traditional lunch prepared by a local family who will cordially receive us in their home. This is a one-day excursion, within which you’ll discover indigenous communities who still keep their cultures and traditions alive today. Are you ready to live this experience?
7 Lakes of Ausangate 1-Day Trek Map
- Itinerary
- Inclusions
- Before You Go
- Packing List
- Pricing
- Enquire Now
This incredible, one-day adventure will start early, leaving Cusco in private transportation toward the community of Pacchanta. There, we’ll be received by a local family who will offer a nutritious, traditional Andean breakfast so that we can start our journey to the 7 Lakes through the Andes Mountain Range. On the way, we’ll enjoy incredible vistas of immense glaciers, including the imposing Ausangate at 6,384 meters (20,945 feet) above sea level.
We’ll start with an uphill hike to the first lake of the circuit known as Comercocha, a name originating from the Quechua language which means “green lake.” Continuing the journey, we’ll pass by other lakes: Patacocha, Azulcocha and China Otorongo, among others. After this hike of about 15 km, we’ll return to the community of Pacchanta to have lunch. If the body asks for it, we’ll take a relaxing swim in the hot springs there before returning to Cusco, finishing off this incomparable experience.
Highlights
- Live the experience of enfrenting the hidden wonders of the Andes.
- Explore one of the most beautiful parts of the Ausangate glacier route in just one day.
- Immerse yourself in the daily life of the most traditional communities in this area of the Andean heights.
- Observe the diverse flora and fauna of the region. See alpacas and llamas grazing in their natural habitat.
- Enjoy a relaxing swim in the hot springs of Pacchanta with one of the most precious views of the Ausangate glacier, the highest and most sacred in the region of Cusco.
- Traverse the 7 green and turquoise lakes; they’ll make this hike a most unique experience.
Detailed Itinerary
Cusco | Ccatca - Pacchanta - Comercocha - Azulcocha - Pacchanta
Highlight of the day: Walk at the foot of the imposing Ausangate glacier, and explore beautiful multi-colored lakes.
The crystal jewels of the Andes!
Very early, we’ll leave for Pacchanta, the starting point of our journey. We’ll have a nutritious breakfast with the locals. The trail looks good because, as we ascend, we’ll be able to see some of the colorful lakes of the area: Comercocha, Alqacocha, Patacocha, Otorongococha and Azulcocha, among others.
After this incredible part of the hike, we’ll go back downhill for a well-earned lunch and then be able to swim in the relaxing hot springs of Pacchanta. At the end of the day, we’ll return to Cusco with a happy heart because of the beautiful moments we’ve experienced on this adventure.
We’ll start the day picking you up from your hotel and going toward the south of Cusco. We’ll pass by picturesque towns where the locals will be dressed in colorful, traditional outfits, keeping their culture and traditions alive. On the way, we’ll stop briefly in the town of Ccatcca to visit its plaza and some of the streets that make it so beautiful.
We’ll continue on the inter-ocean highway connecting Peru with our brother, Brazil, until we arrive at the community of Pacchanta, located at more than 4,100 meters (13,451 feet) above sea level. Here, a wonderful family from the town will be waiting to invite us into their home for a nutritious breakfast made of Andean ingredients. After that, we’ll go toward the Vilcanota Mountain Range, from which we can see the Ausangate glacier, one of the most spectacular whose thawing feeds the beautiful lakes we’ll visit on our hike.
Continuing on, we’ll go uphill for about three and a half hours to the viewpoint of Ninaparayoc. Along the way, we’ll pass by Comercocha and Alqacocha, lakes of blue and turquoise located at the foot of the enigmatic glacier of Callangate. Later, we’ll return to Pacchanta and, on the trail, visit the lakes of Patacocha, Otorongocha, Azulcocha and others.
Before taking a dip in the relaxing hot springs of Pacchanta, we’ll go back to our host family to enjoy a delicious lunch. Finally, satisfied with this beautiful experience, we’ll board our private transportation to return to Cusco.
Why Travel with us
At Salkantay Trekking, 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 be different for specific programs, so please read carefully before booking with us.
What Is Included?
Permits & Entrance Tickets
Entrance Ticket to the circuit “Ausangate 7 Lakes”
High Quality Service & Safety
Pre-departure Briefing - The day before the trip, at 5:00 pm you will meet your trekking guide.
You’ll meet your trekking guide and group in our office for an orientation before your trek. The meeting will be at 5:00 pm the evening before the trip begins.
Experienced Tour Guide - All our guides have professionalism, experience, responsibility, seriousness and passion, which will make your trip safe and comfortable.
English and spanish speaking official tour guide. All our guides are graduates of the professional career of Tourism of the National University San Antonio Abad of Cusco. We choose them for their professionalism, experience, responsibility, seriousness, unbridled passion for exploring, and sincere desire to proudly share in our culture and history. He or she will keep you safe, sound, and comfortable on your trek so that you can enjoy your time worry-free!
- Bilingual Tour Guide in group service or shared (English and Spanish)
Medical Kit or First AID Kit - Our guides are trained to deal with basic emergencies.
All Salkantay Trekking guides have received specialized training in first aid. We hold mandatory training sessions with our guides every February. Your guide will always carry a first aid kit to face basic emergencies (altitude sickness, travelers' diarrhea, cuts, scrapes, etc.) as well as oxygen. If necessary, we’ll evacuate you from the path as quickly as possible and ensure that you arrive at a clinic for treatment.
Extras Included in our Service - You’ll receive a cover to protect your backpack on the road and a rain poncho.
We believe that attention to small details is what sets us apart from other local companies. You’ll receive a pair of walking sticks (trekking poles) with rubber tips, and a rain poncho.
24/7 Customer Service - We have 24 hours a day telephone service.
We have telephone service available 24 hours/day for ease of communication with Salkantay Trekking leading up to your trek.
Meals
Breakfast & Lunch
Snacks and water
Before starting your trekking, your tour guide will provide you a cloth bag with local fruits, cookies, chocolate, caramels, etc. In addition, you'll receive a bottle of water.
One cloth snack bag per person
To avoid the usage of plastic bags that contaminate our environment, we'll give you a cloth bag for your snacks.
Hygiene Products
You’ll be provided with a small towel and soap before each meal to clean your hands.
Transportation
Transport
All your transportation is included in this package. We will pick you up from your hotel and take you to the starting point of the hike. Once you complete the tour, we will take you back to the door of your hotel.
What Is Not Included?
Dinner
Hiking Clothes
Travel Insurance
Tips for our staff
Tipping is the norm on any excursion in Peru. Although we pay good salaries to our entire team, something extra is always welcome, especially considering the hard work they do.
Additional costs or delays beyond our control
Landslides, bad weather conditions, itinerary modifications due to a safety concern, illness, pandemia, government policy changes, political instability, strikes, act of God, etc.
We want to make your trip to Peru as memorable and as carefree as possible. In this section, you’ll find the answers to all the questions you have about traveling with Salkantay Trekking in one place. Please read the following information carefully – it will help you with any questions about our services.
Briefing or Informative Meeting
All information meetings and briefings are held in our main office in Cusco (or your hotel) at 5:00 pm, one night before the tour begins. These meetings last approximately 30 to 45 minutes. If you’re unable to attend, you must coordinate another time by email, by phone or at the Salkantay Trekking office.
Can I store my luggage at your office?
Of course! During the trip, your main luggage can be stored at our office (you can organize it with us on the briefing day or by email) or at your hotel, both free of charge.
Any equipment that you won’t need on the trek can be stored safely in your hotel. Nearly every hotel will provide this service. Don’t leave items of value with your bags; put them in the hotel safe and obtain an itemized receipt (in the unlikely case of theft, many insurance companies require that you have a copy of the receipt itemizing everything). It’s best to put items such as credit cards inside a sealed, signed envelope for extra peace of mind.
Pick up of guests
Please note:
- All pickups are within Cusco City, but we recommend booking a hotel in the historic center for its convenient location.
- Our guide or staff will confirm the pickup time the day before the tour.
- Due to traffic conditions, the pickup time may vary between 30 and 45 minutes.
- Cusco is an old city and has many narrow cobbled streets. Some hotels and Airbnbs are located on streets without car access or on long, steep slopes, making it difficult to transport luggage. For such reasons, we strongly advise you to book accommodation with good access.
Group Tours
Group tours are made up of different types of people, then physical conditions and ages can vary. By agreeing to be part of a group tour, you also accept that some people may be faster or slower than you. Therefore, each person can go at their own pace on the route.
It may be the case that a group wishes to modify the tour; however, the guide will be the one who decides, after consulting with all the participants, if such modifications are possible.
Strikes and demonstrations
Strikes and demonstrations are common in Peru, and this may interrupt some of our tours. Roads can be blocked, and train tracks can be taken over. However, we will try to keep your trip as originally planned, even if it means leaving the night before the scheduled date.
Under these circumstances, tours may also be canceled. In case of changes or cancellations, everything will be coordinated with you by our operations department. Your safety is our highest priority, and our decisions will be made to protect it.
Lost objects
Please pay attention to where you leave your things and remember to take everything once you leave our transport or restaurant. You’re the only one responsible for your objects during the tour.
WHAT SHOULD YOU BRING?
ESSENTIAL
CLOTHING
EQUIPMENT
RECOMMENDED
"The Ausangate 7 Lakes Hike" can leave any day of the week, from March through January. We don’t operate this itinerary in February because of the rainy season & maintenance of the route.
2025 Land Cost
Group Price: US$ 100.00 per person
This small-group journey is guaranteed to operate with just two guests.
Notice that PayPal charges a fee of 5%, which we ask the client to cover since it's due to the use of its service. This tax is just for online deposits.
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.
Thank you for your interest in having an adventure travel experience in Peru curated by Salkantay Trekking. Please take a moment to complete our short form, so one our friendly Adventure Consultants could provide you all the information for your trip of a lifetime in Peru.
Our Pledge | Your privacy is respected and protected. The Salkantay Trekking Company will never share, sell, or make public any of your personal contact information to third parties.
Remember | One of our Travel Experts will contact you soon to confirm the availability of the trip you chose, give you more information, and/or provide you alternative options. Once availability is established, we will ask for a deposit and a completed online registration to confirm your spot on the trek. Please call us at (+51) 958 191 179 with any questions or to confirm availability over the phone.
Note | Due to the rainy season and trail maintenance, we don't offer this trek during the whole month of february. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you, we are working to provide you a better service!
Feel free to reach us via email at info@salkantaytrekking.com or by calling us directly at (+51) 958 191 179
Every Day: 9:00 am to 7:00 pm
Triunfo Street 346 - Main Square of Cusco, Peru
