The weather in the Andes of Peru is always unpredictable because of the geographical conditions. On the Ausangate Trek, you will experience a wide range of temperatures. Given the high elevations, it doesn’t get hot, but the sun is intensely strong and that’s the biggest battle. Along the Ausangate trek, temperatures range from 10-20º C (50 – 68 °F) during the day if it is sunny, to 05-10º C (41 – 50 °F) during the day if it is not sunny. Given the high altitude of the campsites, temperatures drop significantly in the evening and especially at night, where they may get down to -10º C (14°F) or even lower in the dry season. Warm clothes are therefore required for this trek.

We rate the Ausangate Trek as moderately challenging, with some days more difficult than others. The main reason for the difficulty is the high altitude which can really make short distances seem so much longer. You will also be walking uphill which can seem extremely difficult at this altitude.
In the classic 5-day Ausangate Trek, the second and third days are the most difficult. This is because you will be climbing steps at very high altitudes.

Every day, you will walk around 6-7 hours on average. You’ll hike further on day 4, but because it’s not as uphill, it’s not as difficult as days 2 and 3. Below is a breakdown of the distance you’ll cover on each day of the Ausangate Clásico 5-Day Trek:

• Day 1: 10 km / 6.21 miles
• Day 2: 12.1 km / 7.5 miles
• Day 3: 13 km / 8.1 miles
• Day 4: 15 km / 9.3 miles
• Day 5: 7.1 km / 4.4 miles

Yes. You’ll need to make sure you take enough water for the first morning of your trek, but after this, we’ll provide you with boiled water to fill your bottle or pouch with at every meal and campsite. The water is clean and perfectly safe for you to drink, so you don’t need to worry in that respect.
Make sure you take a reusable bottle or Camelbak to use the entire trek. We prefer not to use plastic bottles to help protect the environment and the routes.

Although everything is paid for in advance and included in the package, you definitely need to take some extra cash with you for the trek. Around 300 Peruvian soles are enough. Don’t take dollars, as these aren’t liable to tender in rural parts of the country.

You might not need to use any at all, but it’s always a good idea in case of emergencies or if you need to buy anything along the way. You might also find that you feel tired on a part of the route and would like to hire a horse for a small section.

Due to the somewhat challenging hike and weather conditions, we do not recommend traveling with small children. You will likely have to carry them for much of the way, making it even more difficult for you.
We recommend that the earliest age that children should join this walk is 12 years old. As long as your child is active and you walk a lot on the way home, you should be fine.

If you expect to check your emails or see how your friends and family are doing along the way, you won’t be able to do so on the Ausangate Trek. You will be in a very rural part of the country where they don’t have access yet.

Yes. There are bathrooms along the way. Peru Trek also takes chemical bathrooms for you to use along the way if needed.

No. On the Ausangate route, there are no showers. However, you’d probably find it too cold to get into the shower anyway, so you likely won’t need one.

At Peru Trek Company, we offer two variations of the Ausangate Trek, over four or five, seven days.
The main difference is that on the 4-day trek, you’ll visit Rainbow Mountain, aka Vinicunca, which is a highly sought-after tourist destination. Do keep in mind, though, that if you opt for this trek, you’ll see more people and larger crowds when descending from Rainbow Mountain. Your time at the mountain itself will be quiet as we get there before the large groups.

The other main difference is the length and what you’ll see. Obviously, the 5-day trek is a little more challenging as it’s over more days. You’ll also get the chance to see more stunning views, visit different thermal baths, and spend more time in local communities to learn their customs and traditions.

Yes, you are able to rent a horse. However, you’ll need to do it through an agency and let us know beforehand.

There is plenty of water provided during each trek. We take tap water from each campsite and boil it for 15 minutes, so it is safe to drink. You only need to carry enough water to get you to each stop. You can refill your bottles at breakfast, lunch and dinner.

The best time to Hike the Ausangate region is from April to November to maximize the number of clear days, as most of the things we recommend here are all outdoor activities. That said, with favorable weather, comes more hikers hitting the trail. That might be a good thing, but if you want to have the places only for you, try visiting during the shoulder season, as of late March or December while some Travel agencies will still offer the trek, the demand is obviously lower around this time of year. Because of this, it will be more expensive and more difficult to find daily departures for the trek.

No. On the Ausangate Trek, there’s nowhere to charge your electronic devices. We recommend you take a portable power pack if you have cameras or phones you want to keep charged.

One of the aspects that probably surprises you the most is the food on the trek. Most guests mention how much they enjoyed the variety of dishes prepared by our professional chefs en route. You will be surprised by the food you eat in the middle of the mountains.

We know that nutrition on the routes is essential, since you need a lot of energy to get through each day. For this reason, we work long and hard, together with our chefs and the best nutritionists to put together the most complete menu possible for the Ausangate Trek.

Every time you sit down to eat, you’ll be greeted with a variety of options for you to choose from, including all the essential food groups for a well-balanced meal every time.

If you have allergies or prefer not to eat certain foods, you should not worry. All you need to do is let us know before the trek and we will make sure you eat as well as everyone else in your group and enjoy as much fresh and local ingredients as possible.

It gets even better: we’ll also give you a cloth bag for which we provide snacks every morning to keep you going. We also set up a special ‘tea time’ at each camp with tasty light bites and hot drinks to keep you going until dinner.

You can see that you certainly won’t go hungry on the Ausangate Trek and you will be able to try many of our traditional Peruvian dishes.

The maximum group size for all treks is 12 people. In general, our groups are from 4 to 6 people. PERU TREK specializes in SMALL and PRIVATE groups and provides personalized services.