Cusco, Peru
Cusco, Peru
5 Nights Locally Owned Hotels - 3 Nights Deluxe Campsites w/ Beds
15–25
4 Days of Guided Hikes
12 km / 7.4 mi
5,200 m / 17,000 ft
Challenging
The Ausangate region is one of Peru’s best-kept trekking secrets: 20,000-foot peaks, alpaca-dotted pastures and the striped slopes of Rainbow Mountain, with none of the Inca Trail crowds.
Your journey will take you past the Pucacocha Lakes, across the Red Valley and catch sunrise on Rainbow Mountain before the day-trippers arrive. Then you’ll finish on the Km 104 Inca Trail to the Sun Gate and your first view of Machu Picchu.
Each night on trek, you’ll sleep in a deluxe mountain camp with real beds and hot showers. With our expert local guide leading the way, this is Machu Picchu done right.
Today is an arrival day. Land in Cusco at any time and take it easy as you get use to the higher altitudes.
Enjoy a slow start to your morning with breakfast and a good cup of coffee or maybe a Coca tea to help acclimatize. We will have a morning trek briefing and then set out to explore a bit of Cusco and enjoy an introductory hike around the city to see how our body adjusts to the altitude. In the evening we will enjoy a kickoff dinner.
Meals Included: B, D
Today we're heading into the Sacred Valley—one of Peru's gems! With a quick transfer you make it to Chinchero, where you can enjoy an easy walk exploring the main viewpoints, terraces and plazas. If you want to walk a little bit more, choose to join an easy stroll at the turquoise Piuray Lagoon.
Meals Included: B
Get your shoes ready, we're leaving the luxury of our hotel behind and hitting the trail! After an energising breakfast arrive in Upis, your starting point for the trek ahead. Today's hike is about 4-6 miles, traversing through vast pastures and uphills and enjoying some alpaca encounters, probably.
Once you reach camp, a hot drink will be waiting - the best way to wrap up your first trekking day. Do some stretching and, if the sky's clear, take in the views of the starlit sky.
Meals Included: B, L, D
We keep going higher, our goal today is at 15.255 feet above sea level. The trek will be slightly longer, but with unique views that make it truly memorable. The Red Valley bands, glacial moraines and the turquoise Pucacocha chain will leave you in complete awe. After this long day, there's option to do a light yoga session or some stretching at camp. You probably won't want to move any more, but trust us, your body will appreciate it! Meals Included: B, L, D
An early rise ensures you have one of the most memorable days! Wake up early and start hiking to Rainbow Mountain, only 30 min away from camp. Arriving there at 6:30 am will be absolutely worth it: no crowds, no noise and the best light. Weather permitting, the snow-covered peaks of Ausangate, Mariposa and Jatunhuma will make themselves visible. Enjoy the peace of having the mountains all to yourself and get some incredible pictures. Afterwards, we descend for about 1 hour, reach our car and start driving to the Sacred Valley. We'll stop at a restaurant for lunch and arrive at the hotel by midday. Great views, a swimming pool and even a spa are at your disposal at this unique property. The day closes with a quick briefing on the Inca Trail hike that starts the following day.
Meals Included: B, L
Board an early morning train from Ollantaytambo to Km 104, the trailhead for the legendary one-day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. From here, hike through lush Andean cloud forest along original Inca stonework, climbing toward the remarkable archaeological site of Wiñay Wayna—one of the best-preserved ruins on the trail and a highlight for photographers and history lovers alike. Continue on to the Sun Gate (Inti Punku), where the trail delivers its reward: your first unforgettable panoramic view of Machu Picchu framed by the Andes below. From the Sun Gate, descend into the Machu Picchu Sanctuary and down to the town of Aguas Calientes, where you'll spend the night before exploring the ruins in full the next day.
Meals Included: B, L
Rise early for a guided tour of Machu Picchu, exploring the Inca citadel's temples, terraces, and plazas with an expert local guide who brings the history and mystery of this UNESCO World Heritage Site to life. Afterward, enjoy free time to wander the ruins independently, snap your own photos, and soak in the atmosphere before the crowds build. Head down to Aguas Calientes for lunch, then board the scenic train back to Ollantaytambo, followed by a private transfer to Cusco. Cap off the adventure with a farewell dinner in Cusco, celebrating the journey with your group before saying goodbye.
Meals Included: B, D
This morning enjoy a final included breakfast. Transfer back to the airport for your onward flight home.
Meals Included: B
Save the hassle and have airport pickup and dropoff settled before you arrive.
From small locally owned hotels and guesthouses to handpicked boutique accommodations, there is a level of accommodation for each taste.
Extend your stay and enjoy the beautiful city of Lima and it’s culinary delights. Upgraded accommodation, a tour of the city and a local food experience make this a great way to finish off your adventure.
Angel is a Licensed Inca Trail Mountain Guide and our local partner in Peru. He makes every adventure fun, unique and exciting sharing his knowledge and introducing you to all of his local connections throughout Peru.
The trip to Andalucia was great. Christina was a wonderful guide. Knowledgeable and calm, clear instructions. Knowledge of nice places to eat and visit. Good leader. Susan was a fabulous hike leader and took us to a good restaurant. Knowledge of floral and fauna and customs. Thanks to Matt for staying on top of things. Hotel rooms and recording flights etc. The hotels were great. One hotel has hard beds Seville I think. Otherwise comfortable. Good trip
LauraI had the most amazing experience of my life recently on the Camino de Santiago. Matt at Adventure Desk curated the perfect vacation and literally thought of everything. This was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my life thanks to Matt. I will be using Adventure Desk for ALL my future vacations! Thanks again Matt… you are the best!
BradleyOverall a great trip, however there were some excursions that could have been omitted and the itinerary was too jam packed, there was no downtime for people to rest and do their own thing. Also there was some minsformation communicated before the trip. It was indicated that there would be banks/atms and places would accept credit/debit but it turned out 95% of the places only took cash and if you did not bring enough cash, it would've been difficult to buy food/tip and purchase other goods. Very few atm's took canadian debit cards. The spa was a waste of a day, more time could've been spent in Quito.
VirenWe had a great experience working with Adventuredesk to help plan our dream wedding trip to Tanzania. From the Mt. Kilimanjaro hike, going on safari, and having a small ceremony in Zanzibar - we cannot thank Adventuredesk enough for their planning, listening to what we wanted, putting together an itinerary that was both adventurous and relaxing, connecting us with guides who were knowledgable, kind, and have since become friends, always being willing to answer questions and very responsive. Special thanks to Matt Kinch who we worked with directly.
MackieI’ve had the best experience with AdventureDesk! Prior to working with them I was planning all the logistics for our trips and I’m glad to have this off my plate and in the capable hands of Matt and his team. Excellent service, follow through and communication. They went above and beyond to make sure my group had an unforgettable experience!
KyleAdventuredesk has been my go-to partner for all our adventure travel trips. They have helped us with two amazing trips and we have four more on the calendar for 2024. Matt has helped us from brainstorming and planning sessions, building out the trips to sales support to our community. One of the things I value most is his communication and quick response time. He is easy to get a hold of to answer questions and provide us with whatever we need. Matt and Adventuredesk will be planning all our trips moving forward!! Thank you, Matt!!
AnnThe team at Adventuredesk helped me to organise a trip to Qubec for a Spartan Race for myself and clients at the gym. Their service was quick and efficient, organising both accomodation and additional activities around the race such as whitewater rafting and a Scandinavian Spa day. Assistance was provided whenever needed also. Overall I cannot recommend Adventuredesk enough for any of your travel needs.
TomI’ve had the pleasure of traveling with Tropos Gym through Adventure Desk twice now, and both experiences were nothing short of amazing! Adventure Desk truly knows how to turn a trip into an unforgettable adventure. From the seamless planning to the exciting activities, everything was handled with exceptional professionalism and a great sense of fun. The trips were packed with thrilling experiences and well-organized itineraries that kept us engaged and entertained from start to finish. The guides were knowledgeable, friendly, and always ready to go the extra mile to ensure we had the best time possible. What stood out the most was the attention to detail and the genuine passion for adventure that Adventure Desk brings to every trip. They took care of everything, allowing us to fully immerse ourselves in the journey and enjoy every moment. I can't recommend Adventure Desk enough for anyone looking to embark on a thrilling and well-organized adventure. I’m already looking forward to my next trip with them! ????????✨
KatrinaMatt is an excellent, detailed and caring agent through Adventuredesk! He helped me out with planning a trip to Morocco through Intrepid Travel in April 2023. He provided great suggestions and advice regarding flights and how to be cost effective and save. I would definitely recommend Matt for my next vacation and trip!
Husayn
Deposit: $500 CAD non-refundable
Single upgrade: $800 CAD (hotels only)
Final payment: 90 days before
The Ausangate Trek and Inca Trail is a challenging high altitude trek, with the daily distances being manageable for most travellers. Generally it is not the distance, but the altitude that makes hikes challenging.
The best advice we give hikers is to arrive a couple days early into altitude if possible in order to acclimatize.
Most travellers will feel some effects of altitude while travelling, especially on arrival into Cusco which is at 3400 metres / 11,000 feet above sea level.
Common symptons include headaches or light headedness, difficulty breathing, sleeping and slower than usual digestion. This normally fades after the first couple of days, which is why we recommend arriving a couple days early.
Anything that you don’t need with you while hiking can be stored back at our Cusco hotel and we will retrieve it when we return.
At the pre-trek briefing you will be given a small duffle bag to pack your clothes for the trek, please note there is a 7kg (15 lbs) – your sleeping bag and inflatable mattresses will be included in this amount they weigh 3kg – this means you have 4kg (8.5 pounds) for your own personal items.
Of course, we encourage arriving a couple days earlier and will be able to assist with pre or post accommodation in order to extend your stay.
In addition, we will have optional extras before and after the trip for anyone interested in exploring more with us!
Packing and Gear List for Camp
Tents, mattresses and elevated sleeping cots are provided for the duration of your Peru trek.
At the pre-trek briefing you will be given a duffle bag to pack your clothes for the trek.
In addition to the items below, you MUST take your passport, a photocopy is not sufficient. Keep it in a plastic bag in case of rain.
Sleeping bag liner
Camp Pillow: (not provided, not available to rent)
Day Pack with rain cover:
Think of what you want to carry each day. That’s what you’ll use this day pack for as the porter will carry your sleeping bag and anything else that will fit as long as it’s under the 5kg limit.
Trekking Poles: you can rent locally or bring your own from home. Make sure you have a rubber cover for the bottom tip of your pole.
Water bottle:
You should be carrying at least 2 litres of water daily, while trekking. Depending on whether you have a hydration bladder in your bag or not we recommend bringing two (1 litre) bottles that can be refilled on the trail with boiled water, which will be supplied daily.
Waterproof, well worn-in walking boots
Sandals or Flip Flops – especially for the public showers on the trail
Walking clothing in layers:
(E.g. zip off pants to shorts, fleece, T-shirts). It’s a personal choice as to how many items you bring, however please remember there’s a 5kg limit and everything else YOU will be carrying! We recommend the following;
For night time at camp, think about what warm and clean/fresh clothing you’d like to wear:
Fleece, long pants, wool hat, gloves
Thermal underwear:
Thermal wear is recommended, being light, warm and will keep you warm at night. Temperatures can get down to 0 degrees at altitude at night (much warmer during the day).
Sunscreen, sunglasses, and sunhat
Personal medication and basic first aid kit:
Band-Aids, Imodium, Panadol, rehydration sachets, salt packets (LMNT), hand sanitizer
Camera and spare batteries, USB/wireless phone charger, memory cards or film:
Please note: there are no electrical outlets on the trek so make sure you fully charge and or have spare batteries AND power banks.
Snacks:
Chocolates, chips, biscuits, energy bars. Snacks are provided during the trek but you may like to bring one or two extras just in case. If you have a dietary requirement, then we recommend bringing some suitable snacks from home. We will accommodate you for Breakfast, lunch and dinner however for snacks it’s recommended to bring some just to be safe.
Head torch or Standard Torch (flash-light)
And spare batteries.
Tropical strength insect repellent.
Ear Plugs – in case of snoring roommates/tent mates
Plastic bags or dry sacks:
To keep your belongings and clothes dry (wrap everything in plastic bags).
Toilet paper
Small plastic bags or zip lock bags: Please don’t dispose of your toilet paper on the ground!
Wet wipes
Small towel and basic personal toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant)
Laundry – Given the short nature of this trip, there will not be any time for laundry during the trip. Some hotels will offer laundry service with a cost per item that you can leave with reception, however it is not recommended as items may not be available in time.
Effective: July 15, 2025
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Sept 18–26, 2027 · Limited Availability
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