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The Cordillera Vilcanota is an impressive range of
mountains which include the massive Nevado de Ausangate (6,385m) and
three others over 6000m. It's excellent trekking country offering the
traveller everything you could want: spectacular mountain scenery, snow-capped
peaks, hot springs, turquoise lakes, glaciers, herds of llamas and
alpacas, picturesque villages and traditionally dressed Indians. Its
also high, tough and cold, so be prepared.
This beautiful seven day circular trek starts and finishes at the small
Andean village of Tinqui and takes you around the massif of Ausangate
and over three high passes (two of them over 5000m). It is essential to
be properly acclimatized for this hike spending at least three days in
Cusco (or equivalent altitude) before starting.
Many tour operators provide a horse for each person to ride. Since many
parts of the trail are steep, riders will need to dismount and walk with
the horse for about 40% of the trek. Horses are also used for carrying
all the equipment. If you are not confident on horseback then there are
usually some 'trekking only' tours.
There are only a few trekking operators in Cusco offering this trek on a
regular basis. During the high season (June-August) it may be possible
simply to arrive in Cusco and visit all of the travel companies around
the Plaza, Plateros and Procuradores to see if any have a group leaving.
Joining a group works out a lot cheaper but it can be a bit of a
haphazard affair as far as quality, group size and departure dates are
concerned. A company will often say it will leave in two days time and
then cancel at the last minute if it can't find enough other people for
the group. These 'pooled' service treks can cost as little as $80 for a
7 day trek, although the group sizes can be as much as 20 persons.
If you've come to Cusco with the intention of doing this trek then it is
always best to book in advance. A recommended list of trekking operator
can be found
TOURS IN THIS LINK.
As with all private treks the cost of the trek depends on how many
people there are in your group. E-mail the company first for a price and
list of services included in the trek.
Usually the Ausangate trek is undertaken in 7 days, using a combination
of trekking and horse riding. Well acclimatized trekkers could complete
the trek in 6 days if they want, including all transport to and from
Cusco.
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