Photography Expeditions at Ausangate Rainbow Mountain 4d/3n

Photography Expeditions at Ausangate Rainbow Mountain  4d/3n

Highlights:

• Ausangate Rainbow Mountain
• Ausangate Glacier
• Spectacular Glaciar Lakes
• Alive Culture
• Landscaping

This trip has been designed for partners and friends who are a mix of photographers and non-photographers that have good phisical conditions and support the altitude (The trip is between 4,000 to 5,000 m.a.s.l).

The Rainbow Mountain, with its naturally segmented striations, or stripes, of various colors, is located in the Cordillera of Vilcanota, remote part of the Ausangate glacier, south of Cusco city. The Rainbow Mountain only recently have gained international attention among travelers and trekkers who like to enjoy the high mountains. We have specially crafted this Ausangate and Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain Trek in response to requests from our clients who are interesting in a photography expeditions, all the product has been designed considering ecological and social responsability amount the highlanders.

Our itinerary will take you into the remote, untouched wilderness of the Ausangate glacier, long famous for its stunning high altitude scenery, turquoise lakes, and herds of roaming alpacas. We start our trek to Upis, and then to entering throught to mountains and lakes, making the best places to put in practice all your skills in photography; looking for the astoundingmoments of light and color to be inmortalized by throught your lens.

This rugged and amazing Ausangate Rainbow Mountain Vinicunca Trek requires 3 days of acclimatization to the altitude, it could be in Cusco or at another high-altitude location, or if you are an accustomated trekker, this is the best experience that you were looking for.

ITINERARY

Day 1: Cusco - Tinki – Upis

We pick you up from your hotel early (5:00 a.m) and will drive you to southeast until Tinki. We will stop on the way at the village of Ocongate, where you can see some local culture. The journey to Tinki takes roughly 3:30 hours. From Tinki your trek begins proper, you start by trekking through the Vilcanota Valley before steadily climbing to some high grasslands. Here you get your first glimpse of the Vilcanota range, including both Ausangate and Colque Cruz peak. You cross the Mapacho river before continuing on throught local community villages towards the base of Ausangate glacier. You will camp near the thermal baths at Upis (4,400 m.a.s.l). Once you are at the camp site it wil be a good moment to take of your camera and equipment to capture an espectacular sunset happend over the Ausangate snow cape (6,372 m.a.s.l), then you can enjoy the hot springs.

Day 2: Upis - Pukaqocha

After breakfast, we continue our hike ascending for 3 hours to reach La Arapa pass (4,850 m.a.s.l). The views of Ausangate snow peak from Arapa pass are stunning and you will desire to take the best photos having your camera ready for the moment. After to stop and enjoying this unique view, we start to descending down into the valley that are home of a variety of birds. We will camp next to Yanacocha lagoon, right beneath the crevasses of the glacier, after 6 or 7 hours walking (between 4,800 to 4,600 m.a.s.l) on a well-trodden gravel trail. On your descent we pass through the green lake of Puqa Q’ocha (4,556 m.a.s.l). Once back down in the valley, you will camp beside the gorgeous blue lake of Hatun Puqa Q’ocha. Once were are at the camp site you can get ready your camera and take a spectacular photos of this amazing place around the camp site.

Day 3: Pukaqocha – Yanaorqo Lagoon

Afther our breakfast early we continue to hike up to the valley. Today is a big day and the most anticipated day of the trek. We hike up to 5,200 m.a.s.l, where you will feel spellbound with the views of the majestic Ausangate snow peak, we still have a few hours to walk before lunch. After that, we continue walking and enjoing the spectacular landscape, meeting on the way with heards of lamas and sheeps. After 3 hours we will arrive to the camp site at Yanaorqo lagoon.
 
Day 4: Rainbow Mountain –Vinicunca - Cusco

We’ll have an early breakfast and then begin a walk of approximately 2 hours towards Vinicunca pass, the site of the famous Ausangate Rainbow Mountain, at this point, our breathing will become increasingly labored as we gain altitude. Once we arrive at the top of the pass, there may be some frigid gusts of wind, so please ensure that you are wrapped up warmly clothes.
 
You will be rewarded for your trekking efforts when you finally see the incredible Vinicunca, with its vibrant multi-hued layers of rock sediment: turquoise, orange, brown, and red. At the same time, you will have majestic views of the Ausangate snow cape. This trek to Vinicunca is without a doubt the most famous new attraction in Peru.
 
After to reach and have a great moment photographing this spellbound mount, we star to dawn hill to the last stop for a lunch, to finilly set up to Cusco.
 
Tour's Program includes

• All transportations
• Professional bilingual guide
• Entrance fees to the Ausangate route and rainbow mountain
• All meals during the route
• Ozonated water (we will provide it in all the tour, but you must carry your own canteen)
• Camping equipments
• Emergency horse
• Horses and horse men
• Fisrt aid kit and oxygen
• Snacks

Not Includes

• Breakfast first day
• Sleeping bag (-15)
• You can take additional horse for U$$ 100.00
• Other requirements
• Gratuities recommended for a staff

List of Trip:
 
Water proof bags
Photography equipments and extra batteries
Sun block SPF 45 - 90
Canteen is oblligatory
Extra warm clothes
Sunglasses
Additional Snacks
Daypack
Hat or cap (wool hat)
Hiking and tennis shoes (obligatory)
Raincoats or rain ponchos (all year)
Binoculars (optional)
Walking poles
Passport, ISIC Card (students)
Flash light and batteries
Sleeping bags (-15 degrees)
Snacks: Energy bars, chocolate, dry fruits (obligatory). 
 
 If you don’t have some of the required equipment, we can rent one