Ausangate Circuit: Impartial Hiker’s Information

The Ausangate Circuit is a traditional Andean trek that options glaciers, sizzling springs, turquoise lakes, and traverses 4 excessive altitude passes. Even supposing it boasts among the most interesting mountain surroundings in Peru, it receives solely a fraction of the foot site visitors seen on the area’s extra well-known hikes, the Inca Path and Salkantay Trek. I hiked the Ausangate Circuit with Ryan “Dirtmonger” Sylva in early August 2017. 

Ryan “Dirtmonger/DM” Sylva approaching Campo Go (5068m).

At a Look

Distance:  70 km (43.5 miles) – Not together with facet journeys.

Avg. Time:  5 days.

• That’s the usual period of time taken by guided teams. If you’re match, acclimatized and carrying a light-weight pack, there aren’t any huge points with doing the hike in three or 4 days.

Begin & End:  Tinqui

• As of 2017, just about all organized teams begin at Upis, which is now accessible by filth street and cuts off round 12 km from the general distance. We determined to start our hike on the conventional trailhead of Tinqui, and hiked from there to Upis through a mix of path, filth roads and cross-country.

Overview map of the circuit.

Highest Level: Palomani Go 5165 m (16,946 ft)

Lowest Level: Tinqui 3800 m (12, 467 ft)

Season:  Doable all 12 months, although the dry season between Might and October is good. Throughout this era nights could be chilly (-5°C is frequent), however days are usually clear.

Problem:  Reasonable to Difficult. For essentially the most half, the climbs are pretty gradual, and the path is straightforward to observe. That stated, just about all of this trek is above 4500 m (14,764 ft). That is one hike for which you’ll want to be nicely and actually acclimatized beforehand (see beneath).

Yama Mountain Gear Cirriform & MLD SoloMid | Campsite Day 1 | Not too removed from Laguna Jatan Pucacocha.

Getting There & Away:

• Cusco to Tinqui – There are every day buses with Transportes Siwar (Av. Tito Condemayta 1613 – Located behind the Coliseo Cerrado)  from Cusco to Tinqui. They depart early morning, take round three hours, and the fee is barely 9 Peruvian Soles (round US$3) as of August 2017. The bus will drop you off on the Tinqui plaza, from the place you can begin your hike. To return to Cusco, your greatest likelihood of getting a direct bus is by arriving in Tinqui by 730 / 8 am.

Llamas, hikers and ominous-looking clouds.

Guidebook / Maps / Normal Data:

• Guidebooks: The newest possibility is Alexander Stewart’s, The Inca Path (2013), which accommodates trekking notes and a primary map for the Ausangate Circuit (in addition to different hikes within the area). I’ve not seen this guide in particular person, however for what it’s price, the evaluations on Amazon appear constructive. Older titles that embody the Ausangate embody: Lonely Planet, Trekking in Peru (2008) and Lonely Planet, Trekking within the Central Andes (2003).

• Topo Maps: If you’re searching for one thing a bit of extra detailed, you possibly can choose up the IGN 1:100,000 Ocongate (sheet 28-t) on-line at Omnimap.com (very expensive). Alternatively, you would possibly have the ability to discover a copy on the South American Explorer’s Membership in Cusco.

• GPS: See AllTrails or  Wikiloc.com for GPS data for the whole circuit.

• Helpful Web sites: Besthike.com accommodates an summary of the circuit, hyperlinks to a number of journey experiences, and many useful ideas if you happen to choose to go together with a trekking company.

A great trying llama by any standards | Laguna Caycocha.

• Permits & Charges: No permits are wanted to hike the Ausangate Circuit, although hikers do must pay a ten sole (US$3) price at a hole-in-the-wall kiosk on the sting of Tinqui. Be certain that they offer you a receipt/ticket.

• Meals:  There are a few primary shops in Tinqui, however you’re higher off bringing all provides from Cusco. As soon as you allow Tinqui, there’s nowhere to buy provides alongside the route.

• Water: There’s loads of water obtainable all through the route, nevertheless, because of the prevalence of grazing animals (Ausangate is within the working for being the Llama capital of Peru) it’s endorsed that each one water needs to be handled.

DM ingesting within the views on high of Arapa Go (4757m)

• Guided Vs Impartial: Greater than 95% of hikers that sort out the Ausangate Circuit accomplish that as a part of a guided group. Nonetheless, in case you have the mandatory gear – because of the increased elevations it’s colder than the Inca and Salkantay hikes – an affordable quantity of backpacking expertise, and are nicely acclimatized (see beneath) there aren’t any points with doing the hike independently. In the event you would like to do a guided journey, as of 2017, you may be taking a look at round US$600 to $800. See Besthike.com for a listing of really helpful trekking companies.

• Acclimatization: Whichever route you select to do the circuit, likelihood is you may be tenting at over 4500m on the primary night time of the journey. You’ll subsequently stay over this altitude for all however the ultimate kilometres again to Tinqui. So as to keep away from potential points with AMS (Accute Mountain Illness), it’s essential to be nicely acclimatized earlier than beginning the trek. Tip: Along with a couple of days spent wandering across the regional hub of Cusco (3400m), attempt to do at the least one of many space’s barely decrease altitude treks such because the Inca Path, Salkantay Trek or Lares Trek. All of those hikes embody passes over 4000m. For extra data, see Suggestions for Excessive Altitude Climbing.

Yours actually with the MLD Prophet at Campo Go (5068m).

Trekking Notes:

• Terrain: With 4 excessive passes ranging between 4757m and 5165m, the Ausangate circuit is a topographical curler coaster. That stated, apart from a couple of quick stretches (the preliminary a part of the climb to Campo Go involves thoughts), the gradient is never steep.

• Tenting: In between the passes could be discovered loads of nice tenting areas on the broad valley flooring.

• Fauna:  Along with the llamas talked about above, hikers can even spot alpacas, vicunas, black-winged Andean geese, and in case you are fortunate, the unimaginable Andean condor. When taking a break on or close to rocky slopes, it’s a good suggestion to thoughts your meals, as there are many opportunistic viscachas (chinchillas) mendacity in await unsuspecting trekkers.

• Sizzling Springs: There are two sizzling springs alongside the route, located close to the beginning and end of the stroll. Stepping into a counter-clockwise route, the primary is twenty minutes previous the tiny village of Upis. The second could be discovered at Calachaca, from the place it’s a straightforward three-hour descent again to Tinqui.

• Facet Journey to Rainbow Mountain: It’s potential to increase the hike by a few days with a facet journey to one of many area’s hottest vacationer locations, the multi-coloured Rainbow Mountain. For particulars, see Trave2Walk – Ausangate & the Rainbow Mountains.

Oversleeping on the circuit with Nevado Ausangate (6372 m) looming within the background.

Last Ideas:

The Ausangate Circuit encapsulates a number of what I really like about mountaineering within the Andes. Jagged snow-capped peaks, sweeping valleys, beautiful lakes, and the chance to look at the shepherding tradition up shut and private. Throw in some soothing sizzling springs and the truth that the path stays comparatively uncrowded, and I’d should say that that is certainly one of my favorite treks in South America.