Hiking 7 Lagunas de Ausangate
Peru is a country filled with beautiful hiking destinations. During my time there, I spent most of my admiring the gorgeous lakes, mountains, and glaciers found throughout the country.
Near Cusco, you find some of the best hikes. There is the famous Machu Picchu, Rainbow Mountain, and Humantay Lake. Those are typically the three main hikes for tourists to visit in one week. However, there is one well-known hike that tourists sometimes don’t make it to, the 7 Lagunas de Ausangate.
The 7 Lagunas de Ausangate is in the Vilcanota Mountain range in the Andes of Peru. The highest peak reaches 6,384 m (20,944ft). Don’t worry, you won’t be going that high to see the lagoons. The trek involves hiking at high altitudes, seeing stunning glaciers, and admiring beautiful lagoons.
Hiking 7 Lagunas de Ausangate in Peru
Table of Contents
When to Visit
Peru has unpredictable weather, and it can get a bit cold. So, it’s important to visit during a good time. The dry season is from March through August, and the best weather is from June through August (also the coldest months). However, it’s also high season, so this means you’ll see more people at the hikes.
7 Lagunas doesn’t get as many visitors as other popular hikes, so over-tourism is not a problem here. However, during August, I was told it was common for Ausangate to have sunny mornings and rainy evenings. Therefore, we started the hike clockwise to get to the lagoons first.
I recommend you take layers because it can be warm and sunny and suddenly it can get cold.
How to Get There
There are a couple of ways to get to 7 Lagunas de Ausangate. The first way is by a day tour through a company. The drive will be nearly 3 hours. When you arrive, you will notice the high elevation. The trailhead starts at 4,300 m (14,107ft).
The second way to get there is through a multi-day hike called the Ausangate Trek. One trek does just the lagoons for two days. The hike with more days includes Rainbow Mountain. These treks involve walking through snowcapped and glacier mountains and passing by beautiful lakes. If you only do the lakes, you will reach 4,900m. If you do Rainbow Mountain, you reach 5,200m.
However, if you choose the multi-day hike, know that it’s for more experienced hikers and you risk altitude sickness. Go prepared.
Booking a Tour
There are many tour companies to choose from in Cusco. I booked with Machu Picchu Sol and had a great experience. The tours pick you up at 4 am and it lasts all day. You get back to Cusco about 8 pm.
For 7 Laguna de Ausangate, I paid 80 soles ($19). The tour includes transportation, breakfast and lunch, an experienced guide, and a stop at the thermal pools. There is also a fee of 10 soles when you arrive.
Although you can book many Peru tours online, I highly recommend you book upon arrival in Cusco. There are a lot of tour companies, and you can compare prices. You can also get a discount by booking more than one tour with the same company.
The prices online are insane, in my opinion. They go up to $100 for day tours. Plus, you risk having bad weather on the day you pick.
Ausangate Tour Itinerary
- 4 am pick up at hotel/hostel
- drive for 2.5 hours to Pacchanta
- about 45 mins-hour for breakfast
- 5-6 hours to hike the trail back to Pacchanta
- 45mins- hour lunch
- 30 minutes for thermal waters (right there in Pacchanta)
- 2.5-3 hours back to Cusco
- It was a LONG day! We arrived back around 7:30 pm.
What to Pack
If you’re visiting Peru, make sure you’re mentally and physically prepared to hike. There is no other country where I’ve exercised more than here. In Cusco itself, you’ll notice you’re walking hill after hill.
So, make sure you come ready with hiking gear. First, you’ll need good hiking shoes. They make a huge difference in your experience. You’ll also want to take a jacket that keeps you warm. Again, Peru is cold. The best thing you’ll want to do is take layers in case you start sweating when you hike. To keep your feet warm, I recommend merino wool socks. Take gloves, a scarf, and a beanie.
You’ll also want to take a small backpack to keep your snacks, water, and extra clothing. So that I didn’t have to carry a water bottle, I used a water bladder. And don’t forget to pack sunscreen, sunglasses, and a rain jacket in case it rains.
Make sure to take snacks and anything that helps with altitude sickness!
What to Pack
If you’re only visiting for a day, you only need to take a few essential items with you. Here are some items to pack in your day pack while exploring Cholula and Puebla.
How to Prepare for the Hike
Like Rainbow Mountain, the 7 Lagunas de Ausangate trek is challenging. Not because of the trail, but because of the altitude. Thankfully, I was already on day 11 of being in Cusco. Therefore, I was already acclimated to the altitude, which made the hike easier.
Trust me, the altitude is no joke in Peru. The 7 Lagunas de Ausangate Trek and Rainbow Mountain were both above 4,000m, making breathing difficult.
The 7 Lagunas de Ausangate rest at 4,600 m (15,091ft). Although the hike is advertised as 10 km, it totaled over 12km (7.4 miles). The walk takes about 5-6 hours, depending on your fitness level.
My biggest recommendation is to acclimate to Cusco a few days before attempting this hike. I would leave it as one of the last hikes on your list.
Thankfully, I didn’t struggle on this hike, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a challenge. I had to take breaks to breathe because I could feel the altitude. However, the trail was fairly flat and easy. It started with a slight descent to the first lagoon, and then it was flat.
The part that gets hard is walking so many kilometers. After about 4 hours, you just want to finish the hike. But, it feels like forever to get back to the house where you eat breakfast and lunch.
To Prepare, I recommend the following:
- Acclimate in Cusco a few days (Cusco is 3,339m)
- Leave this as one of your last hikes
- Drink Coca and/or Muna tea before hiking
- Take Coca leaves to chew on
- Eat a Carb full breakfast
- Drink Water!
- Go slow, pace yourself, and stop every single time you need it!
- Take headache pills just in case.
- Get in a workout routine back home before visiting. Having some fitness will help.
Arriving at Pachanta
When you arrive at the Pacchanta Community, you will have breakfast there. We got about 45 minutes to eat. When you’re done eating, make sure to use the bathroom, which I should mention is a squat toilet. Have toilet paper with you in case there is none there.
Once you use the bathroom, the guides will ask if you want a hiking stick. I got one, but unfortunately, I felt it was one of those trails where I didn’t need one. The wooden stick was heavy, so I regretted taking it with me. Fortunately, I met a kind stranger who offered to hold it too while we hiked together. I like hiking sticks because they help with inclined mountains, but it wasn’t the case here.
The Hike
As mentioned previously, the hike is a bit difficult due to its altitude of 4,600m. This makes breathing a bit hard, and you need to take breaks. Many people in my group struggled, and it took them a while to finish. Some even had to hire horses for an extra 80 soles to complete it.
The trail is clearly marked and easy to walk on. It starts out when you arrive at the Pacchanta community at 4,300m. There is a slight descent and then inclines a bit about an hour into it and just before the first lagoon, where you hit 4,630m.
This is the hardest part of the hike because it warms you up, and you feel the altitude. You only gain 330m, but it’s still a challenge regardless.
However, after the first lagoon, there is no more incline. It’s a fairly flat walk the whole way. Throughout the hike, you pass the 7 lagoons. The one with the bright turquoise water was my favorite!
When you continue, the hike starts to feel long. What makes it better is passing the lakes and stopping for pictures. But those nearly 12 or more kilometers take forever.
But, the surroundings are beautiful. You have the Ausangate Mountains capped with snow. So, it’s worth the effort to finish it.
The hike ends when you get back to the house where you ate breakfast. There, they serve you lunch, and you wait for the rest of the group to arrive.
Thermal Pools
After eating, you can go to the thermal pools. I was excited about getting into warm water. However, after seeing the thermal pools, I had no desire to jump in. They were dirty. I chose to only stick my feet in to help ease the tiredness. My whole group decided to do just that. I can say that the warm water felt amazing to my tired feet.
Where to Stay in Cusco
I’ve seen hostels run at about $7-$12 a night in shared dorms. They also have private rooms. Guesthouses can be as lows as $10, and hotels depend on the star rating.
I stayed at Kokopelli Hostel and loved the social atmosphere. My friend and I booked the first days, but we ended up booking the rest of the week with them. I did go to another budget hotel, but I won’t recommend it because it was freezing! Many places in Cusco don’t have central heating, and the rooms will be cold.
Have you heard of the 7 Lagunas de Ausangate before? I hadn’t until I was in Peru. I’m so glad I did this hike. For me, Peru was an incredible journey of hiking. It’s where I started to love it more. I think the difficult hikes and challenges pushed me.
Sounds silly, but I feel that completing these challenging hikes gave me a sense of power. Like I could conquer anything. To my surprise, I did very well on this hike too, and was one of the first to finish.
It was very gratifying because I had struggled to hike Volcan Acatenango in Guatemala a little over a month before. Believe me, I was extremely proud of myself in Peru for pushing my limits and doing well.
So, I encourage you also to face these challenging mountains and beautiful hikes. Just make sure to have some fitness level before arriving, and don’t forget to acclimate to Cusco first.
Travel Booking Resources
Book Your Flight:
To find cheap flights, check Skyscanner and Google Flights. These search engines check airlines to find you the best deals. The more flexibility you have, the better flight deals available.
Book Your Accommodation:
Booking.com is my favorite booking site for hotels but it also shows great deals on hostels and apartments. Plus, when you reach Genius Level, you get special discounts, included breakfasts, and upgrades on some hotel rooms. Hostelworld is specifically for budget travelers who enjoy hostels. This is the best place for finding great options.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance and Visa Applications:
Travel insurance will protect you against theft, injury, illness, and cancellations. Sometimes unexpected things happen during a trip and protections will keep you covered. Two great options are: Safety Wing and World Nomads. Also, iVisa can help you get a visa if you need one.
Book Tours:
Sometimes the best way to see a place is through tours. I recommend checking out Get Your Guide for some fun and unique adventures wherever you go.
Check out my other travel resources to help you book your trip!
Disclaimer: Some of the links on this page are affiliate links. This means that if you click on a link and purchase a product, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you. Please note I only recommend products and brands that I personally use or have used and believe in.
7 Lagunas de Ausangate
