#4 best hike in the world is …
December 22nd, 2006 · 1 Comment
Ausangate Circuit, Peru
Our favourite hike in Peru is still one of the least well known.
It’s wonderful, but dangerous.
Ausangate Circuit is 70km (43.5mi) plus sidetrips. It’s recommended only for confident, self-sufficient hikers experienced at high altitude. If you tolerate cold & altitude symptoms, the trails themselves are little trouble. Some route finding is necessary, but it’s entirely above the treeline with vast views.
Most groups hire pack animals, at least to get them up to the first pass. Worst case scenario — altitude sickness — you can ride your horse back down to lower elevation.
Why we love it:
PERU, all things considered, offers the best alpine hiking in the world
circle the sacred Ausangate massif (6372m, 20,905ft)
fantastic glacier views
remote, few trekkers, few people!
4 high passes between 4757m - 5165m!
normally gorgeous sunny weather
thousands of alpacas
hotsprings at the start & finish of the trek
it is very inexpensive
travel Peru for as little as US$20 / day
unique Qoyllur Rit’i festival held nearby in May-June
Considerations:
altitude sickness is a big risk
evacuation is difficult
no rescue service is available. You are on your own.
No Park officers. No campsites. No toilets.
acclimatization in Cuzco 3326m (10,912ft) is essential
13-hour long nights in the tent
temperatures can fall well below freezing at night
be prepared for snow
storm could pin you in your tent
long, bumpy bus ride (5-8hrs) to & from trailhead or hire private transport from Cuzco
Details on our Ausangate Circuit information page.
larger photo - Alpacas and Ausangate
More photos from this collection on Pbase.
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Tags: alpine · health & safety · animals
1 response so far ↓
Miguel // Oct 23, 2007 at 9:46 am
I entirely subscribe this point of view - Ausangate is an amazing trek, with very few people (at least as of 2004). I was doing the trek alone and still had no problems. However - beware of thieves in the Pacchanta area (numerous local people I found told me so). If trekking without arrieros, don’t camp there. At other sites, during the night you may well have people walking around your tent, looking for things you may have left out, so stick all your belongings INSIDE the tent - yeah, smelly boots too… I heard steps in nearly all campsites at night, even someone getting stuck in my guy lines. I camped ~200m bellow the Campo pass (mid-August). After sunset, the wind got nothing short of dreadful and I am still surprised with the fact that it did not destroy my 3-season, pretty good quality tent.
Do it before it gets popular.
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