 Aracari is pleased to offer a unique trekking experience called the "Camino del Apu Ausangate" - a trek to the Cordillera de Vilcanota, the second largest glacier system of Peru. The trek is inspired by the 6,384 m / 20,945 ft Ausangate Mountain, which to the Andeans was the source of water and therefore, life. It is a remote and unspoiled high mountain paradise where the "llamichus" and "pacocheros" (lama and alpaca breeders), inheritors of one of the few remaining pastoralist societies on the continent, proudly share their land and the spirit.
Four lodges were built at various points along the circuit, and offer hikers comfort that no tent could ever provide at the end of a long day of trekking. Built with traditional materials, the lodges sleep 18 people, in double bed accommodations equipped with private bathrooms. A tasty selection of Peruvian cuisine is served throughout the journey.
The complete 5-day trek, starts at the city of Cusco, with an interesting bus-ride along the Vilcanota Valley, starting on the paved main-road from Cusco to Puno (Lake Titicaca). After a stop at the town of Checacupe and a visit to its beautiful colonial church, you ascend the Japura Valley that leads to the communities of Osefina and Chillca, the final stop of the bus-journey, where the groups are received by the local people. From there it's only a 20 minutes walk to the first lodge, the Chillca Tambo (4,300 m / 13,200 ft). Upon arriving the guests have time to explore the surroundings or to just relax. The actual trekking begins on day two and lasts until midday of day 4, when you reach the road again, halfway between Chillca and Checacupe. It ends with a picnic lunch, before boarding the bus back to Cusco, on the above mentioned road.
  
The hike itself is rather demanding, mostly due to the altitude, ranging from 13,200 to 16,700 ft / 4,300 to 5,100 m at the highest pass. There are also some significant changes of altitude during the course of the day. The distances on the trail vary from around 6 to 11 miles / 10 to 16 km per day. The lodges are all within daily walking distances, easily reachable in six to seven hours, considering regular hiking-speed and plenty of stops for taking pictures and enjoying the landscapes.
While on the trail, hikers will need to carry a day pack. Besides the llamas, that carry a large part of the guests's luggage, groups are also followed by horses. Weary participants could continue the trip on horseback.
The "Camino del Apu Ausangate" is an ideal way to share with an ancestral culture, and contribute to the improvement of the local living conditions of the pristine Vilcanota Mountain Range; all this as you enjoy breathtaking vistas in the comfort of eco-friendly lodges.
  
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