From Cusco: Ausangate Route – 7 Lagoons Tour + Meals

Ausangate’s seven high-altitude lagoons are the main event here, with snow-capped peaks, changing water colors, and wide-open Andes scenery around every turn. I like that the day combines a real mountain walk with breakfast, lunch, and a soak in Pacchanta’s hot springs instead of sending you straight back to Cusco after the hike.

I also like the price, which covers transport from Cusco’s historic center, an English or Spanish guide, two meals, first aid, and oxygen. The catch is the 14-hour day at 4,200 meters, plus a reported problem with an old minibus, weak trip information, and a group that became separated during the walk. This is a beautiful outing, but the operating details deserve care.

Key points at a glance

• Ausangate views: See the Vilcanota mountain range and the snowy Nevado Ausangate from close range.
• Five-hour mountain walk: Visit Azulcocha, Pukacocha, Oq’ecocha, Alqacocha, Q’omercocha, and other lagoons on a medium-level route.
• Pacchanta hot springs: Rest in natural thermal pools after the hike for only 5 soles.
• Meals included: Breakfast in Pacchanta and lunch after the walk are included in the $28 price.
• Very early start: Pickup runs from 4:00 to 5:00 a.m., with arrival back in Cusco around 6:30 p.m.
• Extra costs: The lagoon entrance is 20 soles, and the hot springs cost 5 soles.

Reaching Pacchanta before the crowds

Your day begins before sunrise, with pickup between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m. from accommodation in Cusco’s historic center. The guide is supposed to call or write about 15 minutes before pickup, and you should wait in the hotel lobby for roughly 10 minutes.

That early start is not a minor detail. Pacchanta is far outside Cusco, and the full outing lasts about 14 hours. You will spend much of the morning in the vehicle before reaching the trail, so this tour works best when you have a full day available and can manage a long ride after a demanding walk.

The route heads toward Ocongate and then continues to Pacchanta, a community at the foot of Nevado Ausangate. Pacchanta sits at about 4,200 meters above sea level. For comparison, Cusco itself is already high, so you should not treat this as an easy lowland day trip.

The altitude affects how the walk feels. A moderate route at home can feel strenuous here, especially when the air is cold and thin. Walk slowly, drink water, and keep your own pace. The supplied oxygen bottle is a useful safety measure, but it is not a substitute for taking altitude seriously.

Breakfast in Pacchanta and the first mountain views

Before walking, you will have an Andean breakfast in Pacchanta. This is practical rather than decorative. Eating before a five-hour hike gives you a better chance of handling the cold, altitude, and early start.

The guide provides a short briefing before the hike. You should use this moment to listen closely to the route plan and ask how the group will stay together. One serious complaint about this outing involved the group splitting up and hikers being left without a guide to show the way. That makes the briefing more important than it may sound.

No individual guide names are provided, so you cannot choose a particular guide in advance. The service is offered in English or Spanish. If you need English explanations about the lakes, mountain range, plants, or animals, confirm your language preference when booking and again at pickup.

Five hours among the Ausangate lagoons

The hike begins at about 8:00 a.m. and covers roughly five hours round trip. It visits several lakes with different colors, including Azulcocha, Pukacocha, Oq’ecocha, Alqacocha, and Q’omercocha. The exact sequence of every lake is not specified, and the route includes additional lagoons beyond the five named here.

The attraction is the variety. You are not walking toward one viewpoint, taking a photo, and turning around. The route gives you repeated views of water, snow, rock, and high-Andean vegetation, with the appearance of the lakes changing as you move along the trail.

Ausangate itself is the visual anchor. The snowy mountain belongs to the Vilcanota range, and the route brings you close enough to appreciate its scale. This is the kind of setting that rewards stopping often. Take photos, but give yourself time to look across the open terrain without rushing from one lake to the next.

The natural setting received the strongest praise in the available feedback. The scenery was described as truly beautiful, and the hike itself was strongly recommended. That distinction matters. The outdoor setting appears to be the reliable strength of the day, while transport and organization may vary.

The route is classed as medium difficulty. That does not mean technical climbing, but it does mean a sustained walk at high altitude. You need hiking shoes, comfortable clothing, water, sunscreen, sunglasses, and a sun hat. Warm clothing is essential too, since high-altitude conditions can change and the morning may feel cold even when the sun is bright.

The tour is not suitable for pregnant women or people with heart, respiratory, or vision problems, vertigo, recent surgery, or motion sickness. Those restrictions are especially relevant here because the day combines a long vehicle ride, mountain roads, and a high-altitude hike.

What the changing lake colors add to the day

The named lagoons give you a useful sense of what to expect. Azulcocha suggests a blue lake, while Pukacocha, Oq’ecocha, Alqacocha, and Q’omercocha mark separate stops in a chain of high mountain waters. The tour description promises different colors, but it does not guarantee a specific shade on a specific day.

Light, weather, and viewing angle can affect how the water looks. You should come for the full setting rather than one exact color. The snowy peaks, open valleys, and quiet high-Andes atmosphere are as important as the lagoons themselves.

This is also a photo-heavy outing. Bring a phone or camera, but protect it from cold and keep your hands free when the trail gets uneven. A small day pack is sensible, though large luggage and big bags are not allowed. Alcohol and alcoholic drinks are not allowed, including in the vehicle, and littering is prohibited.

Returning to Pacchanta for lunch and hot springs

After the walk, you return to Pacchanta for lunch. Both breakfast and lunch are included, which gives the $28 price more weight than a basic transport-only excursion. You will still need to pay the 20-sol entrance fee for the seven lagoons and 5 soles for the hot springs.

The hot springs are the day’s best comfort. After several hours on foot at altitude, sitting in Pacchanta’s natural thermal pools gives your legs time to recover before the ride back to Cusco. The entrance fee is small, but remember that it is paid separately on site.

Pack your swimwear if you plan to use the pools, although it is not listed in the official packing instructions. The supplied information says only that you can relax in the hot springs, so details such as changing facilities and pool arrangements should be confirmed locally rather than assumed.

The order of the day also makes sense. A hot spring before a long mountain walk would be relaxing, but after the hike it becomes a useful recovery stop. You can eat, warm up, and rest before returning to the vehicle.

The $28 price and what it really covers

At $28 per person, this is an inexpensive full-day excursion for a route that includes long-distance transport, a guide, breakfast, lunch, first aid, and an oxygen bottle. You also receive pickup from the historic center and tourist transportation.

The headline price is not the final cost. Add 20 soles for the lagoon entrance and 5 soles for Pacchanta’s hot springs. The total remains modest, but carry Peruvian soles so you can pay for both tickets on site without hunting for an ATM.

The value depends heavily on the transport standard and guide service. One poor account described a very old, dirty minibus, a slow ride over the mountain roads, limited information about the day, and unsafe driving behavior, including phone use and a driver change in Cusco. These are not small complaints on a 14-hour trip. Vehicle condition matters because you spend many hours inside it.

I would ask the operator to confirm the vehicle, pickup details, guide language, and plan for keeping the group together before departure. A low price is appealing, but the savings are less meaningful if the ride is uncomfortable or the route is poorly managed.

Timing, safety, and the practical details

The tour normally begins with pickup from 4:00 to 5:00 a.m., starts the hike at around 8:00 a.m., and reaches Cusco at about 6:30 p.m. Exact pickup time depends on your location within the historic center and the day’s arrangements.

Bring:

• Passport or identification card
• Warm layers
• Hiking shoes
• Water
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Sun hat or warm hat
• Comfortable clothing

The sun at high altitude can be strong, even when the air feels cold. Sunglasses and sunscreen are not optional extras here. Water is also important, since the walk is long and the dry mountain air can make you lose moisture without noticing.

You should not bring large bags, luggage, explosive substances, alcohol, or drugs. Nudity is prohibited, including at the hot springs, so bring suitable swimwear and a cover-up if you plan to bathe.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve while paying later. Those policies help if your Cusco plans are still shifting, but the more important decision is your physical readiness for the altitude and the long day.

Who will enjoy this Ausangate day trip

I would recommend this outing to you if your priority is seeing high-Andes scenery and you want a lower-cost way to visit Ausangate without arranging private transport. The combination of lagoons, mountain views, meals, and hot springs gives you a lot in one day.

It suits hikers who can handle a medium-level, five-hour route and who are comfortable with a very early start. It also suits photographers, since the trip offers repeated views of lakes and snow-covered peaks rather than one short stop.

I would be more cautious if you are sensitive to altitude, prone to motion sickness, or uncomfortable with long drives. The tour is also a poor fit if you need a polished, tightly managed operation. The available account of poor organization and unsafe driving should not be ignored.

Because the rating is only 3.3 from three bookings, the experience does not have a large record of consistent service to rely on. The scenery appears to be the sure bet. The guide, group control, and vehicle quality are the parts I would verify before paying.

Should you book the 7 Lagoons tour?

Book it if you want big Ausangate views at a low price, you can handle 4,200 meters, and you value the chance to walk among several colorful lagoons before relaxing in Pacchanta’s hot springs. The included meals and transport make the cost attractive.

Skip it if you have heart, respiratory, balance, vision, pregnancy, recent-surgery, or serious motion-sickness concerns. I would also skip it if a comfortable minibus and carefully managed group are essential to your enjoyment.

For the best chance of a good day, confirm the pickup in writing, ask for the English or Spanish guide you need, check how the group will stay together, and bring cash for the 25 soles in separate entrance fees. The mountain scenery and hike are the reasons to go. The logistics are the reason to ask questions first.

FAQ

Where does pickup take place?

Pickup is included from accommodation in Cusco’s historic center. The guide should call or write about 15 minutes before pickup, and you should wait around 10 minutes in the hotel lobby.

How long does the tour last?

The full experience lasts about 14 hours. Pickup begins between 4:00 and 5:00 a.m., and arrival back in Cusco is expected at approximately 6:30 p.m.

How difficult is the hike?

The hike is described as medium level and takes about five hours round trip. It begins at roughly 4,200 meters above sea level, so altitude can make the walk feel more demanding.

Which lagoons will I visit?

The route includes Azulcocha, Pukacocha, Oq’ecocha, Alqacocha, and Q’omercocha, along with other lagoons. The lakes are described as having different colors.

Are meals included?

Yes. Breakfast in Pacchanta and lunch after the hike are included in the tour price.

How much do the entrance fees cost?

The seven-lagoon entrance ticket costs 20 soles, and entry to the Pacchanta hot springs costs 5 soles. Both fees are paid separately on site.