Llama Trek to Rainbow Mountain 4D/3N

Peru by Locals is the only company that offers you this trek supported by llamas. Our goal is to bring back these animals since the number of llamas in Peru is getting lower because the mountain people don’t give them much use anymore. In the Incan times, llamas were used for transporting loads, but the use of wool and meat was very small, the reason mountain people prefer alpacas over llamas. Since we started our operations in Ausangate, the families did not have llamas but alpacas. Then Paulo’s family got 8 llamas; until now, these are the llamas that come on this spectacular journey with our guests. Being part of this journey with llamas will be a unique, lifetime experience.

Peru by Locals is always putting amazing adventures together for you. Now you have the chance to experience both together: Ausangate and Rainbow Mountain in Southern Cusco. It is the true paradise filled with cool mountain streams, blue-green lakes, picturesque villages, llamas and alpacas everywhere, snow-capped mountains, the colorful Rainbow Mountain with its painted hills that is a must-see place when traveling, one of the most breathtaking places on earth and, most importantly, a trek in Southern Cusco.

Highlights of the Llama Trek

• Hike with llamas and get the full experience of the Andes
• Trek with our passionate local guides who love what they do and have guided treks hundreds of times
• Enjoy our premier camping equipment
• Savor the Peruvian cuisine brought by our chefs to the mountains
• Hike around the tallest mountain, Ausangate, and finish your adventure at the iconic Rainbow Mountain

• Type of tour: Hiking, camping, scenic
• Distance covered: 37 km (22.9 miles)
• Duration: 4 days / 3 nights
• Lowest elevation: 3900 m (12,795 feet)
• Highest elevation: 5,010 m (16,437 feet)
• Level of difficulty: Challenging, but your guide will be there encouraging you and helping you enjoy as much as you deserve.
• Group size: Our hiking group sizes are very important to guarantee the quality of our service by providing you with a personalized experience. That is why we operate with an average of 7 hikers per group.
• Could you imagine trying to hike silently along an isolated trail, carefully not disturbing shy wildlife, with 10 or 20 other travelers? Or walking in a remote area to explore the pristine wilderness with dozens of other tourists at your side? We know meaningful nature encounters must be undertaken in small groups. That’s why our trips come with an average of just four travelers, by far the smallest groups in the tourism industry across the country. This not only guarantees you a more personal close-up wildlife experience, but a less impactful presence on the earth’s fragile natural places we love.
• Accommodation: Camping. We use three-season roomy tents for two people. If you are a solo traveler, let us know so we can accommodate you with another traveler or we will just bring a private tent just for you upon request.

Our guides: PERU BY LOCALS was a dream that came true in 2015 for Jose Condor, who has been guiding treks since 2014 and has been to Machu Picchu over 1,000 times. Now, Peru by Locals has a group of top guides, both men and women, who have professional degrees and receive refresher training every year. These guides have trained in the USA with NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) and are certified Wilderness First Responders, as our treks take you into the wilderness and your health is our priority during our trips. Our guides are trained to assist with any of your needs while you are on vacation. We invest in our guides because we believe they are the main ingredient in any trip.

Location: This trip starts in Cusco City or the Sacred Valley upon your request. You will need to fly to Lima, which is the capital of Peru, then to Velasco Astete Cusco Airport, which is a small domestic airport.

Departures: This hike is operated 100% by PERU BY LOCALS. When you book your hike or take any tour package, you go with us; we don’t rearrange tours. We depart every day year-round, and the size of the groups ranges from 2 to 5 people on average, which allows us to give you personalized service.

We take bookings year-round, and this hike does not need to be booked long in advance. So, anytime you are ready, join us and reach us for any questions you have at our 24/7 number +51 989585967 or email us at info@perubylocals.com

Day 1. Cusco – Upis Bajo – Upis Hot Springs

We depart Cusco by 5 am for a journey of 3 hours to the trailhead at Upis Bajo. Here, we will meet our horse riders to load all equipment and enjoy our first camping breakfast. Our adventure starts with a gradual uphill in the direction of Ausangate Mountain through llama and alpaca herds. It will be a gentle hike, sometimes challenging because of the elevation, but don’t worry about it; our passionate guides will be there to encourage you every step of the way to make it to camp with complete happiness.

Once arriving at camp, you will have time to enjoy the views as well as the chance to jump in the hot springs while you watch the sunset over the mountains.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner made by our amazing chef
• Hiking Time: Approximately 3 hours
• Hiking Distance: 10 km / 6.2 miles
• Lowest elevation: 3,900 m (12,795 ft)
• Highest elevation: 4,500 m (14,763 ft)

Day 2. Upis – Arapa Pass – Puka Cocha

Waking up with our signature coffee or coca tea in your tent by one of our chefs, followed by a delicious breakfast – what a way to start the day! We will then start our trek towards the first pass, called Arapa, which was and still is a sacred spot for our Quechua people. Here, we will perform a small ceremony to honor the mountains as our ancestors did, especially as we will be very close to the most sacred mountain for the Incas, Ausangate Mountain. After this meaningful moment, we head down to a lunch spot next to the beautiful Yanacocha Lake. After our lunch, followed by a proper nap, we will continue our journey to the next camp at Puka Cocha, located right at the base of Ausangate Mountain, a spectacular place to spend the night.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner made by our amazing chef
• Hiking Time: 7-8 hours
• Hiking Distance: 11 km / 6.83 miles
• Lowest elevation: 4,500 m (14,763 ft)
• Highest elevation: 4,800 m (15,748 ft)

Day 3. Puka Cocha – Ananta Pass – Huarmisaya

You will be woken up by our cooks with a nice cup of coffee or tea in the tents, followed by a nutritious breakfast to make us ready for the day. After packing, we will start hiking up a steep switchback trail towards the second pass, where we will find a large pile of stones made by the Incas long ago, called Apacheta, marking the trails. This area also offers more snow-capped mountain views, red mountains, glassy lands, and perhaps the wild vicuñas (similar to llamas). After a good rest here, we start descending to camp for a couple of hours where our lunch awaits us.

The afternoon hike is towards Huarmisaya Pass, from where we will have the first view of the magnificent Rainbow Mountain. From here, we have only a 25-minute walk down to camp next to Huarmisaya Lake.

• Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner made by our amazing chef
• Hiking Time: 7 hours
• Hiking Distance: 10 km / 6.5 miles
• Lowest elevation: 4,500 m (14,763 ft)
• Highest elevation: 5,000 m (16,404 ft)

Day 4. Huarmisaya – Rainbow Mountains – Cusco

Very early morning hike to the Rainbow Mountain. We will be among the first hikers arriving there to enjoy the place before the day hikers arrive, because then the place gets too busy.

After spending all our time here, we head down to the spectacular Red Valley and Spectacular Valley, which do not have many hikers either. Our day will end by 11 am with the last camping meal prepared by our chef.

From here, we have only a 3-hour drive back to Cusco.

• Meals: Breakfast and lunch made by our amazing chef
• Hiking Time: 4 hours
• Hiking Distance: 6 km / 3.7 miles
• Lowest elevation: 4,300 m (14,107 ft)
• Highest elevation: 5,010 m (16,437 ft)

OFTEN ASKED QUESTIONS

Why Peru by Locals

• Peru by Locals offers tailor-made treks and tours, catering to your interests when planning your tour.
• We are committed to providing world-class tours based on exceptional customer service.
• We are a locally owned and highly experienced travel company based in Cusco, Peru.
• Our staff consists of members who have decades of first-hand experience in the Peruvian tourism sector.
• All the management and staff in Peru by Locals speak English, Spanish, and Quechua (the language of the Incas).
• Our guides and staff members are professionally trained and educated in the history of the Incas, Peruvian history, culture and traditions, first aid in the wilderness, guiding treks and tours, the fauna and flora of the region, and tourism management.
• We are committed to protecting our environment.
• We are committed to creating jobs and empowering local people. We believe in fair labor practices and honor and treat all our employees with dignity.
• We have programs to help with the development of the porters’ families and communities, such as planting trees and buying school books and school equipment for poor local communities.
• We honor native communities that have stewarded the land you visit.
• We have also started an Education Fund to support the education of the children of porters. A percentage of income from every tour and trek goes to the education of those in need.
• Our trips are designed carefully to your needs, and we create diverse, unique itineraries from 1 to 15 days in length. We offer a wide range of tours and treks. We guarantee you the experience of a lifetime!
• Peru By Locals organizes free, worry-free trips for you to enjoy fully.

Peru Small Group Specialists

Our tours are designed for those who love adventure, want to explore new places, experience the local culture, love food, like history, or enjoy photography, suitable for all ages whether you are traveling alone, with friends, as a couple, or with family. At Peru by Locals, we do not operate with large groups.

Small groups are the best, and the average tour or trek group is around 4 to 8 people. Why is this great? Well, have you ever waited in line while 40 other people get a coffee in the morning? Believe it or not, it is not fun. Taking small groups allows us the flexibility to take you on an adventure to places that nobody else goes.