Francesca L
October 20, 2026
Ausangate 7 lagune
Ho fatto il trekking delle 7 lagune con questa agenzia, organizzato tutto molto bene, dal trasporto alla colazione e pranzo in loco. La nostra guida Inti è stata davvero brava
Seven glacier-fed lakes, red, green and turquoise, beneath Ausangate, Cusco's highest peak, in a single day from your hotel. Fewer crowds than Rainbow Mountain, more to see than Humantay.
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The Ausangate 7 Lakes hike is a full-day tour from Cusco to seven glacier-fed lakes at the foot of Ausangate (6,384 m), the highest mountain in the Cusco region. From the village of Pacchanta, you walk a 14 km (8.7 mi) loop that tops out at about 4,770 m (15,650 ft), and you're back at your hotel the same evening.
The Ausangate 7 Lakes hike starts in the dark. At 4:30 AM you're picked up at your hotel in Cusco and head south-east along the Vilcanota valley, through Urcos and Ocongate, while most of the group catches up on sleep. Somewhere past Tinki the sky turns pink and the first snow peaks appear.
By 8:00 you're in Pacchanta, a small Quechua village of stone houses and alpaca corrals at 4,330 m, sitting down to a warm breakfast with Ausangate filling the view. Your guide walks you through the route, how to pace yourself and what to do if the altitude starts to bite.
The hike begins at the gate of the Ausangate Private Conservation Area. The first hour and a half is a steady climb up a wide valley, past grazing alpacas and herders' homes, with the glacier growing bigger with every step. Take it slow: this is the hardest part of the day.
Then the first lake comes into view, and the effort suddenly makes sense. From here the trail levels out and the 7 lakes of Ausangate appear one after another, each with its own color and its own community sign. There's time for photos, a snack and a few quiet minutes at the highest point of the circuit, 4,770 m.
The loop then drops gently back to Pacchanta, where lunch is waiting around 1 PM. If you still have energy, soak in the village hot springs facing the mountain. In the afternoon you head back to Cusco and reach your hotel around 6:30 PM: tired, happy, and with seven glacier lakes on your camera.
Every lake on the circuit has a community sign with its Quechua name and altitude. All seven are fed by the glaciers of Ausangate (6,384 m), and minerals, glacial silt, algae and light give each one a different color, even though they're only minutes apart. These are the official names of the Ausangate lakes, in the order you meet them when the loop starts at Hatun Puka Qocha (guides can also walk it the other way, starting at Anqas Qocha), with photos taken by our team.

"Big red lake" · also called Puca Cocha · 4,580 m / 15,026 ft
Hatun Puka Qocha is the first lake on the circuit and the larger of the two "red lakes" (hatun means big, puka means red). Iron-rich earth stains its shores a deep rust color, and fine sediment turns the water a milky rose-brown that changes with the light. It's the first stop to catch your breath after the climb from Pacchanta, and the first photo of the day.

"Little red lake" · 4,620 m / 15,157 ft
Huch'uy Puka Qocha is the "little red lake" (huch'uy means small), the smaller sister of Hatun Puka Qocha. The red in its name comes from the soil around it, not from the water: here the lake itself is green, so you get the strongest color contrast of the circuit, emerald water framed by red earth and grey scree slopes.

"Lead-grey lake" · 4,620 m / 15,157 ft
Oqe Qocha is the third lake of the circuit, and its name describes its color: oqe means lead-grey in Quechua. Fed directly by meltwater from Ausangate's glaciers, its water shifts between turquoise and silver-grey as the clouds move. This stretch of the trail gives you some of the closest views of the mountain's ice walls.

"Female jaguar lake" · also called China Otorongo · 4,600 m / 15,092 ft
China Uturunku Qocha is named after the uturunku, the jaguar, an animal of power in Andean tradition; china means female. It's one of the smallest lakes on the route: a clear green pool in a hollow of golden ichu grass, so transparent that you can see the stones on its bed. Its twin, Orqo Uturunku Qocha, comes later on the loop.

Named after ch’uñu, the Andean freeze-dried potato · 4,770 m / 15,650 ft
Ch'uñu Qocha is the highest point of the 7 Lakes circuit, at 4,770 m according to its community sign. It shares its name with ch'uñu, the potato that Andean families freeze-dry in the icy nights of the puna, a technique used in these highlands for centuries. The lake is a small, quiet pond that mirrors the clouds and snow peaks. From here, the rest of the loop is mostly downhill.

"Male jaguar lake" · also called Orco Otorongo · 4,570 m / 14,993 ft
Orqo Uturunku Qocha, the "male jaguar lake" (orqo means male in Quechua), is the twin of China Uturunku Qocha. Its deep teal water lies between a grey scree slope and golden ichu grass. With still air it reflects the sky like a mirror, so it's worth a slow stop for photos before the last lake.

"Blue lake" · also called Azul Cocha · 4,550 m / 14,928 ft
Anqas Qocha, the "blue lake" (anqas means blue in Quechua), is the last lake of the circuit. It lies right below the glaciers of Ausangate, its shoreline is about 1.7 km long according to Peru's official tourism inventory (MINCETUR), and its water ranges from turquoise to deep blue with the sun. From here the trail heads back down to Pacchanta for lunch.
Ausangate
Ausangate
Ausangate
Ausangate04:30 AM
Hotel pickup in Cusco. You're picked up at your hotel in the historic center. Dress warm: it's dark and close to freezing.
05:00 AM
Drive to Pacchanta (about 3 hours). The route runs south-east through the Vilcanota valley, Urcos, Ocongate and Tinki, with the first views of Ausangate's snow peaks at sunrise.
08:00 AM
Breakfast in Pacchanta (4,330 m). Buffet breakfast in this Quechua herding village while your guide explains the route and how to pace yourself at altitude.
08:45 AM
Start of the hike. You pay the S/ 20 entrance fee at the gate of the Ausangate Private Conservation Area and start a steady 1.5-hour climb past alpaca pastures.
10:15 AM
First lake: Hatun Puka Qocha (4,580 m). The big red lake marks the end of the hardest climb. From here the trail is mostly flat or downhill.
10:30 AM
The 7 Lakes loop. Huch'uy Puka, Oqe, China Uturunku, Ch'uñu Qocha (the highest point, 4,770 m), Orqo Uturunku and Anqas Qocha, with about an hour in total for photos and rest.
01:30 PM
Back in Pacchanta for lunch. Buffet lunch after about 4–5 hours of walking.
02:30 PM
Free time and optional hot springs. Soak in Pacchanta's natural hot springs facing Ausangate (S/ 5–10, not included).
03:30 PM
Return to Cusco (about 3 hours). Most travelers sleep on the way back.
06:30 PM
Drop-off at your hotel in Cusco. End of a 14-hour day.
Times are approximate and depend on road conditions, weather and the group's pace. Your guide may walk the loop in the opposite direction, starting at Anqas Qocha.
The 7 Lakes of Ausangate sit between 4,550 m and 4,770 m (14,928–15,650 ft) above sea level, according to the community sign at each lake. The highest is Ch'uñu Qocha, at 4,770 m. The hike starts lower, in Pacchanta (about 4,330 m), below Ausangate's 6,384 m summit.
The Ausangate 7 Lakes hike (also called the 7 Lakes trek) is a 14 km (8.7 mi) loop that takes 4–5 hours of walking, with about 450 m (1,500 ft) of climbing. It starts and ends in Pacchanta. As a day trip from Cusco, the full day lasts about 14 hours, from 4:30 AM to 6:30 PM.
The difficulty of the Ausangate 7 Lakes hike is moderate to hard, mainly because of the altitude: you walk 14 km above 4,300 m. The trail itself is wide and non-technical. Fit beginners can do it if they acclimatize at least 3 days in Cusco. The hardest part is the first 1.5-hour climb; after that it's mostly flat or downhill.
To avoid altitude sickness on the 7 Lakes hike, spend at least 3 days in Cusco first, drink plenty of water, skip alcohol the night before and walk slowly. Mild headache and breathlessness are common above 4,000 m. Your guide carries emergency oxygen; if symptoms get worse, you turn back and descend.
The 7 Lakes of Ausangate are in the Ocongate district of Cusco, Peru, about 125 km south-east of Cusco city, roughly a 3-hour drive. The hike starts in Pacchanta, a Quechua village reached via Urcos, Ocongate and Tinki. On this tour, transport from your Cusco hotel is included.
Yes, you can hike the 7 Lakes of Ausangate without a tour. Take a bus from Cusco to Tinki (2.5–3 hours), then a taxi to Pacchanta, pay the S/ 20 entrance fee and follow the signposted loop. Expect very early buses, no ATMs and no phone signal. Independent hikers report it isn't much cheaper than a tour.
The Ausangate 7 Lakes hike is better if you want variety and fewer people: seven glacier lakes on a 14 km loop. Humantay Lake is better if you want a short hike: one turquoise lake at about 4,200 m, reached by a steep 7 km round trip, but much busier.
Choose Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca, about 5,036 m) to see the famous striped mountain, with a steep finish and big crowds in high season. Choose the Ausangate 7 Lakes for glaciers, lakes and alpacas with few people, at a lower high point of 4,770 m. Both are full-day trips from Cusco, or you can combine them on our Ausangate Trek 2 Days.
No, Rainbow Mountain and the 7 Lakes of Ausangate can't be combined comfortably in one day: they're on different roads, and each is a full day from Cusco. To see both, choose our Ausangate Trek 2 Days, which links them with a night in Pacchanta, or book two day trips with a rest day between.
The best time to visit the 7 Lakes of Ausangate is May to September, the dry season, with clear skies and a firm trail. Mornings are below 0 °C (32 °F) and middays reach 15–20 °C in the sun. From December to March, expect afternoon rain or snow and clouds over the glacier.
The entrance fee to the 7 Lakes of Ausangate is S/ 20 per person (2026), paid in cash to the local community at the trail gate. It isn't included in the tour price. The optional Pacchanta hot springs cost about S/ 5–10 more, and there are no ATMs, so bring small notes from Cusco.
Yes, you can rent a horse for the Ausangate 7 Lakes hike. Local families offer them at the trailhead in Pacchanta for S/ 80–120 per horse for the full loop (2026), paid in cash. If you're unsure about the altitude, decide before you start walking.
Yes, the Ausangate 7 Lakes hike is safe for healthy, acclimatized travelers. The trail is non-technical and signposted; the real risks are altitude, cold and sudden weather. Your guide carries emergency oxygen and a first-aid kit, sets the pace and decides when someone must turn back.
Yes, the Ausangate 7 Lakes hike is one of the most rewarding day hikes in Peru for acclimatized travelers with one free day in Cusco. In one day you see seven glacier lakes of different colors, alpaca herds and Cusco's highest mountain, with far fewer people than at Rainbow Mountain or Humantay. If you just arrived in Cusco, start with a lower hike.
The 7 Lakes of Ausangate, by their official community-sign names, are Hatun Puka Qocha, Huch'uy Puka Qocha, Oqe Qocha, China Uturunku Qocha, Ch'uñu Qocha, Orqo Uturunku Qocha and Anqas Qocha. Many tour companies use other names: Puca Cocha, Orco Otorongo, China Otorongo and Azul Cocha correspond to four of them.
Yes, the 7 Lakes trail is signposted from Pacchanta, every lake has a community sign with its name and altitude, and a large route map stands at the trailhead. The loop can be walked in either direction, starting at Hatun Puka Qocha or at Anqas Qocha. GPS tracks are on Wikiloc; download them first, as signal is weak.
The Ausangate 7 Lakes tour with Ausangate Trek costs $35 per person (2026), including hotel pickup in Cusco, round-trip transport, a bilingual guide, breakfast, lunch and emergency oxygen. Only the S/ 20 community entrance fee is paid separately. You can book online on this page with the Book Now button.
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Hotel pickup at 4:30 AM, a bilingual guide, breakfast, lunch and emergency oxygen, all arranged so you only have to walk and enjoy seven glacier lakes beneath Ausangate. From US$35 per person.
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before · Community entrance fee (S/ 20) paid in cash on the day · Minimum age 10
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