Cusco: Seven Lagoons of Ausangate Hiking Day Trip with Lunch

The Seven Lagoons of Ausangate are the main event: seven high mountain lakes, each with its own shade and character, spread beneath the Ausangate massif. The route gives you both a broad viewpoint and closer views along a long loop, so you are not simply walking to one photo stop and turning around.

I like the way breakfast and lunch are built into a very long day, and I like the chance to visit Pacchanta’s thermo-medicinal waters after the hike. The catch is the 4:00 AM pickup, a roughly three-hour drive each way, and about five hours on foot. You also pay the entry fee separately, so bring small Peruvian soles and confirm the amount before handing over cash.

Key points to know

• Seven named lakes: See Upper Lake, Otorongo Male, Otorongo Female, Red Lake, Ccomer Lake, Blue Lake, and Alqa Lake.
• A long mountain walk: Allow roughly five hours on foot, including the viewpoint and the loop around the lakes.
• Pacchanta makes the day more than a hike: You begin and finish in this community, with breakfast, lunch, and time for its thermo-medicinal waters.
• Small-group format: The maximum group size is 12, with guiding in English or Spanish.
• Good value at $30: Transport, hotel pickup, guide, breakfast, lunch, walking sticks, first aid, and an oxygen balloon are included.
• Cash warning: Entrance fees are not included. Keep payment clear, ask about change, and carry only the amount you need.

Why the Seven Ausangate Lagoons are worth the early start

Ausangate is one of the great mountain areas near Cusco, and this trip takes you into a setting far removed from the city’s stone streets and busy archaeological sites. The draw is not one famous ruin. It is the combination of high peaks, open country, cold air, changing lake colors, and a route that lets you see the area from more than one angle.

The seven lakes have individual names that help give shape to the day: Upper Lake, Otorongo Male, Otorongo Female, Red Lake, Ccomer Lake, Blue Lake, and Alqa Lake. The names are memorable, but the colors are what you will notice first. Depending on the lake and the light, you may see blue, green, reddish, or darker mineral tones.

I would choose this excursion if you want a full mountain day rather than a quick photo stop. The walking is a real part of the experience. You first reach a viewpoint after about two hours, then continue for several more hours to see much of the area at closer range.

That length is also the main test. This is not a gentle sightseeing outing with a short stroll beside the van. You need comfortable shoes, warm clothing, water, sunscreen, and a willingness to spend much of the day outside at altitude. The tour specifically excludes people with heart problems and is not suitable for pregnant women.

The 4:00 AM departure from Cusco

Pickup begins at 4:00 AM from your hotel in Cusco. That means this day starts before sunrise, so arrange your clothes, water, passport or identity card, and camera the night before. The early departure is not a minor detail. It is the price of reaching Pacchanta, completing the hike, and returning to Cusco in one day.

The road portion takes about three hours in each direction. You will ride in a van with a small group, and the return ends at Plaza Regocijo rather than necessarily at your hotel. Hotel pickup is included at the beginning, while the stated finish is this central Cusco square.

At $30 per person, the transport alone makes the price attractive. You are covering a long round trip, not just a short transfer outside town. The package also includes a guide, two meals, walking sticks, a first aid kit, and an oxygen balloon. Still, low-cost mountain tours can vary in how smoothly pickup and payments are handled, so be ready at the agreed time and confirm the meeting details in advance.

Breakfast in Pacchanta before the trail

After the drive, you stop in Pacchanta for a replenishing breakfast and about 50 minutes of free time. This is useful for more than eating. It gives you a chance to use the facilities, adjust your layers, organize your pack, and make sure you have enough water before the hike begins.

Pacchanta is also where the route starts and ends. That makes the town an important part of the day, not merely a meal stop. The community is connected to the trail and to the thermo-medicinal waters included later in the schedule.

Breakfast is especially valuable because of the departure hour. Many people will have little appetite at 4:00 AM, but a proper meal before several hours of walking is a different matter. Do not count on a snack from Cusco carrying you through the morning.

The supplied information does not name the guide assigned to each departure. Guiding is available in English or Spanish, and the group is limited to 12 people. If language matters to you, confirm it when booking rather than assuming every departure has the same guide.

The first two hours to the viewpoint

The hike begins from Pacchanta. The first major goal is a viewpoint reached after about two hours of walking. This is where the seven Ausangate Lagoons come into view as a group, giving you the broadest sense of the area.

A viewpoint matters here because the lakes are not just a collection of separate pools. Seen from above, their colors and positions make more sense, with the mountain setting behind them. This is the best point for wide photographs and for taking a moment before the route becomes more up-close and detailed.

Your guide leads the walk and can help keep the group together, but you should still set a pace you can maintain. The description includes walking sticks, which are useful on a long route and may help with balance. Wear shoes with a firm sole, and do not rely on casual city footwear.

The weather can change quickly in a high mountain setting, even though the exact conditions are not provided. Warm clothing, a hat, sunscreen, and water are specifically recommended. Dress in layers so you can adjust during the walk instead of carrying a coat in your hands.

The lake loop and its changing views

After time at the viewpoint, you continue on foot for several more hours. The full description gives two hours to reach the viewpoint and another three hours to see much of the seven-lake area, while the schedule also lists separate walking segments. In practical terms, plan for a substantial hike of roughly five hours, with stops and timing affected by the group and conditions.

The large loop is a strong feature. You return to the starting point in Pacchanta instead of retracing the entire approach. That gives the walk a sense of progress and lets you see different angles of the lakes, mountains, plants, and local animal life.

You will see the lakes at closer range during this part of the route. That is different from the viewpoint experience. From above, you appreciate the arrangement and color; nearer the water, you notice the individual shapes and tones. Bring a camera, but also leave room to simply watch the scenery. The route is long enough that stopping constantly for photos can make the final stretch feel harder.

The seven names can help you follow the route: Upper Lake, Otorongo Male, Otorongo Female, Red Lake, Ccomer Lake, Blue Lake, and Alqa Lake. The supplied information does not assign a specific color or exact order to each one, so treat the names as waypoints rather than a promise that every lake will look the same in every season or light.

Lunch, swimming, and Pacchanta’s hot waters

The loop finishes back in Pacchanta, where lunch is served. After a morning and early afternoon on foot, this meal is not just a pleasant inclusion. It is a practical reason the tour works as a full-day outing. You can sit down, eat properly, and recover before the drive back to Cusco.

The schedule allows about an hour and a half for lunch and swimming. That points to time at the community’s thermo-medicinal waters, one of the best features for anyone who likes to pair a hike with a soak. Bring what you need for swimming, although the official packing list only specifically calls for comfortable shoes, warm clothing, a hat, camera, sunscreen, water, and identification.

Do not think of the hot springs as a replacement for the hike. They come after the walking and are presented as part of the Pacchanta visit. If you are tired, the warm water may be welcome, but you should still manage your energy carefully and follow any guidance from the tour staff.

The entry fee is not included in the $30 price. This is the one money detail I would handle carefully. One person reported a dispute involving payment for the Ausangate entrance and missing change, although the guide later helped recover the money. That account does not prove a routine problem, but it is enough reason to ask the conductor or guide for the exact entrance cost, hand over the correct amount when possible, and check your change immediately.

What the $30 price really includes

The price is unusually low for a 10-hour day with a three-hour outbound drive and a three-hour return drive. You receive hotel pickup in Cusco, drop-off in Cusco, breakfast, lunch, a professional guide, walking sticks, a first aid kit, and an oxygen balloon.

That package makes sense for someone who wants access to Ausangate without arranging private transport, meals, and route support. The oxygen balloon is included as a precaution, not a guarantee that altitude will feel easy. Cusco itself is already high, and this outing takes you into a mountain area, so you should take the walking seriously.

The small group limit of 12 is another value point. It is not a private tour, but a group of that size is easier to manage on a long trail than a large coach party. You can expect less one-to-one attention than on a private excursion, yet the guide has a better chance of keeping the group together and helping when needed.

The price does not include entrance fees. It also does not mention personal snacks, swimming costs, or any other optional expenses, so carry some local currency. Keep the cost of the entry fee separate from the tour price in your planning.

Who should book this Ausangate day trip

I would recommend this tour to you if you want striking mountain scenery, do not mind a pre-dawn start, and can handle several hours of walking. It suits people who prefer a complete day outside over a slow morning in Cusco.

It is also a good fit if you value convenience. The van, meals, guide, walking sticks, and basic safety supplies are arranged for you. An English or Spanish guide and a 12-person limit make it more approachable than trying to find the trail and transport independently.

I would hesitate if you dislike long drives or if your trip schedule is packed with late nights. A 4:00 AM pickup followed by a 10-hour day can leave you tired the next day. The route is not presented as a short or easy walk, and the activity is specifically not suitable for pregnant women or people with heart problems.

The tour has received a mixed overall score of 3.8 from seven ratings. The strongest praise focuses on the scenery and the guide’s helpful, kind approach. One serious complaint concerns a missed pickup and a cash dispute over entrance fees. That means the natural attraction is clear, but you should pay attention to the practical details and confirm pickup instructions before the morning begins.

What to pack for the five-hour walk

Use the official list as your starting point, then think about how the day unfolds.

• Passport or identity card
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Warm clothing and a hat
• Sunscreen
• Water
• Camera
• Swimming items for the thermo-medicinal waters
• Small cash for the separate entry fee

Layering matters more than bringing one very heavy garment. You start before dawn, walk for hours, and later spend time around warm water. The exact weather is not provided, so flexible clothing is safer than dressing for only one part of the day.

Bring enough water for your own needs. The tour provides breakfast and lunch, but meals do not remove the need to drink during a long mountain walk. The walking sticks can help, but they are not a substitute for suitable shoes.

Should you book the Seven Lagoons of Ausangate tour?

Book it if the idea of seeing seven high mountain lakes appeals to you more than the thought of sleeping late. At $30, the included transport, meals, guide, equipment, and small-group format offer strong value, especially for a full day from Cusco.

Skip it if you need a short outing, dislike early departures, or have a medical condition that makes strenuous high-altitude walking a poor choice. Before paying, confirm the 4:00 AM pickup, ask how the separate entrance fee will be collected, and bring exact or small-change soles if possible.

For the right person, this is a demanding but rewarding day: breakfast in Pacchanta, a long loop beneath Ausangate, seven differently colored lakes, and a hot-water stop before the ride home.

FAQ

Where does the tour begin?

The tour includes pickup from your hotel in Cusco at 4:00 AM.

Where does the tour finish?

The stated finish point is Plaza Regocijo in Cusco.

How long does the activity last?

The full day lasts about 10 hours.

How long is the drive from Cusco to Pacchanta?

The van ride takes about three hours each way.

How long do you walk?

The description includes about two hours to the viewpoint and another three hours around the lakes, so you should plan for roughly five hours on foot.

Which lakes will you see?

The seven lakes are Upper Lake, Otorongo Male, Otorongo Female, Red Lake, Ccomer Lake, Blue Lake, and Alqa Lake.

Is breakfast included?

Yes. Breakfast is served in Pacchanta before the hike.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch is served after the loop returns to Pacchanta.

Are entrance fees included?

No. Entry fees are not included in the tour price.

What languages are available?

The live guide service is available in English and Spanish.