9 days of awe-inspiring sights and unique travel experiences

Atelier’s Adventure and Ausangate Trek tour takes you to some of the most remote and beautiful landscapes in Peru, as well as meeting the people who live there. The trek itself moves from one breathtaking mountainscape or lagoon, local community or panoramic viewpoint to the next, staying in remote – community-run – lodges along the way. You’ll witness the majestic Rainbow Mountain, see wildlife, and get away from the crowds during a captivating 5-day hike. Though that’s not all. With outdoor adventures around the Sacred Valley, zip-lining and kayaking, the highlights of Cusco and even a night spent suspended in a sky pod, this 10-day trip will leave you coming back for more.

Activities:
Grupo 1392 Grupo 1394
Highlights
  • Travel off-the-beaten-path and hike through the Cordillera Vilcanota, while supporting local communities who operate the route.
  • Discover an authentic side of Peru that few get to see.
  • Get well acclimatized for your trek in Cusco and the Sacred Valley.
  • Have a kayaking and lunch experience in Piuray Lagoon.
  • Stay at the Skylodge Suites in the Sacred Valley. Via Ferrata and zipline included.
  • See an ancient past still alive at the salt mines of Maras and the Inca lab of Moray.
  • Ride on ATVs across off-the-beaten paths and breath-taking views of the Valley.
  • Enjoy the peace and isolation of the Ausangate Trek on a small group tour.
  • Witness wildlife and otherworldly landscapes like Vinicunca, Rainbow Mountain, on a 5-day trek.
  • Stay at cozy lodges operated by local communities during your trek.
Destinations
  • Lima
  • Cusco
  • Sacred Valley
  • Ausangate Trek (Cordillera Vilcanota)
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The Route

Gallery

You won't believe your eyes. Every trip to Peru is unique and your pictures will be too. Get amazed by the people, sites, colors and textures of this incredible destination.

Detailed Itinerary

Park of Love, Miraflores City, Lima - Atelier South America

Day 1 | Lima

Upon arrival at Lima International Airport you’ll be met by an Atelier representative who will assist you. Before hotel check-in, get a snapshot of life in Lima and enjoy dramatic coastal views from upmarket San Isidro and Miraflores Districts. For those who want to skip Lima, we can arrange a brief stay at one of the Lima Airport’s hotels with local assistance for your one-hour flight to Cusco.

Iglesia de la Compañia in Cusco Downtown - Atelier South America

Day 2 | Lima/Cusco

You’ll fly to Cusco from Lima, and after checking into your Cusco hotel the rest of the day is left at leisure.


Our staff will check the most convenient time for Ausangate Trek pre-departure briefing. Enjoy the fine restaurants, boutiques, and many cultural highlights of Cusco your own way. You can explore Sacsayhuaman Fortress, visit the Qorikancha Temple (the most important of its kind in the Inca Empire), or lose yourself around the atmospheric – and historic – streets of Downtown Cusco.

Via Ferrata, Skylodge, Sacred Valley - Atelier South America

Day 3 | Cusco/Sacred Valley

Your adventure trip to Peru goes up a gear on day 3, first with kayaking and on-the-water exploration of Laguna Piuray. After lunch, let’s get an adrenaline-pumping Via Ferrata. You’ll climb the steep slopes of a dramatic mountain on the fringes or the Sacred Valley and, having admired the views and conquered to cliff, settle in for a truly unique afternoon/evening suspended on the mountainside in a sky pod.

ATV 3 Piuray - Sacred Valley - Atelier South America

Day 4 | Sacred Valley/Cusco ines

Having spent the night under the stars in your cozy cliffside pod, the adrenaline kicks keep on coming as day 4 of this tour starts with a series of exhilarating zip-wires back to the valley floor, some up to 400m long. Safely on the ground, a change of pace comes at the hypnotic ancient salt pools of Maras, which are still used by locals for salt extraction to this day. A stop on our ATV experience for picnic amongst the fantasy-like backdrop of the Sacred Valley and visit to the perfectly preserved ruins of Moray rounds off an all-encompassing day, before returning to Cusco.

Checacupe Ausangate Trek, Cusco - Atelier South America

Day 5 | Cusco/Chilca

Time to get further from the crowds and feel at one with the wilds – and locals – of Peru, on the 5-day Ausangate Trek. This route is special both for the otherworldly landscapes you hike through as well as the connection with local communities, and the cozy mountain lodges they host for you along the way. The trailhead takes you along the Vilcanota River, past the temple of Checacupe and into the upper Pitumarca Valley to Chilca. Here, enjoy the hospitality and music of locals before bedding down in your lodge.

Hear of Llamas, Ausangate Trek, Cusco - Atelier South America

Day 6 | Chillca/Machuracay

You’ll hike through the stunning – wildlife-rich – Phinaya Valley past the Pjachaj waterfall, glacial lagoons, and sprawling plains during a varied hike to your next mountain lodge. There’s around 5 hours of walking across rugged terrain to look forward to today, so be sure to take your time and enjoy every second of it as the landscape and even climate changes all around you.

Ausangate Trek, Cusco - Atelier South America

Day 7 | Machuracay/Anantapata

Today, the Ausangate Trek takes you to an altitude of 5,100m above sea level, along a spectacular mountain pass that is worth the effort for the panoramic views alone. Having conquered the heights, you’ll descend gradually to Ausangate Cocha Lake and onward for a slightly easier – though no less beautiful – day of hiking to reach your remote mountain lodge for the evening.

Winikunka, Ausangate Trek, Cusco - Atelier South America

Day 8 | Anantapata/Huampococha

A simply spectacular day. Begin your day early en route to the next high mountain pass. You’ll first pass Lake Kayrawiri, before delving deep along trails surrounded by beautiful mountains and ancient foothills, the Glacier del Inca and ultimately Mount Vinicunca, “Rainbow Mountain”. A true marvel of Mother Earth, Rainbow Mountain is aptly named for its multi-colored slopes that, when set against the Mars-like red-hued mountains behind, really does make you feel as if you’re on a different planet altogether. After an unforgettable day of hiking, you’ll reach your next mountain lodge for a well-earned rest.

Ausangate Trails, Ausangate Trek, Cusco - Atelier South America

Day 9 | Cusco/Lima

As the Ausangate Trek draws to a close, so does your tour. This morning, there is chance to enjoy some final mountain views around Mount Apu Labrayani before a downhill hike to the pick-up point, transfer, and your onward flight to Lima and home, full of priceless memories of Peru.

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