the ausangate trek
december 2019 | peru
NIKON D850
Nikkor 16-35mm f/4.0, 50mm f/1.8, 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6
Vinicunca means Rainbow Mountain in Quechua. That was the endpoint of our Ausangate trek. We were living between 4700-5000m above sea level, traversing the Andes Mountains, not a soul in sight. It beat us up, but it is the most spectacular hike we’ve done to date.
This trek was jaw-dropping in every direction we set our eyes. For two days we hiked through colorful valleys filled with herds of llamas and alpacas, across quiet glacial streams and lakes, and over red, green, and blue peaks on our route. We witnessed endless miles of pristine landscapes, laying quiet, unconquered still, and several places where “rainbows,” or neatly stacked colorful minerals, can be seen, albeit, not as clear and distinct as the one at Vinicunca.
I’m from Peru - the majority of my family still lives there. I had been dreaming of doing this circuit for years and finally, over new year’s eve 2018, my wife and I escaped for a few days to get lost in the Andes south of Cusco. We’d like to do the longer route next time.