Palcoyo – The Colors Mountain
We pick up from your hotel between 6:30 and 7:00 am. We will travel for approximately 2 hours to the town of Combapata. We will continue the journey uphill for approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes along the Salka River Valley, we will arrive at the starting point of the trek 4,790 masl at ‘’Wallata Q’asa’’. Passing through the Palcoyo community.
From this point we can see the Mountain of ‘’Warsaqyani’’, there begins our walk to see the colored hill of ‘’Q’alle Q’alle’’ and the stone forest located at 4,960 meters above sea level (2 km walk). After visiting the stone forest ‘’Yura’q Qaqa’’ we will descend again to the bus stop, to move to Cusipata where we will have lunch. Finally, we will return to the city of Cusco arriving at 6:30 – 6:45 pm. approximately.
Pallay Poncho del Apu Tacllo
The Other Colors Mountain
Discover the new rainbow mountain, just a few hours from the city of Cusco. In the middle of the Andes, is a virgin tourist circuit, one of the most impressive natural wonders of Peru. Travel towards the Cusco highlands and be amazed by a mountain that seems to have been wrapped in a colorful Andean poncho full of ancestral iconography.
We pick you up very early, we will travel for approximately 4 hours to the town of Layo. When will arrive to the start point, will hike two and climb for about 2 hours to the viewpoint. After the walk, prepare to feel like you’re flying over the surface of another planet. The edges of Pallay Punchu — cream, magenta, brown — spread out toward the steep mountain slope in mind-blowing patterns. Take some time to understand what it means to contemplate these pyramids patiently sculpted by Mother Earth, or Pachamama, for millions of years.
On the one hand, you’ll be able to observe the fullness and the dark waters of the immense Langui-Layo lagoon. On the other, you’ll see mysterious and sharp mountains amidst valleys of red earth. Open your arms as if you were an Andean condor, feel the cold wind of the Cusco highlands, and let your mind fly away.
Remember that you’ll reach 4,700 masl / 15,419 fasl, so take precautions. If you want to visit this natural wonder, we recommend you arrive in Cusco (3,400 masl / 11,154 fasl) at least 2 days in advance to acclimatize. It’s important to drink plenty of fluids and avoid consuming alcohol, coffee, and cigarettes. Altitude sickness can be very unpleasant since its symptoms include: severe headache, shortness of breath, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. Nobody wants to feel like this in the middle of the mountain.
Tour to Q’eswachaka, The Inka Bridge
We will pick you up at your hotel at 4:30 am, to start the Q’eswachaka tour. In the Inkas there was a great network of roads and one mainly called Qhapaq Ñan, these joined the territories of the Inka times to cross the rugged geography of the Andes, Hanging Bridges made of vegetable fibers were built, this complex technology has been transmitted from generation in generation, there is today a single bridge with stone structures over 500 years old, which is renewed annually. This is the Q’eswachaka bridge that is located on the Apurímac River at 3,700 meters above sea level, the last Inka Hanging Bridge, where every year more than 1000 people from four communities gather to renew it, this ancestral ritual was recognized in 2013 by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
After visiting the Q´eswachaka bridge we will return to Combapata to enjoy our lunch. Then we will make a soft walk until we reach the viewpoint of lagoons: Pampamarca and Asnacqocha, then we will go to another point where the viewpoint of the Acopía and Pomacanchi lagoons is located. After completing the circuit of the 4 lagoons, we will return to the city of Cusco, between 4:30 pm and 5:00 pm.
Tour Waqrapukara
We will pass by your hotel at 4:30 am, to start the tour to Waqrapukara. We will start the trip driving towards the town of Marcaconga (3 hrs). Our first stop will be in the town of Pitumarca where we will have breakfast. Then our transport will take us for about 30 more minutes to the starting point of our walk that leads us to Waqrapukara. We will begin the tour along a path with some unevenness, until we reach the viewpoint of the archaeological site, then we will continue descending for about 40 minutes until we reach the archaeological center of Waqrapukara, which was declared Cultural Heritage of the Nation by the Peruvian Ministry of Culture, in July, 2017. As we approach, we will observe gigantic stone formations next to the deep valley of the Apurímac River. This architectural complex rises above the Apurímac river canyon (4,140 masl). Its construction dates from the pre-Inka and Inka times by the Qanchi ethnic group. According to chronicles, this place was destined to worship its main deity “God Teqsi Wiraqocha” (God of the Qanchis); We visit this ceremonial center for an hour and a half, and after a photo session, we will start the return journey to the place where our transport will wait for us to take us back to the City of Cusco. We arrived at 6pm approx.
Tour: 7 Lagoons of Ausangate
We start picking up passengers at 4:30 am from the different hotels or hostels, and then go to the community of Tinki 3,780 masl (3 hours approx.) And take the detour to the community of Pacchanta 4,310 masl (40 minutes approx.) place where we will have breakfast also place where we start the tour of the 7 lagoons (walk 5 hrs. / 6.5 km approx.). We will visit the Azulqocha, Otorongo, Alqacocha, Q’omercocha and Patacocha lagoons 4,740 masl; we will also be able to appreciate the Ausangate mountain 6,380 masl.
During the journey we will see native birds of the area, alpacas, llamas, many vizcachas and with luck even the Andean Condor. We will end the tour in Pacchanta where we will have lunch and where we can relax in the Hot Springs of Pacchanta (Optional). We will return to the city of Cusco (19:30 pm. Approximately).
