Ausangate Circuit (The Sacred Apu)

The high-altitude heart of the Inca world. The Ausangate Circuit is a strenuous but scenic 70km loop around the highest peak in southern Peru. Unlike the busy Inca Trail, this trek is wild, high, and deeply traditional. The route moves through the Vilcanota Range, crossing multiple passes over 5,000m. Hikers are treated to a surreal landscape of turquoise, red, and emerald-green glacial lakes (the 7 Lagoons), massive hanging glaciers, and the multi-colored mineral stripes of Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain). You share the trail primarily with indigenous herders and their vast flocks of alpacas, offering a glimpse into a way of Andean life that has remained unchanged for centuries.

One of the most frequented day hikes from El Chaltén, the route to Laguna Torre leads to a glacial lake at the base of the Torre massif. The 18 km out-and-back trail follows the Fitz Roy River valley, moving through sub-antarctic forests of ñire and lenga. The terrain is primarily well-maintained gravel paths and packed dirt, with a short initial ascent followed by mostly level walking through the glacial valley. The destination offers direct views of Cerro Torre (3,128m) and the Adela range, with icebergs frequently calving from the Torre Glacier into the lake.