The Ancascocha trek; is one of our Cusco new trekking tour, part of our adventure trips in the region, it has trails that also connects to machu picchu and sacred valley. A path that is considered new, considered to be one of the best hikes around the world, according national geography, the trail leads by: the North West highland of the region, where the lowest campsite is at 4,000mt “12,192 ft”.
Amongst many adventure programs, offering this new adventure tour: Our Ancascocha itinerary is the one, that leads by the most scenic path, where you will be able to see, impressive mountains of southern Andes, with intact flora and fauna; which amazes everyone; reason by which this hike, is the new best alternative path to machu picchu.
The region, has many different itineraries, most of them will start at parpiso, or socma. We’ll begin at Llamakancha, a beautiful look-out place, with the most spectacular view of the pampa de anta, we will take you by a non-frequented sectors, (the only program that will show you the Yanacocha, “black lake”), and ancascocha “blue lake”. Other companies do not reach this lake in their hikes.
It is advised for people who loves nature, who want to get away from the touristy trails, our company, guarantees that you will have the most scenic trail, from where you can see incredible views, and many stars at night.
We are going to walk parts of a well preserved old inca trail, section that is not known by the other operators, a very wide trail, that looks like a truck road. Regarding the fauna; at the ancascocha, here is the possibility to see, the Andean fox, the majestic condors, deer’s, partridges, andean pecker, etc.
If you want to read about our other alternative hikes, then look at: humantay lake tour, classic salkantay hike, trips with daily departures, available in private service).
06:00 hrs
Pick up at 06:00 hrs from your hotel, then drive up to Zurite, and meet the crew for breakfast, and then continue until llamacancha (llama fence), here you’ll begin the trek by a gentle trail, up to the 1st summit (4,400 mts – 14, 436 ft), the view is impressive, valleys, canyons, and snow mountains which are surrounding the Ancascocha lake.
Then walk all downhill, up to the lunch at Misti and Chonta soccomarca mountains slope, then ascend towards west, to hatun pampa “big flatland” which is sheepherders favorite place, tents are set up here; at yanacocha over (4,200mt – 13,779ft). Enjoy the stars view at night.
Difficulty: Challenge, distance 8 km. walking time: 6 hours.
This part is the most fascinating section, we will hike towards northwest, and after an hour walk, we’ll summit the CCara Cruz “leather cross pass”, this summit is at 4600m, has great view of the valleys of Apurimac canyon, and more from this 360° view, then walk by a gently downhill path to Poc Poc – pampa; at the switchback stream named Qenqo Mayu.
After 3 hours hike, we summit puma-ccasa “puma pass” = 4,500 mts, then walk by a downhill path to lunch spot, then climb up a switchback section to punku-ccasa “gate pass”, then walk by downhill trail all the way to the camp at occoruro. Trip details: Medium Challenge, 12 km, 7 hours of walk
This day will take us by the largest uphill part, up to accocasa pass 4700 m, “sandy pass”, from here, you can see the salkantay mountain, puma sillu, and several mountain tops, with help of binoculars, we’ll see the classic trail, the path leads downhill, and reaches a place where we can enjoy the view of a red mountain is.
After lunch, you’ll continue by an uphill path to Huayanay pass “4600mt”, from here; you follow by a well preserved old inca road, here we can see as well the Ancascocha “blue lagoon“, here we’ll see some torrent ducks, Huallatas (Andean geese = Chloephaga melanoptera), andean pecker, and some migrant birds, then after 3 hours reach the highest camp site at a quiet place, close from ancascocha lake.
This day is going to be a gentle hike, wake up at about 06:00 hrs, and have breakfast, then walk toward the settlement which is located at the bottom of the lake, by then; we have had descended a lot, temperature and the flora has changed as well, from icchu straw vegetation to multi-color greener spots.
From here, we bank a clear water river, after about 4 hours, we will finally each camicancha community, in the sacred valley, in a nice, warm and green gorge, then drive to the city where our Ancascocha trek ends
See our other trips: salkantay trek, rainbow mountain tour, choquequirao trek.
The best tour!