The Ausangate Trek is hard, rated challenging to strenuous: 70 km over 5–6 days, crossing passes near 5,200 m and camping above 4,500 m every night. The distance is modest, but the combination of extreme altitude, repeated steep passes and sub-zero camps makes it tougher than far longer low-altitude trails. Altitude and cold, not mileage, define the difficulty.
How hard is the Ausangate Trek really?
On paper the Ausangate Trek looks gentle: only about 70 km of walking spread over 5 to 6 days, roughly 12–15 km a day. In practice it ranks among the harder accessible treks in the Andes, because almost the entire route sits between 4,300 and 5,200 m. At those heights the air carries barely over half the oxygen of sea level, so a 13 km day with two passes feels like a far longer effort. There is no technical climbing, but the relentless altitude and the cold turn an otherwise short circuit into a genuine endurance test.
Add the camping element. Unlike a teahouse trek, you sleep in tents at 4,500–4,800 m in temperatures below −10 °C, which steals recovery between hard days. Difficulty here is cumulative: each high pass is manageable, but stringing them together while sleeping cold and oxygen-starved is what challenges people.
What is the highest and hardest point on Ausangate?
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Highest pass | Palomani, ~5,200 m |
| Typical camp altitude | 4,500–4,800 m |
| Number of major passes | 3–4 above 5,000 m |
| Daily distance | 12–15 km |
The Palomani Pass at around 5,200 m is the trek's high point and its hardest single stretch, a slow, breathless grind on loose ground. The repeated nature of the passes is what wears people down: you do not climb to altitude once and stay, you cross 5,000 m cols on multiple days, dropping and re-climbing each time.
How fit do you need to be for the Ausangate Trek?
You need solid aerobic fitness and the ability to walk five to seven hours on consecutive days at extreme altitude. The single most important preparation is acclimatisation: spend at least two to three days in Cusco (3,400 m), and ideally a day hike higher, before starting. Physically, train with sustained uphill walking and stair work to build the legs and lungs for repeated climbs, and add long back-to-back days to prepare for the cumulative load. Our high-altitude training plan and zone 2 aerobic base guide target exactly the systems Ausangate stresses.
Keeping carried weight low helps enormously at this altitude. Even when horses haul the camping gear, choose a light, well-fitted daypack such as the Patagonia Ascensionist 35L or the ventilated Osprey Atmos AG 50 if you carry more, and pack only what each cold, thin-air day demands.
Is altitude sickness a risk on Ausangate?
Yes, altitude sickness is the primary risk, because the entire route is high and you reach 5,200 m within the first days. Mild acute mountain sickness, headache, nausea and poor sleep, is common and usually manageable, but the rapid altitude profile gives less margin than a slow trek like Everest Base Camp. Prevent it by acclimatising in Cusco first, ascending steadily, hydrating well, and descending immediately if serious symptoms appear. After medical advice, many trekkers carry acetazolamide. The Wilderness Medical Society's prevention principles are summarised by the World Health Organization, and you should carry insurance covering high-altitude evacuation, as the area is remote and managed under SERNANP jurisdiction.
How does Ausangate compare to other treks?
Ausangate is harder per day than Nepal's Everest Base Camp Trek because the altitude gain is faster and you camp rather than use lodges, but Everest is longer and exposes you to altitude for more days. For a full side-by-side, see our comparison of Everest Base Camp versus Ausangate. Compared with the lower, hotter Lost City Walking Track in Colombia, Ausangate is far more demanding because of its altitude and cold, while the Lost City challenges you with heat and humidity instead.
How should you train for the Ausangate Trek?
Because Ausangate stacks repeated 5,000 m passes into a short circuit, training should target uphill endurance and the ability to recover overnight at altitude. In the final eight weeks, do two hill sessions a week building to a 5–6 hour day with 900–1,200 m of ascent, and add stair or steep-incline intervals to overload the calves and lungs that the Palomani climb hammers. Practise consecutive walking days so your legs adapt to the cumulative fatigue of a multi-day circuit with no rest day. None of this substitutes for acclimatising in Cusco (3,400 m) first, but it ensures unconditioned legs are never the limiting factor.
Train carrying the load you will actually shoulder. On a portered trip you still carry a 5–7 kg daypack across the passes, so rehearse with that weight in a light, well-fitted carrier such as the Patagonia Ascensionist 35L or, if you carry more gear, the ventilated Osprey Atmos AG 50. Build aerobic efficiency with the steady, conversational work in our zone 2 training guide, and follow the structured progression in our high-altitude training plan for the strongest base before a route this demanding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a beginner do the Ausangate Trek?
It is not ideal for a first multi-day trek because of the extreme altitude and cold camping. A fit beginner who acclimatises properly in Cusco and trains for repeated uphill walking can complete it, but most people do better tackling a lower trek first. Prior altitude experience meaningfully reduces the risk and the misery.
How many high passes does the Ausangate Trek cross?
The circuit crosses three to four major passes above 5,000 m, with the Palomani Pass near 5,200 m being the highest. Each is a separate steep climb and descent, so the route repeatedly takes you to altitude rather than gaining height once. This repetition is the core of its difficulty.
Is the Ausangate Trek harder than the Inca Trail?
Yes, Ausangate is considerably harder than the classic Inca Trail. It is higher, with passes near 5,200 m versus the Inca Trail's 4,215 m Dead Woman's Pass, colder at its camps, and more remote with fewer facilities. The Inca Trail is the better choice for those seeking ruins and a more supported experience.
Do you need oxygen for the Ausangate Trek?
No, trekkers do not use supplemental oxygen on Ausangate; the route is high but within the range the body can acclimatise to. Proper acclimatisation in Cusco, steady ascent and hydration are the tools that keep you safe. Guides typically carry an emergency oxygen cylinder for serious altitude emergencies rather than routine use.
How long should you acclimatise before the Ausangate Trek?
Spend at least two to three days in Cusco (3,400 m) before starting, and ideally take a higher day hike during that time to prompt your body to adapt. Because Ausangate reaches 5,200 m within its first days, this acclimatisation buffer is not optional; arriving from sea level and starting immediately sharply raises the risk of acute mountain sickness. Hikers who have a few extra days often add a lower acclimatisation trek or a night in the Sacred Valley first. Drinking plenty of water and avoiding alcohol in those first days noticeably eases the adjustment to altitude.