Main Info
Overview and Highlights
This exciting adventure will make you climb one of the famous mountains of the Cordillera Vilcanota, Ausangate region and trekking across a glacier & complete a small rock climb to summit nevado Qampa (depending on the season)
Nevado Q’ampa (or also called J’ampa or Campa) with an average altitude of 5500masl is strategically located on the Campa pass (classic part of the trekking circuit around Ausangate and bordering the 5,000 meters). With three independent summits (Q’ampa I, II and III oriented from south to north respectively), the Q’ampa are the final continuation of the great southern ridge of Ausangate, which after passing through mountains like the Mariposa finally culminates in the Q’ampa.
Of the 3 peaks the most frequented is the Q’ampa I of 5,500masl, without this meaning that it is the highest, but because of its close proximity to the pass described above and its very accessible glacier that leads to the top makes it one of the most visited and climbed mountains in Cusco. However, this same mountain presents us on its north face a very wide and large wall of almost 300mts that awaits the visit of mountaineers openers.
What is included
- Professional bilingual English-speaking tour guide.
- Trekking crew: Mountain cook, arriero (horseman) and mules to carry all the equipment.
- All camping equipment (Tents, dining tents, sleeping bags, trekking poles, crampons, Ice Axe, Harness, Helmet).
- Pre-Departure Briefing at your hotel 1 or 2 days prior your trek.
- Round trip transportation from/to your Cusco hotel.
- Meals: 03 Breakfasts, 03 Lunches, 02 Dinners.
- Emergency oxygen bottle and medical kit.
What is not included
- Hotel accomodations
- Tips or Gratuities
- Meals not mentioned above
- Travel Insurance (strongly recommended)
- Items of a personal nature
- Any additional extras
What to bring and advices
- It is really important that you arrive to Cusco at least 2 days prior the trek, in order to acclimatize to the altitude. You can take personal medication which You can get at the drugstore there are many around the main street Av El Sol or near to the main square of Cusco.
- Please make sure to inform us about your health/food/physical restrictions in advance so we can prepare them for you.
- In case you need to pay the remaining balance, it is advisable to take some cash. You can get some money from the ATM machine that are located in the centre of the City of Cusco.
- Rain poncho, rain jacket, proper hiking boots.
- Proper warm clothes, at that altitude is quite cold and windy a bandana will be helpful.
- Sun Glasses.
- Sun block. The sun is really strong You will need to protect your head (with a hat) and skin.
- Extra snacks always recommended.
- A bottle of water.
- Travel insurance this from your site, strongly recommended.
Itinerary
Download BrochureToday in the morning (07:00 am aprox.) we will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco. Heading south-east by the Interoceanic highway passing through the city of Urcos and after 3 hours arriving to Ocongate, where you will have any last-minute purchases.
Then, we will go to Pacchanta, (45 minutes from Ocongate), here we will meet-up with the muleteers and mountain cook for the expedition.
After lunch we will start the trek, taking about 4 hours to reach the base camp, with impressive views of the main snow-capped Cusco Mountains such as: Ausangate (6384 masl), Cayangate (6110 masl) and others, always accompanied by llamas and alpacas of the region.
Already at the base camp, your personal high mountain equipment (harnesses, crampons, ice axes, helmets, leggings, gloves) will have been delivered. Our mountain guide will teach you the correct way of using the equipment, how to act on a glacier and have them ready for use when required.
● Meals: Lunch, Dinner, Dinner is at 6pm, allowing plenty of time for everyone to rest afterwards.
● Night: Qampa Base Camp
● masl – 4,850 / 15912 ft
● time – 7-9 hrs
We will leave base camp at 3:00 am, you will have a light breakfast. Today is essential to attack a mountain at dawn. In approximately 2 hours of ascent by moraine you will arrive at the glacier, where you will prepare yourselves with the mountain equipment to enter the glacier.
After another 3 hours on the glacier, you will reach the summit of the Qampa mountain which is 5,500 meters above sea level. Taking half an hour on the summit to rest and enjoy the high Andean landscapes, surrounded by the snowy mountains of the Cordillera Vilcanota.
The descent to the base camp will take a further 3 hours, where lunch awaits and you will have the whole afternoon free to rest after a long satisfying day.
● Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
● Night: Qampa Base Camp
● masl – 5,500 / 18044 ft
● time – 8.5-9 hrs
● Campsite – Qampa Base Camp
Leaving at 9am for Pacchanta after breakfast.
Arriving at Pacchanta in about 3 hours where there’ll be the option to enter the thermal baths and buy handicrafts from local crafts people. Then taking lunch and returning to the city of Cusco by around 6pm.
You’ll be dropped to your hotels, and you can spend the evening relaxing and recalling an epic adventure!
● Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
● Night: Not included.
● Time – 7-8 hrs
