Updated: Jun 28, 2020
I did The Ausangate Trek in Peru in 2015 with a client who I had trained and prepared for the high altitude adventure. I didn’t know it then but this trip would turn out to be a pivotal and life changing experience. It was the first time I had ventured into the world of high altitude and mountaineering. I remember feeling a sense of deep, soulful fufillment that in some moments of reflection brought me to tears. And I have found that fullfilment everytime I’ve stepped into the mountains since. I hope these pictures inspire courage and curiosity to seek that same sense of fulfilment.
Considering doing this trek? Checkout this blog: How To Train For The Ausangate Trek PLUS The 4-Week Ausangate Trek Training Plan
Cusco Town Center, Peru
Stopping for a quick picture break on the drive out of Cusco to our starting point.
The first view of our cabin on our first night – our cabin is the little yellow dot beneath the mountain shadow on the right.
The start of our second day after a peaceful nights sleep. You can see our cabin in the background.
Our Llamas with all our gear. We just carried our daybacks, which was another thing that made this trip a very luxurious one (the first thing being sleeping in cabins).
Our second night was spent playing Jenga with the Keeper of the cabin. It was his first time ever playing Jenga, which made it even more fun!
On our third morning, we had a sacred Peruvian Ceremony for safe passage through the mountains. It was beautiful and so special to glimpse just a small bit of the cultural believes and sacredness that surrounds the mountains.
A glacier lake about 20 mins from our cabin on the fourth night. This was the first time in my entire life that I had every seen a glacier! I was born and raised in Zimbabwe (in the Southern part of Africa) where our coldest winters get down to about 2/3°C (35/37°F).
We gained alot of altitude on the 5th day, climbing up to about 5,500m to the mountain pass with Ausangate constantly in our view.
This was the view from where I was sitting on the previous picture with my teammates in the foreground.
Our last few steps to the mountain pass with Ausangate behind us.
Just taking a a very special moment to appreciate being at 5,500m, while Ausangate towers gloriously behind me.
After we started descending from the mountain pass, we started to see the famous coloured Mountains!
More of the coloured Mountains!
From snow capped mountains to Marshes.
Our last cabin and last night of the trek.
The mind blowingly beautiful view the following morning from our cabin.
Still with our faithful Llamas!
More beautiful scenery.
Taking a moment to sit quietly and absorb all I could see… Until one of my teammates wanted to take a picture of me 🙂
The final steps of the most life changing trek!
To this day, after countless high altitude adventures, this is still one of my favourites and Peru/South America is without doubt my most favourite continent for mountaineering and trekking!
