Cordillera Vilcanota

The Cordillera Vilcanota is a high Andean mountain range in the Department of Cusco in southern Peru, notable for containing the 6,384-metre peak Ausangate. It is one of the major ranges of the Peruvian Andes and a focal area for high-altitude lakes, glaciers, and alpine landscapes.

The range contains several popular trekking highlights including long multi-day circuits around Ausangate and day trips to the striped slopes of Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain). Mountain passes and glacial lakes are common, and many routes exceed 5,000 metres in elevation, making the area important for trekking and alpine tourism.

Geologically the range is part of the Andean orogeny and shows extensive glaciation and glacial landforms. The mountains have been used traditionally for pastoralism by Quechua communities and for ritual pilgrimage to the sacred mountain Ausangate; in recent decades trekking and sightseeing have increased substantially.

The Cordillera sits southeast of the city of Cusco in southern Peru, within the high Andean plateau and valley systems. The landscape is dominated by high puna grassland, glaciers, and high-altitude lakes, and access is typically from Cusco or nearby towns in the region.

• Visiting season: Best visited in the dry season when trails are most accessible and snow is least likely.
• Altitude and acclimatization: Altitude gain is significant on treks; common routes cross passes above 5,000 metres so acclimatization is essential.

What to See #

• Ausangate (highest peak): Austere glaciated peak reaching 6,384 metres; a focal point for high-altitude trekking and local pilgrimage and visible from surrounding valleys.
• Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain): A colorful, striated mountain rising to roughly 5,200 metres that has become a popular day-trip destination for its vivid mineral bands.
• Sibinacocha and high-altitude lakes: A large high-altitude lake within the range that lies among glaciated basins and is a notable landmark on multi-day treks.