Seven lagoons, and you stop believing.

This is a Cusco day trip where turquoise lakes sit under the jagged peaks of Ausangate, and the colors look unreal until you’re there. I also love how much of the day happens with a local family in Pacchanta—you start with Andean-style breakfast and end with a buffet lunch made from what’s grown nearby. One big consideration: you’ll be walking high and going uphill early, so plan for the altitude and keep your pace steady.

A good guide helps a lot on a day like this, and you’ll get one. The day includes trekking poles, an oxygen bottle, and first-aid gear, which is reassuring at 4,000+ meters. But if you’re expecting an easy stroll, this won’t match that idea.

Key Highlights You’ll Actually Care About

• Turquoise lagoons near Ausangate: the colors are the main event, not background scenery.
• Breakfast and lunch with Andean ingredients: you eat in Pacchanta, not back in town.
• A strenuous first leg: about 1.5 hours to the first lagoon sets the tone.
• Multiple lagoons in one route: Comercocha, Alqacocha, and others pass by on the day’s loop.
• Optional hot springs: 40 minutes of soak time, with an extra small entry fee.
• Guides who bring energy: names you may hear include Felipe and Tony, and that makes the hike easier.

A Turquoise Day Trip to Ausangate’s Seven Lakes

If you like big nature days that feel real, this one hits hard. The whole point is getting out of Cusco and into the Vilcanota range, where Ausangate towers in the distance and the lagoons show off colors that look like they belong in a painting. The best part is that the colors aren’t subtle. They’re the kind of bright turquoise you keep checking, then taking photos of anyway.

What makes this tour work as a day trip is the rhythm. You drive in, you warm up with breakfast at high altitude, you hike to the first lagoon, then you keep moving through additional lakes before the hot springs option. You’ll be outside most of the day, but it’s structured so you’re not just wandering with no plan.

The other strong ingredient is the human side. In Pacchanta, you’re welcomed into a local home by a family and fed with local ingredients. That’s more than a “cultural” checkbox. It shapes the whole feeling of the day—you’re not just consuming views. You’re participating in how people live up here.

Getting There from Cusco: Villages, Ccatcca, and Pacchanta

You start with hotel pickup in Cusco and then head south for about three hours. On the way, you pass through villages and see everyday life—colorful houses, local costumes, and the kind of roads that slowly trade city noise for thin-air quiet.

One stop you’ll likely pass through is Ccatcca, where you can see women wearing traditional dress. It’s one of those “blink and you get it” moments: not a museum, not a performance, just people going about their day and looking like they always have. It’s a good reminder that the mountains you’re chasing are part of an active way of life.

Eventually you reach the municipality of Pacchanta, which sits above 4,000 meters. That altitude matters. It’s not just that you’ll feel it when you hike. You may feel it as soon as you arrive—so go slow, hydrate, and don’t treat the day like a normal outing.

Meet Your Host Family: Breakfast With Andean Ingredients

In Pacchanta, a local family welcomes you into their home for breakfast. This is one of the most grounded parts of the tour. You’ll get a nutritious meal made with Andean ingredients, served in a setting that feels domestic and real, not staged.

This matters for two reasons. First, it’s practical. Breakfast up there helps you handle the early walking. Second, it sets expectations about the day. You’re not just touring lakes—you’re spending hours in a high-altitude community where food and daily routines are built around the local environment.

After you settle in, you’ll head toward the Vilcanota mountain range. And this is where the day starts to “click,” because you’ll get views of snow-capped Ausangate—the glacier that feeds the lagoons you’ll visit later. Once you see that peak, the hike feels connected instead of random.

The 1.5-Hour Push to the First Lagoon

The first hike is the most strenuous part of the day. Plan on about 1.5 hours to reach the first lake. This is where you feel altitude most. You’ll likely be breathing harder than you expect, and your legs will work even if you’re not rushing.

A few things help. You’ll have trekking poles provided, which can save your knees on both the uphill effort and the slowdown coming back. Take short steps. Keep your breathing calm. If you need to, stop briefly just to let your body catch up—no hero moves.

This leg also sets the tone for how you experience the lakes. When you finally reach that first lagoon, you’re not looking at it “from a bus window.” You earned the view, and you’ll notice it more: the color intensity, the mountain framing, and the clean feeling of open air.

Comercocha and Alqacocha: The Colors That Don’t Sound Real

After the first lake, you visit other lagoons including Comercocha and Alqacocha. These are often described as green and turquoise, sitting at the foot of the glacier-fed system near Ausangate.

Here’s the practical truth: in photos, lagoons like these can look either overly edited or kind of fake. In person, the experience is different. The water and sky tones interact with the mountains, and that’s why it feels surprising. You don’t just see a color—you see how it changes as clouds move and as you shift position.

You’ll have time to take photos and absorb it slowly, but not so much that the day drags. The route keeps moving, and that’s smart because the weather can change at altitude. If you wait too long, you may miss the best light.

Patacocha, Otorongococha, and Azulcocha on the Way Back

On the return toward Pacchanta, you pass additional lagoons: Patacocha, Otorongococha, and Azulcocha. This is a “keep your eyes open” stretch. By now you know the colors are real, but each lagoon still has its own personality—shade variations, different mountain angles, and different reflections depending on the sky.

The day includes a photo and viewing window. From when you arrive at the first lagoon until you return to the restaurant, you’ll spend about 2.5 hours seeing the lagoons and getting photos. That’s a good amount of time. It’s enough to walk, pause, and look around without turning into a long stop-start day.

If you’re the kind of person who wants to watch the water before you snap a shot, you’ll enjoy this section. The lagoons don’t just reward cameras. They reward patience.

Lunch Buffet in Pacchanta, Then Optional Hot Springs

Back at your host family’s home, you’ll have a delicious buffet lunch with locally grown natural products. This part is important because it’s one of your reset points. Your body will be tired. Your appetite will be real. Even if you’re not a huge eater, you’ll probably want something warm and filling.

That said, food quality can vary a bit. One clear pattern from experience shared by others: the meal can be simple, and if you’re picky or sensitive to bland flavors, you may want a small snack you control. (More on that in the packing section.)

After lunch, you get about 40 minutes for the hot springs, and it’s optional. Bring a swimsuit if you want to soak. The hot water is a classic altitude payoff—you work hard, then you soften up.

One thing to plan for: coming out into the cold air can feel sharp, especially at 4,000+ meters. So bring a towel and warm layers. If you dress like it’s still summertime, you’ll feel it fast.

Price and Value: What You’re Really Paying For at $38

At around $38 per person, this tour is good value if you want a full day that combines transport, a guide, meals, and guided time at multiple lagoons.

Here’s what you’re getting for the money:

• Roundtrip transportation from Cusco
• Breakfast and lunch included
• An English/Spanish speaking guide
• Safety gear: first-aid equipment and an oxygen bottle
• Trekking poles
• Time in several lagoons plus the option of hot springs

What’s not included:

• Entrance fees for the lakes (PEN 20.00)
• Hot springs entrance fee (PEN 5.00)

So the true cost depends on whether you soak. Even then, the overall package still makes sense because you’re paying for more than a hike. You’re paying for logistics at altitude plus someone managing the route, timing, and safety.

If your budget is tight, this is one of those days where a guided format prevents you from spending energy figuring out transport and unclear routes. You want your focus on the lagoons, not on problem-solving at 4,500 meters.

Altitude Reality Check: What to Bring and How to Pace

This trip visits areas over 4,000 masl, and the temperature can be low. Start your planning like you’re going to spend the morning cold and end the afternoon cold—because you will.

Bring:

• Comfortable shoes with grip
• Warm clothing (layers beat one bulky item)
• Water
• Sunscreen
• Camera
• Optional: swimsuit for the hot springs

Also, pace like you respect the altitude. Slow steps win. If you try to force speed, you’ll gas out early and feel miserable. The trekking poles help, but your body still needs time.

It’s also not a tour you want to freestyle medically. It’s not suitable for people with pre-existing medical conditions, and it’s listed as not suitable for pregnant women and children under 2. If any of that applies, I’d treat it as a hard no.

Guides Matter: Felipe, Tony, and What Good Energy Does

The guide can change the feel of the hike. In the experience you’re looking at, guide personalities show up clearly in how people describe the day. Names that come up include Felipe and Tony, and the common thread is enthusiasm that keeps things moving without turning into a drill.

A good guide also helps you manage the “when do we stop” moments. When you’re at altitude, stopping at the right time is everything. You don’t want to stand around too long in the cold. You also don’t want to rush through places that are the whole point of the day.

If you feel your pace slowing, a guide who stays upbeat can keep you from spiraling into frustration. The hike becomes more about steady effort than about suffering.

Who Should Book This Tour (and Who Should Skip It)

You’ll likely love this if you:

• want a Cusco day trip that’s more hiking and less sitting
• care about lagoons and want a guided route to multiple ones
• enjoy meals that feel local, not just convenient
• can handle cold mornings and high-altitude walking

You might want to skip it if you:

• want a short, gentle walk
• don’t do well at altitude
• have medical limitations that could make 4,000+ meters risky
• hate the idea of simple meals and basic buffet food (especially if you’re picky)

One more reality check: the hot springs are optional and only get about 40 minutes. If you’re hoping for a long spa session, you’ll feel shortchanged. This is a soak, not a resort day.

Should You Book the 7 Lakes + Hot Springs Tour?

If your priority is the Ausangate lagoon colors and you’re okay with a high-altitude hike, I’d say yes. This tour is a strong use of your time from Cusco because it combines views, walking, and local meals into one organized day.

Book it if you can handle early starts and you’re willing to go at a slower pace. If you’re fit but cautious, you’ll do great. If you’re not very fit, you still might manage it, but you’ll need to respect the effort level.

Think of it this way: you’re paying to get to a place that’s hard to reach on your own, with meals and safety support built in. If that fits your style, this is a memorable day.

FAQ

FAQ

What time does the tour start and how long is it?

The tour starts early in the morning and lasts about 15 hours. Starting times can vary based on availability.

Is hotel pickup included in Cusco?

Yes. Pickup is included from your hotel or Airbnb, and the guide waits at the hotel reception.

What meals are included?

You get breakfast and a lunch buffet. Breakfast is served at a local family home in Pacchanta, and lunch is provided after the lagoons.

Are entrance fees included for the lakes and hot springs?

No. Entrance fees for the lakes (PEN 20.00) and hot springs (PEN 5.00) are not included.

Is the hot springs visit guaranteed?

It’s optional. You have about 40 minutes to visit the hot springs, and you should bring a swimsuit if you plan to go.

What should I bring for the altitude and cold?

Bring comfortable shoes, warm clothing, water, sunscreen, and a camera. Since the route goes above 4,000 meters and temperatures can be low, layers matter.