In May 2015, Paul Seery and his friend Chris Vayansky went off the beaten path Peru. The pair chose Apus Peru’s unique 6-day itinerary, Ausangate Hike to Sibinacocha Lake. Here is Paul’s personal account of that experience, an in-depth review of this alternative Peru trek.
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Off the Beaten Path With Apus Peru
We elected to trek with Apus Peru for the opportunity to get away from the places where most people were trekking. Their profile seemed to fit with what we were after. The excellent communication and professionalism from the planning stages (thanks, Matt) throughout the adventure made the entire experience worthwhile.
Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable about the local region. His insight into the history and culture made this more than just a hike. The food prepared by our cook Joseph and the horsemen was excellent!
Hiking to Ausangate and Sibinacocha Lake
The Ausangate hike to Sibinacocha itself was challenging. For us, though, it was definitely worth the extra effort to have the experience of trekking through the higher elevations.
We saw many things along the way: snow-capped peaks, rugged rocky terrain, animals from the region and some local people. We even saw an avalanche on our 3rd day! It was incredibly loud, even though we were a good distance away. At night there were more stars visible than you could imagine.
Crossing the Abra del Condor pass on Day 4 was definitely a highlight. The opportunity to actually trek through some snow was awesome! We knew we were really off the beaten path Peru then. The views from the top were simply amazing.
We camped near Lake Sibinacocha the next day. We also hiked around the south end of the lake and up the western coast. The views of Sibinacocha Lake were absolutely breathtaking. It is a massive lake with incredibly clear water.
Extra Adventure Off the Beaten Path Peru
We would definitely recommend the option to scramble up Cerro Yayamari. This is a non-technical climb of this 5500m (18.040 ft) peak, and you will be one of the few to reach its summit. Perched on the narrow rocks of the peak, we realized we were higher than many mountain peaks around us. It’s a pretty cool thing to do, to get so high with a non-technical climb! The views in every direction are beyond what I can even put in words.
For anyone looking for a truly off the beaten path Peru experience (and a few challenges!) we highly recommend this trek, and Apus Peru.
Many thanks to Paul and Chris for choosing Apus Peru, and especially to Paul for taking the time to write this blog! We love your fabulous photos. Do you want to follow in their footsteps? Email one of our Trek Experts to organize your very own hike to Sibinacocha Lake! and don’t forget to add on the very fun Cerro Yayamari climb – an extra challenge but worth the effort!
WAS THIS POST HELPFUL? Read another review! Considering doing the Choquequirao Hike? Read this review.
This post was originally published on 16 June, 2015, and updated on 13 July, 2019.
