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How To Visit The Natural Pools of Millpu Ayacucho Peru

How To Visit The Natural Pools of Millpu Ayacucho Peru


If anything in Peru deserves to be classified as a hidden gem, it is none other than the breathtaking Natural Pools of Millpu in Ayacucho.

Effortlessly one of the most majestically alluring spots in all of Peru, Millpu is a destination that has miraculously managed to stay off the tourist radar allowing it to retain its natural and untouched beauty.

Despite the actual reason why Millpu has remained such a beautiful secret for all of these years, I advise you visit Millpu sooner rather than later.

Otherwise you run the risk of missing out visiting Millpu before it becomes completely overrun with tourists like some other popular places in Peru such as Huacachina or Rainbow Mountain.

Therefore, keep reading to discover how to visit the natural pools of Ayacucho Peru and everything else you need to know.


DISCLOSURE:
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Where Are The Millpu Natural Waterfalls Located?

 Millpu is located deep within the Andes Mountains in the town of Circamarca, which is situated in the Huancaraylla District of Ayacucho’s Victor Fajardo Province.

The town is largely comprised of a secluded group of indigenous Quechua people, who have only decided to recently open the doors of Millpu to tourism.

Which in case you were wondering, the reason why Millpu has flown under the radar for so many years and remains a Peruvian hidden gem.

How To Get To Millpu Peru?

Despite its rather remote location within the region of Ayacucho, the Millpu natural pools are conveniently located approximately half way between Cusco and Lima.

Although significantly far from either city for just a standard day trip, for anyone planning to travel between Cucso and Lima by bus, this is the perfect opportunity to visit the stunning turquoise colored waters of Millpu.

In order to reach Millpu from either Cusco or Lima, you will first need to travel to Ayacucho town.

How To Get From Lima To Millpu

 The easiest way to get to Millpu from Lima is to fly to the town of Ayacucho.


Direct flights average around $50 USD and take around an hour to arrive. Alternatively, if you prefer to avoid the hassle of flying, you can take a night bus from Lima to Ayacucho instead.


The sleeper bus costs 40 PEN (approximately $11 USD) and takes around 11 hours travel time.

Keep in mind the bus schedules are often slightly delayed and may not get you there on time.

Therefore, it’s best to always schedule your Millpu water pools tour for the following day.

Pro Tip

Although I typically recommend Busbud or Cruz Del Sur when organizing travel plans in Peru, these companies were not showing any available routes when I was there.  So instead, I had to book with a bus company called Palomino.

Although this particular bus company typically displays the bus routes from Lima To Ayacucho online, if you happen to be struggling to find bus tickets online, then you will want to book your tickets directly at the bus station instead.

For some reason there are more available routes at the bus station than the bus companies display online.

How To Get From Cusco To Millpu

The easiest way to get from Cusco to Millpu is to take the night bus to Ayacucho town.


From Cusco, the sleeper bus costs 60 PEN (approximately $17 USD) and takes around 15 hours travel time. Keep in mind, the bus schedules are often slightly delayed and may not get you there on time.


Therefore, it’s best to always schedule your Millpu water pools tour for the following day.

Alternatively, you could choose to fly from Cusco To Millpu, but unlike Lima, there are no direct flights and you must first land in the Lima airport for the layover.

Pro Tip

Although I typically recommend Busbud or Cruz Del Sur when organizing travel plans in Peru, these companies were not showing any available routes when I was in Cusco.  So instead, I had to book with a bus company called Palomino.

Although this particular bus company displays the bus routes from Cusco To Ayacucho online, if you are struggling to find bus tickets online, then you will want to book your tickets directly at the bus station instead.

For some reason there are more available routes at the bus station than the bus companies display online.

Best Time To Visit The Natural Pools Of Millpu?

Determining the right time of year to travel to the Millpu natural pools is a very important decision.

The best time to visit the region of Ayacucho and the Millpu lagoons is during the months of May – September, which is considered the dry season in Peru.

During this time, you will experience minimal amounts of rain which offer the best conditions for visiting Millpu.

Often times during the months outside of May – September, the Millpu lagoons day trip from Ayacucho is not permitted.


Heavy rains during these months make Millpu inaccessible from Ayacucho because of the horrible road conditions caused by the heavy downpours in the mountains. 


In addition to this, visiting during periods of heavy rain can cause the Millpu lagoons to become quite murky and lose their stunning translucent turquoise appearance.

Millpu Ayacucho Day Trip

After you’ve arrived in the town of Ayacucho, you will find plenty of tourist companies all selling Millpu day trips.

  • The standard price for a day trip to to Millpu costs around 80 PEN – 100 PEN (approximately $23 – $30 USD).
  • However, better prices are available if you know how to barter. I was able to book my tour for 60 PEN.
  • The tours depart from Ayacucho around 8 a.m daily and return around 7 p.m. Most tours will have a meeting point located somewhere within Plaza de Armas.
  • Tour prices include transport to and from Millpu along with a standard guide.
  • Keep in mind, the entrance into Millpu and lunch are extra so be sure to bring some cash with you. The entrance fee is only 5 PEN (approximately $1.50 USD) and lunch is 10 PEN.
  • It takes around 4 hours to reach Millpu from Ayacucho, however it is quite a pleasant and scenic drive.
  • Once your tour arrives in Circamarca, you must then walk around 20 – 25 minutes to reach Millpu. The majority of the trail is quite leisurely, however the stairs at the end are pretty steep.

Once you’ve reached the top of the stairs, the trail continues on as you walk above the Millpu lagoons.

There are several vantage points along the way that are great for photos.  For the majority of the trail you will be walking above the Millpu lagoons along the cliffs.


However, there is one side trail that will take you down to the sapphire colored lagoons that you have been desperately waiting so long to finally plunge into. Although, you may want to give that a second thought.


The source of the luminescent turquoise waters of Millpu comes from a glacier, making these natural pools extremely cold.

Interestingly enough, the local myth surrounding Millpu is that the towering cliffs and icy cold waters running through the canyon are the actual throat of the devil.

This urban legend has kept the local Quechua people from even visiting Millpu in the past, thus helping keep it a secret for all these years.

However, urban legends aside, the water is next level cold, so think twice before going for a swim.

Keep in mind, this is where all the tourists on the trail come to take pictures down by the water so don’t be surprised if you are not the only one there.

Once you are finished with this section, continue along towards the end of the trail where the Mollepata waterfall is located.

Although the Mollepata waterfall is not the main attraction, it is still quite impressive to see.


It is basically one waterfall that gets divided up into several small ones.  Thus, creating several different small pools that all eventually trickle down into what is known as the natural pools of Millpu.


Tours will explore until around 2 p.m when they begin to head back down for lunch before leaving for Ayacucho around 3 p.m.

Pro Tip

For lunch, the locals prepare freshly caught Trout from the nearby river and it is absolutely delicious.

In fact, it was so good, I decided to be extra greedy and order two plates. One of the best decisions I have ever made.

Where To Stay In Ayacucho?

Hotel Misky Samay – Nothing super fancy by any means, however it is an awfully pleasant and affordable stay that is located just a short walk from Plaza De Armas (the main square).

The staff here are super friendly and could not be more accommodating if they tried.

Not to forget, Hotel Misky Samay had hands down the best WiFi connection, I had experienced the entire time that I was in Peru.

Check Prices for Hotel Misky Samay on Agoda.com

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