If you find yourself in Cusco, Peru, and look to the east, you’ll see a snow-capped mountain. It will likely be more massive than any mountain you have ever seen. This mountain has been the guardian, the giver of life, the Apu of not only Cusco but all the communities that live in its shadow and rely on its life-giving water. This mountain is known as Auzangate. At 20,945′ Auzangate is the fifth highest mountain in the Peruvian Andes and is home to one of the last remaining pastoral societies in the world. For this installment in the Shared Territory series, we traveled to Auzangate for a bikepacking expedition but the experience we came away with was one that was richer than we could have ever imagined.

The goal of Shared Territory is, and always has been, to connect with others with the hope of better understanding the shared experiences that make us all human. In our third film, Auzangate, we set out on an expedition with a team of Peruvians. Led by a local fortune teller, we circumnavigated this mountain to document the people and places we found. What we found was an unrelenting mountain that had a different plan for us. The story that Auzangate wanted to tell was a story of human generosity at its absolute best.

When you visit Peru, please connect with Fidaluz of Peru Ancestral and Manuel of Peru by Bike. Not only did they help with the depth of this story, but they are also some of the greatest folks you could hope to spend time with. They will take your journey in Peru to new heights. Like 18,000-foot heights!

Thanks to all of our supporting partners for making this vision a reality.

ENVE Composites
Moots Cycles
Maxxis Tires
Ortlieb
Miir
Big Agnes