Rainbow Mountain Peru Tour | Tour to Rainbow Mountain Peru
Description
Rainbow Mountain or "Vinicunca" is a majestic place and a gift of nature. It is located near Ausangate Mountain in the region of Cusco, Peru. It is one of the places that crowds of tourists have not yet discovered. Rainbow Mountain was explored only by local Andean people. Vinicunca is one of the most spectacular locations in the Cordillera Vilcanota because it retains its natural colour given by the presence of sedimentary eroding rocks. The rocks are impressive for their colourfulness since they are made up of seven colours. Therefore, the mountain is also known as 7 Colour Mountain.
A walk to Vinicunca and back is a full-day staggering at an altitude of more than 4,400 meters (14,400 feet) above sea level, which leads along a dirt road between the looming peaks of green and startling red rocks. It is a gorgeous route passing through local villages, built of stone and shimmering mountain streams. But altitude is so punishing that even the sprightliest young athlete has become a breathless mess. Do not even consider trying this trek until you have spent a few days acclimatizing to the altitude in the Cusco region.
According to National Geographic, Rainbow Mountain Peru has been ranked among the 100 places you must visit during your lifetime for its beautiful colours! You should know that cloudy days result in darker colours, while sunny weather will have lighter colours.
If you have a longer time available, we recommend Ausangate Trek 7 Days as the best opportunity to visit the mountains and glaciers of Peru!
| Days: 1 | Max People : 25 | All year |
| Min Age : 14+ | Pickup : Cusco | Language:   |
Departure & Return Location
Cusco
Departure Time
Between 4:00 and 4:30 approximately
Return Time
At approximately 16:00
Price Includes
- Meals: breakfast and lunch.
- Tourist transportation.
- Tour Guide.
- Entrance Fees.
What to Expect
Highlight of the Rainbow Mountain Peru Tour
- The path to the astonishing Rainbow Mountain is a whole stretch of colorful mountains in shades of pink and blonde.
- The culmination of the Rainbow Mountain trek is a ridge overlooking the entire mountain range throughout its spectacle.
- Assistence and help of an experienced bilingual Tour Guide.
- Experience a remote and lovely area of the Cusco region in a short time.
- A guided tour of the astounding Rainbow Mountain, also known as Vinicunca or Yauricunca.
- Observing gorgeous natural scenery, including Ausangate and surrounding peaks, turquoise lagoons, and grazing alpacas.
Fact Sheet
Briefing location: your hotel/hostel/Airbnb apartment.
Brieging time: A day prior to the Rainbow Mountain trek.
Departure time: Usually between 4:30 and 5:00 am.
Return time: 5:30 pm.
Walking Distance: 12 km/7.5 miles (a round trip)
Climbing Up: 2 hours
Climbing Down: 1 hour
Starting Altitude: 4,450 m/14,599.74 ft.
Maximum Altitude: 5,200 m/17,060.37 ft.
Service Level: Budget or Private.
Difficulty: 3-4 - Medium-Difficult (There are some high altitudes or more strenuous activities).
Age requirement: 14+ (All travellers under age of 18 years must be accompanied by an adult!)
Rainbow Mountain Peru Tour operator: Tierras Vivas or another local operator.
Crew: A Tierras Vivas representative when in Cusco and a profesional Tour Guide during the Rainbow Mountain hike.
Meals: 1x breakfast, 1x lunch.
Transportation: A private vehicle.
Rainbow Mountain Tour - Group
Price: US$ 50 per person.
Group size: Minimun is 6 and maximun 25 participants.
Rainbow Mountain Tour - Private
The private service involves private transportation, professional guide, bottled water, small oxygen bottle, snack and emergency horses.
| Persons | Prices |
| 1 | US$ 250 |
| 2 | US$ 150 |
| 3 | US$ 100 |
| 4 | US$ 100 |
| 6 | US$ 70 |
| 7+ | US$ 50 |
Rainbow Information
Rainbow Mountain Weather:
In the Andes, the season is more clearly marked, with heavy rains from December to March and a warm relatively dry period from June to September Inevitably, though, there are always some sunny weeks in the rainy season and wet ones in the dry. If you plan to visit Rainbow Mountains (Andean mountain range), then we recommend you to take some trousers suitable for hiking, shorts, T-shirts and trekking shoes for the days; and sweaters, fleeces, hats, scarves and warm jackets for the nights. You also should take sun protection cream and sunglasses. It is very convenient to have a light rain-gear available in a daypack (e.g. a waterproof poncho or jacket and/or waterproof trousers) as weather changes quickly and rains can suddenly occur.
When is the Most Suitable Time to Trek the Rainbow Mountains of Peru?
The best time to hike the mountains is within the dry season (April to October) as you can see the the bright colours of the majestic mountains more clearly.
During the rainy season (Noveber to March), weather is mostly cloudy so one cannot appreciate the lovely colours.
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Itineray Details
Day 1: Cusco - Rainbow Mountain Hike - Cusco
The adventure begins very early between 4:30-5:00 am when we collect you from your accommodation to take you for a ride to the town of Chirihuani in the Cusipata district, south of Cusco city. On the way, we stop for a while to buy the last food supplies (e.g. water or energy drinks, snacks, cereals, etc.). Afterwards, we continue the ride observing multicolored landscapes and diverse crops that are mixed between the mysterious mountains and snowy peaks, and the deep valley where you can admire cute Andean animals such as llamas, alpacas, sheep, and vicuñas. At 7:30 am, we arrive at the picturesque Chirihuani town, where we have our typical semi-buffet breakfast.
Then, we return to our minibus and head to the starting point of our tour. We start climbing up for 1 hour and 30 minutes until we reach the slopes of the Red Valley, the place of access to the mystical location of Vinicunca. We follow a path along which the mountain landscape gradually changes its intense colors, while small streams of ice water feed and enliven the valley. Later on, we reach an altitude of 5,200 meters above sea level - the top of the mysterious 7-coloured mountain (or Vinicunca). This is the right point to take enough pictures and videos. In addition, we have refreshments, while our eyes enjoy the magic of the mountains enclosed behind a veil of clouds and snow-capped peaks.
When our eyes have had enough, we take a walk back to Chirihuani. Here, we have a well-deserved delicious lunch buffet prepared by our Cook. After that, we board our minibus and return to Cusco arriving there at around 5 pm. We say goodbye to each other in our accommodation and you can view your Rainbow Mountain photos for the rest of the evening.
