Rainbow Mountain: Day Trips and Tours from Cusco

Tucked in an Andean valley a couple of hours from Cusco lies a natural phenomenon that was only discovered in recent years — Rainbow Mountain. After snow melted, mountain ridges sporting multi-colored mineral stripes were exposed.

Now one of the most alluring attractions in Peru, Rainbow Mountain has to be seen to be believed. The combination of its unreal appearance, remote location and extreme altitude makes a day trip to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco the ultimate adventure.

Here's all you need to know about Rainbow Mountain, one of the most exciting day trips from Cusco.

How to get to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco

Rainbow Mountain is located about 140 kilometers southeast of Cusco by road.

From Cusco to Rainbow Mountain by car

It takes an approximately 3-hour trip to drive to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco.

Take Av. Velasco Astete and Via de Evitamiento from central Custo to the Carretera Cusco - Paucartambo/Route 3S. Continue on for 85 kilometers until you reach CU-124. From here, it's another 41 kilometers until you reach Vinicunca.

Guided tour to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco

Simplify a trip to Rainbow Mountain by booking a guided tour that combines round-trip transportation, a guided visit and meals.

Take in the otherworldly scenery as your guide drives, and relax in the knowledge that first aid kits and oxygen for the altitude are included if necessary.

How much does the entrance ticket to Rainbow Mountain cost?

Entrance tickets to Rainbow Mountain cost S/. 10 (US$3) per person.

What is the typical itinerary?

Most Rainbow Mountain tours begin with early pickup from select hotels in Cusco. Meet your guide between 4 and 5 AM for the scenic 3-hour drive to Vinicunca.

In a village outside of the park, you will be welcomed into a local’s home for a typical Peruvian breakfast. Some tours take you to a restaurant for breakfast.

After you fuel up for an active day at high altitudes, you will set out on the 3-hour round-trip hiking excursion to the summit of Rainbow Mountain. Absorb the 360-degree views with a rest at its 5,200-meter high peak before your return to a village at the foot of the mountain. Enjoy a buffet lunch before making your return to Cusco.

There are also tour options to Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain, a relatively remote area, that offer you a more solitary experience than the traditional route. These tours have similar itineraries to ones on the traditional route.

A Palccoyo tour may include a stop at Q’eswachaka, a hanging bridge over the Apurimac River. Made of grass, this is the only remaining Inca hanging bridge and must be rebuilt every 2 years.

Multi-day tours range from 2 to 7 days and are either treks with camping or bus travel hotel stays. Destinations beyond Rainbow Mountain include Ausangate Mountain, Sacred Valley, Humantay Lake and Machu Picchu. Multi-day treks entail daily hikes of around 10 kilometers.

What kinds of tours are available to go to Rainbow Mountain?

There are numerous options for tours to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco. From basic day tours to multi-day treks, you have many options to choose from.

Guided day tours to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco

Set out on a full-day adventure into the Andes on a tour that combines transportation, a guide, safety gear and meals. Most Rainbow Mountain tours start before sunrise from Cusco, but there are options for tours later in the day.

Quad tours to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco

Make light work of an active day in the thin mountain air on a quad tour to Rainbow Mountain. This option is ideal if you don’t feel up to hiking. Quad tour itineraries and inclusions are similar to day tours and provide safety gear and briefing plus a quick operation lesson.

Horseback riding tours to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco

Make a peaceful ascent of the mountain on horseback. Quiet, eco-friendly and relaxing horseback riding tours to Rainbow Mountain provide transportation, meals and safety gear.

Private tour to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco

A private tour to Rainbow Mountain is a great way to have an outing that best fits the needs of you and your group. Take advantage of flexible start times and itineraries, meals and special transportation just for your group. Private tours usually require a minimum of two travelers.

Multi-Day tour to Rainbow Mountain plus Ausangate from Cusco

Ausangate Mountain is a looming mass reaching 6,384 meters above sea level. Sacred to the Quechua people, tours to the area help you see this inaccessible wilderness in a safe way that’s respectful to locals. Choose from 2- to 6-day tours.

Multi-Day tour to Rainbow Mountain plus Humantay Lake from Cusco

Take a 2-day tour that includes hikes up Rainbow Mountain and to Humantay Lake, a glacier-fed lagoon at the foot of sacred Salkantay. Day 1 takes you to the lake, and day 2 is your hike at Rainbow Mountain. You will return to Cusco at the end of each day, and accommodation is not included.

Multi-Day trip to Rainbow Mountain plus Macchu Piccchu from Cusco

With a combination of minibus and train travel, fit two of the top destinations in Peru in an outing of 3 to 7 days. Overnight options range from camping, 3-star hotel rooms or arranging your own accommodations.

While the highlight of these tours is Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu, longer tours make stops at Sacred Valley or Humantay Lake.

How much does a day trip to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco cost?

Group tours to the standard Rainbow Mountain access point from Cusco cost from US$25 per person to US$50 per person, depending on whether entrance to Rainbow Mountain is included in the price. Small-group tours or afternoon tours cost from US$70 per person to US$90 per person, depending on whether drop-off at your hotel is included.

Palccoyo group tours cost from US$35 per person to US$110 per person, depending on group size and whether entrance to Rainbow Mountain is included in the price.

There are day tours with longer hikes that delve further into Red Valley that cost from US$145 per person to US$200 per person, depending on group size and whether all fees are included.

Quad tours to Rainbow Mountain cost from US$75 per person to US$120 per person. Higher-end tours offer smaller groups and entrance to the park. Horseback riding tours cost around US$160 per person.

Private day tours to Rainbow Mountain cost from US$100 per person to US$185 per person. Higher-cost tours include all fees, and some go to the lesser-known Rainbow Mountains of Palccoyo.

Multi-day tours range from US$400 per person to US$1,200 per person, depending on inclusions, duration of the tour and group size. Lower-cost tours do not include all meals,  accommodation or entrance to fee areas. Tours with camping include all camping gear, meals, drinking water and pack animals to carry the gear and your extra personal items.

All tours include round-trip transportation from Cusco. Many tours offer pickup at select hotels but return you to Plaza de Armas in Cusco. Higher-cost tours provide drop-off at your hotel. Breakfast and lunch are served as well as coffee or coca tea. Your experienced guide will have first aid kits on hand as well as oxygen.

What will you see and do?

Rainbow Mountain

The Quechua name for Rainbow Mountain is Vinicunca, and it is a sacred space. Strata of minerals create the mountain’s different hues.

The highly-popular tourist destination was discovered as recently as 2012. Formerly covered by a glacier, melting from rising global temperatures exposed this marvel.

If you opt for a Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain tour, you will pass by a stretch known as the “Stone Forest.” Fins and spikes of rock rise from a mountain slope, making amazing photo ops from a distance and from up-close.

The region holds great importance to the Quechua people, and your guide will entertain you with history and legends that explain why this land is vital to its people.

Andean towns and villages

A trek up Rainbow Mountain starts with a meal in one of the villages at the foot of the mountains. Most tours start in Cusipata with breakfast in a home or restaurant. Hit the trail in Fulawasipata, a community at the outskirts of Cusipata.

During the 3-hour hike, pass through farming communities with mud homes. Multi-day trips venture to villages like Chinchero, known for colorful weaving, or Upis with its thermal waters.

Ausangate Mountain

Ausangate Mountain sits in the Vilcanota Mountain Range. The peak reaches heights of more than 6,000 meters and is one of the tallest mountains in Peru. Take in its glaciers, turquoise lakes and the jagged, yet rounded summit perpetually covered in snow.

Wildlife

The seemingly desolate Rainbow Mountain region hosts animals that have become emblematic of the Andes. See domesticated and wild llamas and alpacas. Vicunas roam the slopes, and if you’re extra observant you may spy a puma, chinchilla or condor.

Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley

There are numerous multi-day trips that combine visits to Rainbow Mountain and Machu Picchu. One of the Seven Wonders of the World, Machu Picchu is a must on any visit to Peru. Absorb the magnitude of these ancient and lofty ruins that were occupied from 1420 until the Incas abandoned the site only 100 years later.

The Sacred Valley sits near Machu Picchu. Maras, Moray and Ollantaytambo are valuable sites for indigenous people, and Ollantaytambo is the starting point for travel to Machu Picchu.

When is the best time to visit Rainbow Mountain?

Book a day trip to Rainbow Mountain from Cusco in the dry season, from March to November, for the best weather for hiking and views. Make sure to plan a visit to Rainbow Mountain after spending at least 2 days in Cusco to acclimate to the high altitude.

What other day tours can you do from Cusco?

• Day trips to Maras Salt Mines from Cusco
• Inca Trail day tours from Cusco
• Huayna Picchu day trips from Cusco

Travel tips

• Bring sun, rain and insect protection, and dress in layers to prepare for fickle mountain temperatures.
• Carry cash in Peruvian soles for purchases and tips.
• Let your tour provider know of any dietary restrictions at the time of booking.
• Bring at least two liters of drinking water per person.