Palcoyo Alternative Rainbow Mountain | 1 Day | from CUSCO, PERU

The price above is based on a group size of at least two. 

Itinerary

You will be picked up early from your accommodation in Cusco around 5am (4am during the rainy season). It is very important that you leave on time as the bus journey to the alternative Rainbow Mountain takes around three hours. You will take the road south of Cusco, passing through a number of beautiful colonial towns, rivers, mountains, valleys and lagoons.

As we get closer to the mountain the landscape will turn into red mountains with hundred of terraces for farming and llamas and alpacas will appear.

Once you arrive in the Pitumarca district, you will have breakfast which will give you energy for the coming hike. Coca tea will be provided that morning to help you deal with the increase in altitude. 

Once you are feeling full and ready to take on the day, you will continue to travel for around an hour and a half along the Salcca Valley. Here, you will pass through the hidden landscapes within the Rainbow Mountain region and get your first glimpse of the characteristic red valleys and the incredible rock formations in this area. You will see lots of llamas and alpacas throughout the journey. 

Once you arrive at the head of the trail (4850m/15912ft), you will ascend for a further 45 minutes to around an hour. The distance covered in this time will be 1 km. It might not seem very far but once you reach the viewpoint you will now be at 5, 000m / 16,404ft. Once you have arrived at the peak, you will be rewarded with stunning views of Ausangate, Cusco’s highest snow-capped mountain (6375m/20915ft). 

This is also a great vantage point from which to view the three Rainbow Mountains. As this is the Palcoyo alternative Rainbow Mountain tour, you will share this spot with few others, making this a bucket list experience you will never forget. Your guide will explain to you why this natural formation is so colourful as well as giving you an insight into some of the traditional beliefs that are held by the people in this area. Here, you will have some time to explore this area and take all of the pictures you want. 

Once you have taken in the majesty of Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain, you will head back to the minibus and stop in Pitumarca for lunch. From here, you will head back to Cusco, ready to be dropped off in Regocijos Square.