The Rainbow Mountain Hike in Peru is a 3-hour trek of 8 km/4.9 miles trail, and reaches the top at 5,036 m /16,000 ft. Visit Rainbow Mountain from Cusco, the second most famous tourist destination after Machu Picchu. The mountain’s vibrant colors have been formed over the years through weathering and erosion. This creates an amazing display of colors you’ll encounter when you take the Rainbow Mountain Tour.
Reach the Rainbow Mountain trailhead after 3 hours of scenic drive from the city of Cusco. Start the Rainbow Mountain Hike, following the hillside trail with some viewpoints and snack spots. Afterwards, the highland path prepares you for the short but steep climb to reach the lookout point, which offers the best views of Vinicunca. The Rainbow Mountain Hike seems to be challenging, and that is just because of the altitude. However, with a good acclimation and the right tour company, you could fully enjoy this adventure.
The Hike to Rainbow Mountain also offers horses to ride as an option, which saves you time and help you with exhaustion. Riding a horse to the Rainbow Mountain makes it a lot of easier with greater chances to enjoy the landscapes. With this benefit you could only walk for about half an hour or less. Additionally, the last stretch of the trail entertains you taking photographs of the llamas and alpacas .
Mapi Tour Peru organizes the Rainbow Mountain Hike with late departures, which allow you to experience the attraction like no other. As locals, we know that this trek requires a lot of energy, therefore, a good sleep might potentially help you out. Our Private tour style also ensures that you find the place with fewer people and have the visited destination for yourself. Unleash your adventure soul and discover the colorful mountain in the Andes of Peru with locals.
The Rainbow Mountain Hike takes place in the Andes of Peru, which offers two different seasons: dry (May through November) and wet (December through March). Therefore, the best time and highly recommended season to take this hike is during the dry season.
On a clear day, the vistas while on a hike and the top are simply stunning. We don’t recommend the Rainbow Mountain Hike in the rainy season because it snows and completely covers the mountains. The hike can be also harder as the trail becomes muddy and slippery.
1. Contact
Get inspired by our
collection of Machu Picchu
Tours and contact us.
2. Customize
Our travel experts help you craft
and tailor the ideal trip
just for you.
3. Experience
Enjoy your trip. We take care of
everything
from start to finish.
The private Rainbow Mountain Trek begins with a pick up at 6:30 am from your hotel in Cusco. Then, we will take a 2-hour drive to Cusipata in our comfortable private vehicle. The paved road heads off to the south valley of Cusco and passes picturesque Andean villages. Our journey continues for another one hour, this time in a dusty but scenic road. This typical Andean road shows farming villages and beautiful Andean landscapes.
Rainbow Mountain full-day tour continues and reaches the trailhead at phulawasipata at an altitude of 4,600 m. Here, you will ride a horse and ascend enjoying a typical Andean scenery with herds of alpacas and llamas. Views of Ausangate Mountain will grace us as we hike the last section of the trail. You’ll also see many red-colored mountains and green valleys which are the main highlights of this adventure.
We summit the Rainbow Mountain after a total hike of approximately 2 hours. The Rainbow Mountain lookout point is at an elevation of 5,036 m / 16,500 ft. From this spot enjoy the natural and fantastic vibrant colors, such as red, turquoise, yellow and others. Additionally, you’ll have plenty of time to explore, take pictures, and take it all in. We’ll stay approximately 20 minutes at the summit ( depending on the weather conditions and your interest).
We’ll descend the same trail for a few minutes and head towards the Red Valley ( This is an Optional hike)
The Rainbow Mountain in Peru neighbors the incredible red valleys, some of the best places on earth. The quiet environment adds an extra context to your visit. You can actually walk all over the sandy red hills to feel and almost believe that you are on a different planet. This hike grants trekkers with two different lookout points for the best view of the entire attraction.
We’ll descend for one hour the same way back to the trailhead. Our private transportation takes us for another one hour to our lunch spot.
Finally, we will take a 2-hour drive back to Cusco, and we’ll drop you off at your hotel around 5:00 -6 pm.
The Rainbow Mountain Hike is perfect for friends, couples, and families because you can leave any date you wish. With our private tours, you can also set your pace to maximize your experience. You don’t have to wait for anyone else, the Rainbow Mountain Tour starts with only 02 passengers.
This is a private tour service.
We will design a customized trip to connect you with our country through your interests. Feel free to modify or alter this sample itinerary of our website. You decide where to visit, how long to spend in each place, type of accommodation that suits you best, and more including:
Contact Us to help you planning the adventure of your dreams.
Ask about this tour
Length: Full day
Tour Type: Private Service
USD $: 130
Adventure Tour