Rainbow Mountain or Vinicunca is a colorful mountainside in the high Andes of Peru. The colors of the mountain were formed by sedimentary mineral layers in the mountain that were exposed by erosion. The trailhead for the Rainbow Mountain is a 2-hour drive from Cusco, where day trips have become quite popular recently.
- English-speaking professional guide.
- Professional driver
Transportation. - Pickup from Hotel in Cusco with group and private service (return to hotel included with private service only / group service ends Plaza de Armas).
- Excluded.
- Tips.
- Entrance fees: you must buy the Tourist Ticket at the first site you enter (130 peruvian soles per person; valid for 10 days and allows you to enter 16 different sites around Cusco and the Sacred Valley or the 1-day Tourist Ticket mainly for Cusco sites only.
- The Cathedral (40 peruvian soles per person)
Qoricancha (20 peruvian soles per person)
- Clothing: long pants, convertibles or shorts, long and short sleeved shirts or t-shirts, cotton socks. Warm clothing for high altitude areas (Arequipa – Colca, Puno, Cusco), especially for the night, including sweaters/fleeces and a jacket.
- Rain gear or poncho (you can buy a basic one in Cusco), especially if you visit in the months of November to April.
- Comfortable footwear, we recommend hiking boots.
- Camera, films.
- Hat or cap to protect you from the sun, cold and rain.
- Sunscreen (high factor) and Sunglasses.
- Insect repellent: a minimum of 20% DEET is recommended; no risk of malaria has been reported.
- Toiletries and personal medications.
- Original passport and photocopies of passport.
DETAILED ITINERARY
Rainbow Mountain - Vinicunca
Our day will start early in the morning (3 A.M.) to beat the crowds and reach the top before dawn. After collecting you from your Cusco hotel around 4:00 A.M., we make a 3-hour drive to the trail head in Llacto, where we will have our box breakfast with hot drinks.
We arrive to Rainbow Mountain after a 1.5 hour walk. Once we arrive we will have time to enjoy the panorama, take pictures, rest, and eat snacks. Next we will hike along the right side of Rainbow Mountain to the Red Valley Pass where you will see the beautiful deep red hues located in this area. We will hike back about 1 hour the way we came arriving at the trailhead to have a hot buffet lunch, and then we will take our private transport back to your hotel in Cusco.
❊ Meals: Breakfast/Lunch
❊ Maximum altitude: 5,030 m/ 16,502 ft.
❊ Minimum altitude: 4638m/15,216 ft.
❊ Total distance to walk: 6 km / 4.97 miles
❊ Estimated time: 3 hours
❊ Level of Difficulty: Challenging
