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Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) Full Day

Rainbow Mountain, Cuzco, PERU
Excellent
Duration

14 Hours

Cancellation

Up to 1 day

Group Size

12 people

Languages

English, Espanol, Português

Overview

RAINBOW MOUNTAIN (Montaña de Colores) VINICUNCA Full Day Tour

Rainbow Mountain Peru, also known as Vinicunca is a undiscovered land full of wildly desert landscapes, snow capped glaciated peaks, herds of alpaca, and pristine beauty. This hike gets you to experience summiting a mountain over 16,000ft!

Begin from: Cusco / Vinicunca Moutain

End in: Vinicunca Moutain / Cusco

Duration: Full Day

Total Walking Distance: 8 km / 4.97 miles

Approximate Walking Time: 2.5-3 hours

Lowest Elevation: 4,650 m / 15,255 ft

Highest Elevation: 5,020 m / 16,466 ft

Level of Difficulty: Moderate to difficult, depending on level of physical fitness.

This unique one-day hike to Rainbow Mountain, or Vinicunca Mountain, also called Mountain of Seven-Colors in Peru, offers travelers an entire day of unforgettable adventures amid a surreal landscape and local culture contact; and is perfect for those travelers short on time but looking to enjoy stunning landscapes and gorgeous scenery in their lifetime!

Highlights

  • Witness the magnificent view of snow-capped Ausangate
  • Instagram-worthy views of the colorful Rainbow Mountain
  • Enjoy a day away from the hustle and bustle of the city
  • Drive through the countryside of Peru, far from the beaten path
  • Enjoy one of the most scenic strolls in your lifetime
  • Even though Rainbow Mountain is usually full of tourists, we start our adventure very early to be the first to arrive.

What you will do

Pre-trek briefing: The night before your trek

For our Rainbow Mountain 1 Day Hike, we’ll provide you a thorough briefing at your accommodation in Cusco at 5:00 pm, the night before your trek, and you can take this opportunity to ask final questions and make any final preparations.

04:00 - Rainbow Mountain Day of Tour

Trek will begin early in the morning at 4:00 am with pick up from your hotel’s door in Cusco and then, we set out in our private transport to drive by paved road for 2 hours towards the Southern Valley passing picturesque Andean towns to the village of Cusipata. Upon reaching the Cusipata village (3,300 masl /10,826 fasl), we provide a full continental breakfast, perfect fuel for the hiking ahead.

06:30 - Rainbow Mountain Day of Tour

After a delicious breakfast, we’ll head back to the van to continue traveling for about 45-1 hours on the dirt road to the trailhead, known as Phulawasipata. Throughout journey in the middle of the Andean mountains with magnificent views of the rolling mountains, we’ll pass quaint Andean towns such as Paucarpata district (3310 masl) and the community of Chillihuani, until the control point (Llaqto). In addition, while traveling we’ll observe the herds of llamas and alpacas and the occasional shepherd or local people moving about their daily activities.

07:00 - Rainbow Mountain Day of Tour

Upon reaching to the starting point of the walk, known as Phulawasipat, located at an elevation of 4,650 m /15,255 ft. We start our trek along a meandering path in the foothills of the magnificent Andes. As we ascend, we’ll enjoy the rewarded views of the Andes and appreciate the typical landscape of the Andes, its flora and fauna, among which Llamas and Alpacas stand out. If we are very lucky we may see some chinchillas and vicuñas. Vicuñas are the only non-domesticated animal of the llama family in Peru and are very skittish.

This whole area is home to many people, and you’ll have the opportunity to see them working the land. You’ll surely also be surprised to see the traditional clothing they use and that they make themselves thanks to the practice of textile art they have inherited from their ancestors. They preserve their ancient culture and refuse to be submitted by the rules of the western world. Your guide will teach you about the meaning of some clothes and, if you want, you can ask him to teach you some words in Quechua.

After climbing for about 1.5-2 hours, we’ll arrive at the impressive Rainbow Mountain of Cusco, or Vinicunca, also called Mountain of Seven-Colors, which is located at 5020 masl / 16,466 fasl. Upon reaching the viewpoint of Vinicunca or Montaña de Colores, we’ll take our time to admire this natural formation’s unique beauty and feel the thrill of witnessing an unforgettable spectacle. This is your reward for the strenuous climb: Glorious layer of turquoise, orange, brown, and red rock sediment. Explore the surroundings while your guide explains the theories regarding this mountain’s origin that seems to be taken from the gods’ colorful dream.

Take photographs and immerse yourself and enjoy spectacular views of the unique colored rock formations that gives Rainbow Mountain its name. When the day is clear, we’ll be also rewarded with an impressive view of the Ausangate Mountain (6,300 masl / 20,900 fasl) in a distance, which is the most important Apu, or mountain deity, in Andean cosmology; and the highest in the region. There we will take a break between 30 minutes and 1 hour, depending on your steps’ speed and the weather condition. If you want to stay longer, inform your guide.

Later, there’s the possibility of walking through the Red Valley, if the climate and weather allow it. Don’t miss this valley of completely red mountains! After some time to rest and take those classic shots for your Instagram feed, we’ll return down the same way we came for around 45 minutes or 1 hour. Our private transport will be waiting for us when we arriving back at the trailhead. We will then drive for 45 minutes to a local restaurant at Cusipata village where a delicious lunch will be waiting for us. Following lunch, we’ll return on our transport to the city of Cusco and drop you off at your hotel around 6:00 pm or 6:30 pm. End of the Rainbow Mountain Tour with incredible memories of a very unique day.

Optional - Rainbow Mountain Day of Tour:

• Hire a horse for 50 Soles -Talk directly with your guide

You Must Bring: Rainbow Mountain Day of Tour:

• Original passport
• Comfortable hiking pants
• Down jacket, or a warm jacket
• Trekking shoes with protector’s ankle, or similar
• Hiking long sleeve T-shirts
• Rain jacket/poncho
• Winter hat and gloves
• Rain pants
• Sunblock (factor 35+ recommended, the sun can be strong)
• Water for the trek (recommend at least 2L)
• Sunglasses and sun hat
• Camera and films with spare batteries (note: batteries run down faster at high altitudes)
• Trekking poles (recommended especially for the steep descents, can be rented from us)
• Toilet paper, and face tissue paper
• Extra money (American dollars and Peruvian soles in cash – little coins for toilet) and also for souvenirs, drinks and tips.

Included/Excluded

  • Pre-Departure Briefing at your hotel 1 day before your trek.
  • Bilingual English speaking tour guide (additional tour guide for groups of nine people or more)
  • Pick up from your hotel and transportation to Quesiuno and return transportation with hotel drop off
  • Entrance Rainbow Mountain
  • 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch. (Optional Vegetarian).
  • Emergency oxygen bottle and medical kit.
  • Flight
  • Hotel before/after the tour
  • Dinner is not included on this hike
  • Horse to ride – you can add a horse to ride if you prefer
  • Walking poles (poles must have intact rubber bottoms)
  • Water for the hike – please fill your bottles/bladder before you depart
  • Items of a personal nature and souvenirs
  • Travel interruption and travel medical/evacuation insurance (required)
  • Tip for your guide is optional but sometimes extra is always welcome, especially considering their work

Languages

English
Espanol
Português

Activity's Location

Rainbow Mountain, Cuzco, PERU

FAQs

Where is Location The Rainbow Mountain?
Rainbow Mountain, known locally as Vinicunca, is located on the road to the Ausangate mountain, in the Andes of Peru, about a three-hour drive southeast of Cusco city, in the opposite direction of Machu Picchu, Inca Trail, and the famous Humantay Lake.
Rainbow Mountain Tour Type:
Hiking, trekking, and off the beaten path adventure through the rugged mountain countryside of Peru to reach the aptly named Rainbow Mountain or Vinicunca Mountain.
Rainbow Mountain Tour Physical Grading:
Is ★★★★☆ Moderate to difficult, depending on level of physical fitness. This demanding – high altitude trek to the 7-Color Rainbow Mountain in 1 Day, is designed for travelers with little time and good physical resistance. We highly recommended leaving this tour towards the end of your stay in Cusco because your body will have fully adapted to the altitude.
Rainbow Mountain Tour Group Size:
We offer everyday departures with a minimum of 2 people (12 max). We organize our Rainbow Mountain or 7 Colors Mountain 1-Day Tour; only in a small groups & private trips, with private van transfers and professional driver, to enhance the experience giving you the full attention of our guides and staff.
Rainbow Mountain Tour Departures:
Every day in the dry season from mid-April to October, we still operate in November, hikers should expect some rains and snow in this month. We do not operate our trips in December, January, February, and March as the rainfall is very strong, which makes very difficult the access, and it’s not possible to see the Rainbow Mountain
Rainbow Mountain Tour Walking Time:
Exact walking times depend on the relative fitness and speed of everyone in your group. On average, the hike to Vinicunca Pass (the Rainbow Mountain viewpoint) takes 1.5 to 2 hours. Total round-trip walking time (up and back down) is approximately 2.5 to 3 hours.
Rainbow Mountain Tour Best Time to Visit:
The best time of the year to do a Rainbow Mountain day trip is during the dry season, from May to August. These months are actually winter in the Andes so it can feel quite cold, but it usually means there is little to no rain. Clear sunny days and dry trail conditions are perfect for hiking! December through March is the rainy season in the Andes and hiking to the Rainbow Mountain is not recommended. Sustained, heavy rains can make the trail unsafe.
from € 42,50

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inkaland

Member Since 2022

113 Reviews

Information Contact

Email

info@inkaland.com

Website

www.inkalandtravel.com

Phone

0123465789

Fax

+51 984 903434

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