Cusco: Rainbow Mountain & Red Valley ATV Tour

Rainbow Mountain by quad bike: less walking, more adrenaline

You're picked up before dawn from your Cusco hotel, ride quad bikes through the Red Valley for 30 minutes, walk the final stretch to Rainbow Mountain with a guide, and eat breakfast and lunch included in the price. The ATV portion cuts the physical demand of a standard hike while keeping the high-altitude views intact. You're back in the city by early evening.

Step-by-step itinerary

Red Valley and Rainbow Mountain tour

• Pick up from hotel at 4:00 am
• Breakfast in Cuscipara district
• Ride quad bikes in Red Valley
• Guided tour of Rainbow Mountain
• End tour at Regocijo Square, 4:30 pm

The experience

The pickup happens at 4 a.m. from your Cusco hotel, and the quad bikes are already fueled and waiting when you arrive at the staging area. Most Rainbow Mountain tours are hikes: long ones, at altitude, that leave your legs sore for days. This one trades the bulk of that footwork for time on an ATV, which sounds like a shortcut until you're actually riding it: the terrain is uneven, the landscapes open up in ways they don't from a trail, and there's a real sense of control when you're steering through the high-altitude scrub yourself rather than following someone else's pace.

Breakfast happens in the district of Cuscipata, about 40 minutes into the ride: enough time to settle into the rhythm of the bike and realize your legs aren't going to take the full punishment. After that, you spend 30 minutes on the quad bikes moving through the Red Valley, which is the part most standard Rainbow Mountain tours skip. It's less crowded than the main peak, the rock formations are a deep rust color that photographs differently depending on the light, and the geological detail is genuinely strange: layered, folded, almost sculptural. A guide walks you through what you're looking at, and the quiet of the place means you can actually hear them.

The final 40 minutes is a guided walk up to Rainbow Mountain itself (Montaña de Siete Colores, the locals call it), where the mineral bands across the peak shift color as the sun moves. You're already tired from the ride, so the walk feels manageable rather than punishing. Lunch is back in Cuscipata before the return to Cusco, which lands around 6 p.m. The whole day is 14 hours, which sounds long until you realize you've covered ground that would take twice as much time on foot.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from Cusco's historic center at 4 a.m.
• single or double quad bikes for the Red Valley section.
• professional guide in English or Spanish.
• breakfast and lunch in Cuscipata.
• first aid kit.
• return to Cusco by 6 p.m.

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in English or Spanish04:00 and 05:00

Guide in English or Spanish05:00

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 04:00 and 05:00

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Under 18: can't be included in the booking

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Moderate physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by World Explorer Peru

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to see Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley but don't want to spend the whole day hiking at altitude: the quad bikes handle the distance, which leaves you energy for actually looking at the views instead of just breathing hard.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What time does the tour start and end?

Pickup is 4 a.m. from your Cusco hotel. The tour ends around 6 p.m. when you return to the city.

Is the Red Valley included on this tour?

Yes. The Red Valley is a 30-minute ATV ride and is included: many Rainbow Mountain tours skip it because it's less crowded and requires the quad bike portion.

How much of the day is spent on the ATV versus walking?

You ride the quad bikes for about 30 minutes through the Red Valley. The final walk to Rainbow Mountain is around 40 minutes. The rest of the day is travel, breakfast, lunch, and the guided tour at the peak.

Is breakfast and lunch included?

Yes. Breakfast is in Cuscipata after the initial ride, and lunch is there again before returning to Cusco.

Do I need previous ATV experience?

No. The guide will brief you on the quad bike before you ride. You should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness, as you'll be riding at high altitude and walking the final section.

Can I ride alone or do I need to share a quad bike?

Single and double quad bikes are available depending on your booking. You can arrange either when you reserve.

What's the altitude, and will I have altitude sickness?

Rainbow Mountain sits around 5,100 meters (16,700 feet). The tour starts in Cusco at 3,400 meters, so you're gaining elevation gradually. Acclimatization before the tour helps. Talk to your guide about any concerns.

What should I bring?

Bring layers. It's cold at altitude, especially early morning. Sunscreen, a hat, and water are essential. Wear clothes you don't mind getting dusty from the ATV ride.