Rainbow Mountain & Red Valley hike from Cusco with meals

Reach Rainbow Mountain before the crowds arrive

This full-day guided hike from Cusco takes you to Rainbow Mountain (Mt. Vinicunca) and optionally Red Valley, with hotel pickup starting at 3:00 a.m., an Andean breakfast in Cusipata, and a buffet lunch after the descent. The early start means you summit ahead of the crowds. Guides carry oxygen tanks and safety gear, and the hike to Rainbow Mountain takes 1 hour 45 minutes from the trailhead at Hanchipata–Llama Chimpana. Red Valley is an optional 1-hour extension for those with energy left, and the day ends with drop-off at Avenida El Sol around 4:30 p.m.

Step-by-step itinerary

Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley hike

• Hotel pickup in Cusco early morning
• Drive 1.5 hours to Cusipata
• Enjoy traditional Andean breakfast
• Drive 1 hour to Hanchipata–Llama Chimpana
• Hike 1 hour 45 minutes to Rainbow Mountain summit
• Optional 1 hour hike to Red Valley
• Descend 1 hour to trailhead
• Buffet lunch in Cusipata
• Drive back to Cusco, arrive mid-afternoon

The experience

The day starts before dawn. Your hotel pickup in Cusco happens between 3:00 and 3:30 a.m., and the 1 hour 30 minute drive to Cusipata gets you to the foothills while most trekkers are still asleep. That head start is the whole point. You'll be standing on Rainbow Mountain's summit with clear views and room to move, not wedged into a crowd. The drive passes through highland villages and the Ausangate mountain range, and by the time you reach the trailhead at Hanchipata–Llama Chimpana, you've already acclimated a little and eaten a warm Andean breakfast in Cusipata (30 minutes, included).

The hike itself is 1 hour 45 minutes uphill from the trailhead to the summit. You'll see llamas and alpacas grazing on the slopes, and the mountain's stripes of red, gold, turquoise and purple get sharper as you climb. Guides speak English or Spanish and carry oxygen tanks and first aid kits. You don't need to arrange your own safety gear. Once you've summited and caught your breath, you can choose to descend and head to lunch, or push on for the optional Red Valley hike (1 hour, additional 30 soles cash fee). Red Valley is less crowded than Rainbow Mountain and the landscape there is all crimson and copper, almost unreal. Either way, you descend for about 1 hour and return to the trailhead where your driver waits.

After the hike, you drive back to Cusipata for a one-hour buffet lunch with traditional Peruvian dishes made from local ingredients. Then it's the final 1 hour 30 minute drive back to Cusco, with drop-off at Avenida El Sol in front of Qorikancha temple around 4:30 p.m. The whole day is 12 hours from pickup to drop-off, and you've covered two mountains, two meals and roughly 3 hours of hiking.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off at Avenida El Sol.
• professional guide in English or Spanish.
• Andean breakfast in Cusipata and buffet lunch after the hike.
• oxygen tanks, first aid kit and safety equipment.
• entrance fees to Rainbow Mountain and Cusipata.
• private transportation throughout the day.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 03:30

AgesAdult (10 to 70 years) · Under 10: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 20 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Rainbow Mountain Travels

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're staying in Cusco without a car and want to reach Rainbow Mountain before the crowds: the 3:00 a.m. pickup from your hotel removes the need to arrange transport or navigate the dark drive yourself, and the early arrival means you summit in daylight and solitude instead of joining a queue.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

How early do I need to wake up for this hike from Cusco?

Hotel pickups start at 3:00 a.m., so you'll need to be ready by then. The early departure gets you to Rainbow Mountain before sunrise and ahead of the crowds.

What's the hike to Rainbow Mountain actually like?

The trek from Hanchipata–Llama Chimpana to the summit takes 1 hour 45 minutes uphill. You'll see llamas and alpacas on the slopes, and the mountain's colored stripes (red, gold, turquoise and purple) become clearer as you climb. The descent takes about 1 hour.

Is Red Valley worth the extra effort?

Red Valley is an optional 1-hour hike after Rainbow Mountain and costs 30 soles (cash). It's far less crowded and the landscape is otherworldly: all crimson and copper peaks. You choose whether to do it when you book or on the day itself.

What happens if I'm worried about altitude?

Guides carry oxygen tanks and first aid kits, and they're trained to help at every step. The breakfast in Cusipata and the early start give your body time to acclimate before the steeper climbing begins.

When do I get back to Cusco?

Drop-off is at Avenida El Sol in front of Qorikancha temple around 4:30 p.m. The full day is 12 hours from your hotel pickup to the final drop-off.

What meals are included?

Breakfast is a warm, traditional Andean meal in Cusipata before the hike. Lunch is a one-hour buffet with fresh local Peruvian dishes after you descend. Both are included in the tour price.