Rainbow Mountain: ATV Quad Bike Tour & Early Access from Cusco

Summary

Early quad bike ride to Vinincunca’s colors with local guide

You’ll ride quad bikes from Japura through crisp Andean air, skip most of the uphill hiking, and reach Rainbow Mountain before crowds arrive. With a local guide leading you past mountain villages, you’ll get breakfast and lunch included—plus time to take photos in peace at Vinincunca’s summit before heading back.

What’s the experience like?

I still remember how my hands felt that morning in Cusco — half asleep, clutching a coffee, wondering if I’d regret signing up for a Rainbow Mountain ATV tour. The van picked us up right on time (honestly, too early for my brain), and we drove through dark streets that slowly turned gold as the sun came up. By the time we got to Japura, the cold was biting but there was this smell of fresh bread and eggs from the breakfast buffet that made everything feel more possible.

Our guide, Diego, had this way of explaining things without making it sound like a lecture. He showed us how to handle the quad bikes — I was nervous at first (and maybe stalled it once or twice), but he just grinned and told me not to worry. The engine’s rumble mixed with mountain silence as we took off toward Gosqopata. It’s hard to describe that feeling: wind in your face, bits of dust in your teeth, and those huge Andean skies above you. Somewhere along the trail I caught this whiff of eucalyptus — or maybe it was just my imagination trying to calm my nerves.

The last stretch is on foot (about 35 minutes), and honestly, at 5,000 meters you feel every step. But we were the first ones there — no crowds yet, just us and these wild colors streaked across Vinincunca. Diego pointed out some local names for each color band; I tried repeating one in Quechua and totally butchered it. He laughed and said even locals mix them up sometimes. We all just stood there quietly for a minute — you know when you’re somewhere so strange it almost feels fake?

Afterwards we hiked back down to our ATVs (I nearly slipped on some loose gravel — boots recommended) and rode back toward Japura where lunch was waiting. I don’t remember what I ate exactly — something warm with potatoes — but I do remember feeling weirdly proud of myself for doing something that sounded impossible at 3am. On the drive back to Cusco I kept thinking about those colors and how different they looked in real life compared to photos online.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — ATV tour to Rainbow Mountain

• Pick up from hotels in Cusco
• Travel 2.4 hours to Japura
• Enjoy breakfast buffet in Japura
• Receive ATV instructions from guide
• Drive ATVs 1 hour to Gosqopata
• Walk 35 minutes to viewpoint
• Take photos at Rainbow Mountain
• Walk 25 minutes back to ATVs
• Drive ATVs back to Japura
• Have lunch in Japura
• Return to Cusco, tour ends at hotels

Top questions

How long does the Rainbow Mountain ATV tour take?

The tour lasts about 12 hours including transport from Cusco—departing early morning and returning around 3:30 pm.

Is hiking required on this ATV day trip to Rainbow Mountain?

You only need to hike about 1.5 km (35 minutes) from where the ATVs stop to reach the viewpoint.

What is included in this Rainbow Mountain ATV tour?

The tour includes hotel pickup/drop-off in Cusco, quad bike rental with fuel/helmet, professional trilingual guide, breakfast, lunch, snacks (for later departures), oxygen & first aid kit.

What altitude is Rainbow Mountain?

The viewpoint is at approximately 5,038 meters above sea level.

Is this tour suitable for everyone?

This tour isn’t recommended for pregnant travelers or those with poor cardiovascular health but is suitable for most fitness levels since most uphill hiking is avoided.

What’s included

Your day includes early hotel pickup in Cusco with round-trip transport to Japura where you’ll have breakfast before starting your quad bike adventure; all safety gear like helmet and fuel are provided along with a professional trilingual guide throughout; after reaching Rainbow Mountain by ATV and a short hike you’ll enjoy lunch in Japura before returning to Cusco’s main square.