Rainbow Mountain hike from Cusco: Full day with Red Valley option

A 12-hour hike through the Cordillera Vilcanota to a mountain striped with color

This full-day tour from Cusco takes you hiking to Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca), a 5,020-meter peak in the Cordillera Vilcanota striped with mineral-rich bands of red, yellow and turquoise. The day includes hotel pickup at 4:30 AM, a two-hour drive through the South Valley, breakfast in Cusipata, a moderate two-hour climb to the summit, and a return to Cusco by 4:30 PM with lunch included. Red Valley, a separate landscape of intense reddish soil nearby, is optional and requires an entrance fee paid on-site. A professional guide in English or Spanish, oxygen assistance, and all transport are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hike Rainbow Mountain and optional Red Valley

• Pick up at hotel at 4:30 AM
• Drive 2 hours to Cusipata
• Enjoy buffet breakfast in Cusipata
• Drive to trailhead at 4,326m
• Hike 2 hours to Rainbow Mountain
• Explore Rainbow Mountain at 5,020m
• Optional hike to Red Valley
• Return hike to trailhead
• Drive back to Cusipata
• Enjoy buffet lunch and rest
• Return trip to Cusco
• Drop off at main square

The experience

The day starts before dawn with pickup from your Cusco hotel at 4:30 AM. A two-hour drive south through the valley takes you to Cusipata, where you'll eat a buffet breakfast before heading to the trailhead at 4,326 meters. From there, a moderate two-hour hike climbs to Rainbow Mountain itself. The walk is accompanied by snow-capped peaks, glaciers, and herds of llamas and alpacas grazing on the high slopes. At 5,020 meters, Vinicunca's mineral-rich soil creates the striped effect: bands of red, yellow, turquoise and purple that shift in the light.

You'll have time to move around the summit and take photographs before the group descends. If you want to visit Red Valley on the same day, tell your guide before the hike starts. There's no extra cost for the walk itself, but you'll pay an entrance fee at the site. Red Valley's intense reddish hues come from high iron content in the soil and sits near Rainbow Mountain, making it a natural add-on for photography. After the mountain, the group returns to Cusipata for a buffet lunch and a short rest before the two-hour drive back to Cusco, arriving around 4:30 PM at the main square.

The tour includes oxygen assistance, walk sticks, an air-conditioned vehicle, and a professional guide who speaks English or Spanish. Breakfast and lunch are both provided. A vegetarian option is available if you request it when booking. The 12-hour day is physically demanding. You'll climb 700 meters over two hours at high altitude, so moderate fitness and acclimatization to Cusco's elevation (3,400m) beforehand make a real difference.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in central Cusco.
• buffet breakfast and lunch in Cusipata.
• professional guide in English or Spanish.
• air-conditioned vehicle for the full day.
• walk sticks and oxygen assistance.
• entrance fee to Rainbow Mountain.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 04:00, 04:30 and 05:00

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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 problems

Operated by Chullos Travel Peru

Is this one for you?Book this if you're already acclimated to Cusco's altitude and comfortable with a full day of mountain hiking. The guide handles logistics and provides meals and oxygen, so you focus only on walking. Add Red Valley if you want to see a second dramatic landscape in one outing.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What is Rainbow Mountain and why does it have those colors?

Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) is a 5,020-meter peak in the Cordillera Vilcanota whose soil contains high concentrations of minerals (iron, copper and other metals) that create natural bands of red, yellow, turquoise, purple and green across its slopes. The colors shift depending on the light and angle, and the mountain sits in one of the Andes' most pristine ecosystems, surrounded by glaciers and herds of llamas and alpacas.

How difficult is the hike to Rainbow Mountain?

The hike is a moderate climb lasting about two hours, covering 700 meters of elevation gain from the trailhead (4,326m) to the summit (5,020m). You'll be hiking at high altitude, so acclimatization to Cusco's elevation beforehand and moderate physical fitness are important. Walk sticks and oxygen assistance are provided.

What's included in the tour price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cusco, transport by air-conditioned vehicle, breakfast and lunch at Cusipata, a professional guide in English or Spanish, walk sticks, and oxygen assistance are all included. The entrance fee to Rainbow Mountain is included. The entrance fee to Red Valley is not and is paid separately if you choose to visit.

Can I visit Red Valley on the same day as Rainbow Mountain?

Yes, Red Valley is optional and can be added to the same day at no extra cost for the walk itself. You'll pay an entrance fee at the site. Tell your guide before starting the hike if you want to include it. Red Valley is located near Rainbow Mountain and features intense reddish landscapes created by high iron content in the soil.

What time does the tour start and end?

Hotel pickup is at 4:30 AM. You'll drive two hours to Cusipata for breakfast, hike for about two hours, spend time at the summit, descend, eat lunch, and return to Cusco arriving around 4:30 PM at the main square. The full day is 12 hours from pickup to drop-off.

Is there a vegetarian meal option?

Yes, vegetarian options are available for both breakfast and lunch. Request this when you book the tour.