Rainbow Mountain

"Rainbow Mountain" usually means Vinicunca, the striped peak at 5,036 metres south-east of Cusco. It is not the only one. There are four rainbow mountain tours on this page, to three different mountains, and they differ a lot in how hard the walk is and how many people you will share the top with.

All of them leave Cusco around 4:00 in the morning and are back in the evening.

Vinicunca, the famous one

Our Rainbow Mountain tour goes to the classic view: a 90-minute climb to the summit, with Ausangate, at 6,384 metres the highest peak around Cusco, on the skyline. Breakfast and lunch are included in Cusipata. 35 dollars.

It is the one in the photographs, and on a dry-season morning well over a thousand people make the same climb. Local families rent horses for most of the way up.

Vinicunca by ATV, through the Red Valley

The ATV tour rides most of the way on your own quad bike by a quieter route, then walks about 30 minutes through the rust-red slopes of the Red Valley to the top. Less walking, more scenery. 51 dollars.

Palccoyo, the easy one

The Palccoyo tour reaches three coloured ridges at about 4,900 metres in under an hour on foot, with dozens of visitors rather than a thousand. Breakfast and lunch included. 40 dollars, plus a 15-sol entrance fee in cash. The best choice for families and slower walkers.

Pallay Punchu, the different one

The Pallay Punchu tour drives about four hours south to Layo for a ridge of sharp rock fins striped vertically rather than in bands. About an hour's walk to 4,700 metres, and a few dozen visitors a day. Breakfast and lunch included. 39 dollars, plus a 10-sol community fee.

Which to choose

For the famous view, Vinicunca. For less walking, Palccoyo or the ATV route. For something few people have photographed, Pallay Punchu.

Our honest take on the crowds and the climb is in is Rainbow Mountain worth it?, and if you are choosing between this and the lake hike, read Rainbow Mountain or Humantay Lake.

Why the mountains are striped

The colours are layers of sediment, each stained by different minerals, tilted and worn open by erosion. Our post on why Rainbow Mountain is colourful explains the geology.

Altitude and weather

Every one of these tours reaches 4,700 metres or more, higher than anything else most visitors do in Peru. Spend two or three nights in Cusco first and take the walk slowly. April to October is the dry season and the best time for clear colours.

From December to March, cloud and fresh snow can hide the stripes.

How hard is the Rainbow Mountain hike?

Vinicunca is a steady 90-minute climb at very high altitude; the walking is not technical, but the thin air makes it hard. Palccoyo and Pallay Punchu are shorter and gentler.

Can you see Rainbow Mountain without much walking?

Yes: on the ATV route you walk about 30 minutes, and at Vinicunca you can rent a horse for most of the climb. Palccoyo is under an hour on foot.

Which rainbow mountain is best?

Vinicunca for the classic view, Palccoyo for an easy day without crowds, Pallay Punchu for something unusual.

For more day trips from the city, including Humantay Lake and the Ausangate lakes, see our Cusco tours.