Rainbow Mountain Cusco Tour: Explore the Vibrant Mineral Colors of Vinicunca
5.0
19 Ratings
Cusco
Embark on an unforgettable adventure to Rainbow Mountain in Cusco, Peru. Witness the vibrant mineral colors, discover the Andean way of life, and enjoy breathtaking views of Ausangate mountain.
Duration:
13 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Cusco - We will be picking you up from your hotel in Cusco at 0430 AM. Then in our private transport, we will be driving you along the South Valley of Cusco for two hours to Cusipata.
- Cusipata - At Cusipata, we will be stopping for breakfast.
After relishing a typical and nutritious breakfast, we will be driving you for another hour to the trail head.
- Vinicunca - Our guide will be giving you a safety briefing before beginning the trek. If you are not sure of hiking, you will have the option of renting a horse from the local community. Be sure to negotiate the rice before renting one.
We will then begin the trek with a gradual uphill climb for two hours. The view on the trek is stunning. You will be rewarded with sights of Andean farms. You will also be able to spot some Andean camelids like Alpacas and Llamas grazing here.
Once at the summit, our guide will share some local rituals with you. You will also be able to get a closer look at the mighty Ausangate peak. To locals, it is a sacred peak. On a clear day, it dominates the southern skyline of Cusco.
- Cusipata - Once you have had your fill of this out worldly view, we will start our trek back to the trailhead. Our driver will be waiting for us here. We will be driving you back to Cusipata for lunch.
- Cusco - After lunch, we will embark on a two hours drive back to Cusco city.
What's Included
- Entrance Fees
- Breakfast and Lunch
- Professional English speaking mountaineering expert
- Round trip transport
- First aid kit and oxygen cans
What's Not Included
- Any Private Expenses
Additional Information
Rainbow Mountain Cusco attracts over 800 trekkers a day. It tops the bucket list of many travelers, just as Machu Picchu.
Rainbow Mountain is a part of the Vilcanota Mountain range. It was discovered in 2016. It soon became a popular attraction. The colors are a result of mineral deposits.
On this trip, you will also be witnessing the life of Andean people in this remote region of the Peruvian highland. You will also get an amazing view of the mighty Ausangate mountain which dominates the southern skyline of Cusco on a clear day.
Rainbow Mountain Vinicunca Peru is at 5200 meters (17,000 feet) above sea level. The high altitude experience needs you to be reasonably fit and well acclimated to avoid altitude sickness.
The tour starts with a pickup from your hotel in Cusco at 0430 AM. To make the most of your experience on the seven-color mountain, we include both breakfast and lunch. You will be accompanied by an English-speaking local mountaineering expert.
Location
Cusco
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(19 Ratings)
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206sabat
Jan 1, 2024
Rainbow mountain - Our Peru visit was such that our Rainbow mountain tour landed on January 1! Our tour guide Charley and driver Ferdinand took time out of their New Year festivities to come pick us up at 4am at our Cusco hotel!! They explained all the arrangements the previous night and considering restaurants may be closed they also planned a boxed breakfast and lunch for us (keeping dietary restrictions in mind). We had a comfortable private van, ready with coca candy and the aromatic oils for altitude sickness, and hiking sticks oxygen etc. we arrived at the mountain hike at an early 730am to beat the crowds. Our son had some motion sickness and Charley made it a point to stop along the way and offer motion sickness relief and help us book bikes/horses to the top for him. He was very considerate and moved at our slow pace. Once at the top he helped take some of the best pictures of our trip. Then he helped us back down and dropped us back at the hotel in the early afternoon with enough time to relax and recover for the next days activities. Highly recommend Charley and the tour!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Explore05525908476
Sep 20, 2023
very friendly - Rainbow Mountain is so high up that I had to rest a lot before I could continue climbing. John followed my progress very patiently and was always concerned about my physical condition. In addition, John also answered many of my questions very patiently. All in all, 5/5
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Edwardt6321
Jul 14, 2023
Very well excecuted tour - Experienced and attentive guide who will look after you every step of the way.
John has been a wonderful guide on this trip and he has great anecdotes and a wealth of historical knowledge as you traverse the trail up to Apu Vinicunca (Rainbow mountain).
John goes above and beyond to make sure you are comfortable and healthy at these very high altitudes.
Food was delicious and served in a buffet style with options for vegans.
Definitely worth booking
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Iacheng92
Jun 23, 2023
Amazing tour - I first found our tour guide (John) on FB and he was able to answer all my questions and make me feel comfortable before I decided to book Rainbow Mountain tour with him. He was very thorough and patient. Punctual and spoke very good english. The transportation was very smooth and comfortable. The communication was excellent for pick up. The breakfast and lunch spot was incredible. And during the hike, he made sure we had lots of breaks to ensure our safety first and did not rush us. I would recommend booking all tours with him and his company instead of multiple different companies (which is what we did and the experience were a little inconsistent and not very good communication compared to Machu Picchu tours)
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Aandino94
Jun 23, 2023
Amazing tour guide - I had an amazing experience with my travel guide on my trip to Rainbow Mountain. He was very knowledgeable about the history of the mountain and made sure we were comfortable and well-rested throughout the trek. He was patient and accommodating, which made the experience even more enjoyable. I would highly recommend this guide to anyone looking for a great trekking experience in Peru!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V5941uwbeckym
May 10, 2023
MP Tours- incredible experience - We did a 4 day visiting sacred valley, Machu Picchu and rainbow mountain. It was incredible. The communication from MP tours, details of what’s next, and the organization was superb.
If there was higher stars Charly & Richard earned & deserve them. We had an amazing time and enjoyed both amigos. Richard was the best driver, courteous, dealt with our late nights/early morning departures, and he had much pride in the vehicles cleanliness, it rained and we went hiking and he was always wiping it down. Charly became our amigo and has solid photography skills! We learned so much from him about the history of these locations. He was very respectful, courteous, and navigated the rain & snow alongside us.
Amazing lifetime experience, Charly & Richard, we really appreciate you. You can’t go wrong with MP tours!
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H3850ytrachaels
May 10, 2023
Rainbow mountain Peru with the best tour guide and driver there is. - Charly was the most incredible tour guide. He is so knowledgeable, personable and made everything incredibly easy. Navigating the trains, buses, and cars would have been so challenging without his expertise and knowledge. Richard was also the most exceptional driver. I couldn’t imagine doing this tour without him. The drive is windy and technical and he handled it so smoothly. He was polite, attentive and helped with anything we needed. I would recommend the company to anyone thinking of traveling. Charly even took extra time to take exceptional pictures of us and taught us a ton along the way. They thought about every detail. Rainbow mountain was also incredibly beautiful.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gl830
Sep 16, 2022
EXCELLENT!!! - Booking our private tours with Machu Picchu Tours was the best decision for our trip. Communicating with John even before the trip was so easy. He understood exactly what I wanted and prepared the best itinerary for me and my husband. John maintained excellent communication at all times. We were with the Company for 4 full days and everything was EXCELLENT. We booked 4 private tours, which included: Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu, Humantay Lake, and Rainbow Mountain. The first 3 days we were with Luis Alberto, who was AMAZING, we LOVED Luis. Luis was very attentive, cared for all of our needs, made sure we were comfortable at all times, and respected our pace during tours. Luis even became our own personal photographer, and he even suggested great spots for pictures. All of our pictures turned out GREAT. The last day we were with John, who was also AMAZING. Both Luis and John are very caring, kind, and professional. They are both very knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. Our trip would have never been this amazing if it weren't for Luis and John, and Machu Picchu Tours Company. We can't recommend them enough.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aliciaburdick
Jul 4, 2022
Breathtaking experience - This trip is breathtaking and not something you want to miss. You will have a long ride to get to breakfast and the mountain so I encourage you to take a nap if you aren’t used to getting up so early. One bottle of water is enough as there are places to get more along the hike for a reasonable price. The horses are very cheap to rent but they stop just short of the peak so you will need to hike some. I found walking poles to be very helpful and don’t forget some sunscreen. It will be chilly but the sun is bright. With that being said Machu Picchu tours is wonderful. They communicate prior to your trip, take good care of you along the way and have excellent guides. They offer many tours on their website.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vacation167645
Jun 20, 2022
High altitude - Guido was an excellent guide! He coached and encourage me to achieve my goal to summit, this was a very difficult hike due to the altitude.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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