Rainbow Mountain, Red Valley, Meals

Visit Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley with early access that avoids the crowds, hiking across high Andean terrain during the outing. The 12-hour day trip starts in Cusco.

Overview

A pickup from your accommodation in central Cusco comes somewhere between 3:30 and 4:00 in the morning, depending on the option selected, and the day ends back at Plaza de Armas between 4:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon. In between lies a roughly twelve-hour day built around Rainbow Mountain. Inka Altitude runs the trip with an early start so the group reaches Rainbow Mountain ahead of most of the crowds, and the Red Valley can be added as an optional stop for a separate entrance fee paid in cash.

The route works like this: a two-hour van ride to Cusipata for breakfast, another hour of driving to the starting point at 4,850 meters, then a 3.5-kilometer walk over flat and uphill ground to the 5,010-meter summit. The operator says the hike offers a chance to see alpacas, llamas, and vicuñas along the way. On the way back there is a buffet lunch in Cusipata, with vegetarian options, before the return drive to Cusco.

Who suits it? A guide, transport, breakfast, lunch, an emergency oxygen bottle, and a first-aid kit are all part of the package; entrance fees and any horse rental are paid separately in Peruvian soles.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Hotel pickup, CuscoThe guide collects guests from accommodations in the historical city center, depending on the option selected, between 3:30 AM and 4:00 AM. Collecting the whole group can take around 30 minutes.
2. Van to CusipataA two-hour drive out of Cusco, on a dirt road that the operator warns can trigger altitude sickness.
3. Breakfast in CusipataA 30-minute stop for breakfast, with a chance to buy water and snacks in Peruvian soles for the trek.
4. Van to the trailheadOne more hour of driving to the hike starting point at 4,850 meters.
5. Trek to Rainbow MountainA 3.5-kilometer climb over flat and uphill terrain to the 5,010-meter summit. Horses can be rented along the way for 100 Peruvian Sol per person, in cash, arranged locally rather than by the operator.
6. Photo stop at the summitAround 30 minutes of free time at the top to rest and, in good weather, take in the view over Rainbow Mountain. The optional Red Valley entrance costs a further 30 Peruvian Sol per person, in cash.
7. Return walk and lunchAbout an hour back downhill to the starting spot, then transport to Cusipata for a one-hour buffet lunch, vegetarian options included.
8. Transfer back to CuscoA two-hour drive ending at drop-off points in the Centro Histórico, including San Bernardo 132, between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM.

What To Expect From The Tour

This is a long, high-altitude day, and most of what makes it go well is decided before the van door closes. Here is what past travellers and the operator's own notes flag as worth knowing.

• Altitude first. The trailhead sits at 4,850 meters and the summit at 5,010 meters. The operator recommends bringing personal medicine or altitude pills, and one reviewer who took medication to prevent altitude sickness reported feeling fine on the mountain.
• Layer up. The listing calls for an extra warm sweater, jacket, hat, and gloves alongside sunglasses, rain gear, sunscreen, and hiking shoes. Sunglasses are listed as mandatory throughout the hike, and rain gear covers the chance of bad weather on the mountain.
• Hiking ability. The trek is 3.5 kilometers of flat and uphill ground, and one reviewer who does not usually hike reported finishing it fine after acclimatizing. That said, pace varies across a group, and the guide moves along the line assisting everyone rather than walking beside each person.
• Cash in soles. Entrance to Rainbow Mountain is 30 Peruvian Sol per person, the optional Red Valley entrance another 30, and horse rental 100, all payable only in cash. Water, snacks, and souvenirs along the route work the same way.
• Food on the day. Breakfast in Cusipata and a buffet lunch on the return are both included, with vegetarian options available.
• The Red Valley add-on. The Red Valley entrance is optional and paid separately. Reviewers who did it called it a must and completely worth the extra 30 soles, so budget for it in advance if the colors are the point of your trip.

Common issues. The drive is long and the listing warns that the dirt road is rough and can bring on altitude sickness, so medication is a sensible precaution. Some travellers describe the van ride as cramped and hot, and the operator's own notes ask travellers to bear with the time it takes to gather the full group at pickup. Weather can change and the operator does not accept responsibility for conditions, so picking a clear day matters. Horse and bike rentals are handled entirely by locals, with no involvement from the operator, and one reviewer found the buffet lunch disappointing, while the listed entrance fees, in cash soles, are on top of the tour price.

Common Questions