Premium Rainbow Mountain, Meals

Head out from Cusco on a premium mountain day hike to Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley. The day trip runs for 12 hours in all.

Overview

This full-day trip from Cusco pairs the famous striped slopes of Rainbow Mountain with the option to continue on to Red Valley, a stretch that several travellers describe as quieter and well worth the extra hike. The whole outing runs about 12 hours, and the early start is deliberate: the operator times arrival so you are among the first on the mountain before the crowds thicken. Pickup comes directly from your hotel in Cusco, and the day ends with drop-off on Avenida El Sol, in front of the Qorikancha temple.

The practical side is well covered. Transport is private and comfortable, a bilingual guide leads the group, and both a hearty breakfast and a buffet lunch are included, along with entrance tickets to Vinicunca and Cusipata that some other providers charge separately. The group is capped at 15 travellers. A blanket, first aid kit and oxygen mask travel with the party, which matters here: the mountain sits above 5,000 meters, and reviewers repeatedly warn that the altitude is the hardest part of the day. Horses can be rented locally for part or all of the climb, and several travellers recommend them without embarrassment.

This tour suits reasonably fit visitors who want a guided, organized route to two of the region's most striking landscapes, with meals and entry fees handled up front. It is not a fit for wheelchair users, and the listing advises against it for pregnant travellers or anyone with back problems or serious medical conditions.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Hotel pickup, CuscoVery early pickup from your hotel in Cusco. Reviews mention pickups around 3:30 a.m.
2. Cusipata, 30 minutesA stop at Cusipata with free admission, lasting 30 minutes.
3. Vinicunca Mountain, 2 hoursTwo hours at Rainbow Mountain with the entrance ticket included.
4. Red Valley Viewpoint, 1 hourAn optional one-hour extension to the Red Valley viewpoint. The separate entrance fee of 30 soles in cash is not included, and reviewers say the extra hike is worth it.
5. Return to Cusco, 1 hourThe drive back ends with drop-off on Avenida El Sol, in front of the Qorikancha temple. Buffet lunch is provided as part of the day.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points come up again and again in reviews of this tour, mostly around altitude, timing and what to carry.

• Altitude is real. Vinicunca sits above 5,000 meters, and reviewers repeatedly describe shortness of breath, light-headedness and a slow final climb. Take the warnings seriously and go at your own pace. The guide carries oxygen and a first aid kit.
• Dress for cold. Even in the Peruvian summer, reviewers report cold conditions and even snow at the summit. Pack warm layers.
• Horses are fine. Horses can be rented on the spot, and multiple travellers said riding part or all of the way up was a good decision rather than an embarrassment.
• Food is covered. Breakfast and a buffet lunch are included, and reviewers call the food plentiful and good.
• Early start pays off. The pickup is very early, but travellers say being first on the mountain means more of the hike to yourself and time to take in the views before the crowds arrive.
• Group size. The tour caps at 15 travellers, and reviewers describe the guides as attentive and supportive of everyone in the group.

Common issues. The hike is genuinely tough, and several reviewers describe the final stretch as the hardest part, with altitude sickness affecting some members of the group. The Red Valley extension costs an extra 30 soles in cash, and horse rentals are also paid separately. Weather is unpredictable: one reviewer arrived to find everything white with snow, and clouds can mute the colors. The listing excludes wheelchair users and advises against the tour for pregnant travellers and those with back problems or serious medical conditions. The very early pickup, around 3:30 a.m. according to one review, is a grind even if most travellers call it worthwhile.

Common Questions