Rainbow Mountain & The Red Valley – A Journey Beyond Imagination

A full day to one of the world’s most spectacular geological wonders — Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca), whose colorful stripes were formed by minerals in the soil — combined with the nearby Red Valley. A challenging hike above 5,000 meters, with views of the Ausangate mountain range.

Rainbow Mountain, also known locally as Vinicunca, is one of the most impressive and most photographed natural wonders in the Andes — a mountain whose stripes reveal shades of red, orange, turquoise, and yellow, the result of different mineral layers in the soil. The tour begins with a very early hotel pickup in Cusco and a drive of about three hours through the Southern Valley to the trailhead, where breakfast is served before the hike begins. A hike of about two hours, moderate to challenging because of the altitude (the summit stands at approx. 5,000 meters), leads to the viewpoint over the colorful mountain, with the snow-capped Ausangate range in the background. After free time for photos at the top, travelers continue to the nearby Red Valley — a dramatic landscape of reddish, iron-rich rock, completely different from Rainbow Mountain but just as striking. At the end of the tour, travelers descend to the trailhead for lunch, then drive back to Cusco in the evening.

Trip details:

• Location: Canchis, Cusco (~100 km / 62 miles from Cusco city)
• Maximum Altitude (Viewpoint): 5,200 m.a.s.l. (17,060 ft)
• Hiking Duration: 2 hours uphill / 1.5 hours downhill
• Difficulty: Medium – High (mainly due to altitude)

Itinerary Inclusions Map

Day 1: Cusco → Cusipata → Rainbow Mountain → Red Valley

• Approx. 3:004:30 AM Hotel pickup in Cusco
• 3 hour drive – Arrival at the trailhead (Pitumarca area)
• Breakfast at the trailhead
• Hike of approx. 2 hours to the summit of Rainbow Mountain (approx. 5,000m)
• Free time for photos at the top
• Continue hiking to the nearby Red Valley
• Descent back to the trailhead
• Lunch
• Drive back to Cusco (evening arrival)

What's Included:

• Experienced tour guides
• First aid kit
• Oxygen tank
• Round trip transportation
• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• 1 breakfast
• 1 lunch
• Permanent assistance

What's Not Included:

• Trekking poles
• Tips for the crew, guide and cook