Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain Full Day Tour from Cusco
Description
Escape the crowds and discover a quieter, equally stunning alternative to Vinicunca on this full day Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Tour. With a short and scenic 40 minute hike, this experience is ideal for travelers of all ages looking for natural beauty without the intensity of a long trek. Enjoy round trip transportation from Cusco, a hearty Andean breakfast, and a traditional lunch at a local restaurant. Along the way, explore three colorful rainbow mountains, take in panoramic views of the Andes, visit the otherworldly Stone Forest, and learn about the region’s geology and culture from your professional bilingual guide.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Early Morning Departure from Cusco Your adventure begins early as we depart Cusco around 4:00 a.m. in our tourist transport. As we head south through the Andean highlands, you'll witness the first light of day over quiet villages and mountain landscapes. After approximately 1.5 hours of driving, we’ll stop for a traditional breakfast at a local restaurant, giving you a moment to relax and fuel up before the hike.
After breakfast, we continue our journey to the Palccoyo trailhead, located at an altitude of approximately 4,800 meters. Here, we begin a short and easy hike through colorful, rolling landscapes. The trail is about 1.5 kilometers (roughly 40 minutes) and follows a gradual incline, making it accessible for most fitness levels. Along the way, we’ll be surrounded by spectacular views of the three Palccoyo Rainbow Mountains, each showcasing natural mineral colors in vibrant reds, greens, yellows, and oranges. Unlike the more crowded Vinicunca trail, Palccoyo offers a peaceful and less touristy experience. At the highest point of the trail, around 4,900 meters, we’ll pause to take in the breathtaking panoramic views of the Andes mountain range. On clear days, you may even spot llamas grazing in the distance.
Visit to the Stone Forest (optional) We continue our exploration to the nearby Stone Forest, a surreal landscape of towering rock formations sculpted by centuries of wind and erosion. These unique geological structures resemble towers, animals, or ancient temples, sparking imagination and wonder. While exploring, your guide will share insights into local myths and stories associated with the rocks. We’ll also reach another viewpoint that offers a stunning perspective of the Ausangate Glacier, the highest peak in the Cusco region, standing majestically in the distance.
After taking in the views and enjoying time at the Stone Forest, we will return via the same trail to our vehicle. The descent is easier and gives time to reflect on the amazing natural sights you’ve experienced. On the way back to Cusco, we’ll stop in a local village to enjoy a hearty Andean lunch, featuring regional dishes made with fresh local ingredients such as soups, potatoes, stews, and vegetables. We expect to arrive back in Cusco around 4:30 p.m., completing a day full of vivid scenery, fresh mountain air, and a deep connection to the Andean landscape.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pickup for the Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Tour begins approximately 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time (around 4:00 a.m.) from your hotels in Cusco. Travelers are kindly asked to be ready and waiting in the lobby of their hotel or accommodation at that time. Our guide will contact you by phone to coordinate the pickup and ensure there are no issues. Please make sure your phone is turned on and reachable, and that you’ve provided the correct contact details and pickup location when booking
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(107)
The hike was a very good experience! We initially wanted to hike Vinicunca, but when we struggled with the altitude in Cusco more than expected, we decided on this tour. The guide was great and we were able to walk everything at our own pace, which spread out the group, was relaxed, and offered time for photos. You see three Rainbow Mountains on the way, all of which are beautiful! And the entire landscape with the many red colorations on the mountains and a glacier in the distance is almost even more beautiful. Furthermore, there was the option to decide whether to take a mostly flat path (a total of approx. 200 meters in altitude) there and back, or to take the return path via an ascent where you reach 5000 meters in altitude. From there, you also had an even better view of the landscape. Another big plus point is that it is not as heavily visited. At the same time as us, there were three or four other vans there, and the people spread out very well along the way. Overall, we highly recommend the hike!
Nice gentle walk with lovely views. Tour guide Judith was great :)
The system made an error during my booking. Showing that my hotel was not yet booked even though I had been on site for 4 days and had clearly indicated the name of my hotel. Fortunately, David, the owner of Palcoyo, came himself to pick us up at 3:45 a.m. Really thank you to him.. The team is wonderful. Ricardo, a seasoned and passionate mountaineer, is very attentive; he accompanies those who are less prepared. The driver is an ace. And the meals were very good and hearty. Great day! Thank you. Above all, do not forget to bundle up; we are going up to 4900 m.
Nice day! Beautiful surroundings. It was a long journey and we were not comfortable in the back of the van like tall Dutch people. Tourguide was very nice but could have given a little more instructions during the day.
The tour was good, our guide Joel was very informative, he messaged us several times before the tour to confirm details. We were collected from our hotel at 4am, before collecting others. We stopped half way for an ok breakfast, and then continued our journey to the rainbow mountains (4 hour journey). The views from the tour were amazing, with great photo opportunities. We walked for around 2 hours at a steady pace with suitable breaks. We returned to the transport and started our journey back, stoping on the way for a basic lunch at the same breakfast venue. It was a long day, but worth it for the experience. Bring warm clothes, it’s very very cold in the morning!!
Joel and Armando made the trip enjoyable and an excellent experience; despite the early start! 100% recommended! Excellent service
Great activity! The hike is very easy so this is a great option if you are looking to do something a little less intense.
This was a wonderful hike even for beginners. The breakfast and lunch were decent, and although the pick-up time was at 4AM, it is possible to sleep in the bus. Just a word of warning for those with motion sickness: the last portion of the drive (close to the mountain) contains many twists and turns, so take some precautions/medications before you go, that will help a lot!!
Why go to Vinicunca when you can go to Palcoyo? With only a handful of trekkers, we had the whole mountain range view to ourselves. No jostling for photo ops. It’s slightly less strenuous at 4900m compared to Vinicunca. But still a decent altitude be prepared. It’s such a peaceful hike with gradual incline. Ausangate glacial in the distance, stone rock forest above, llamas peacefully doing their thing. It was my fav experience of all of Peru’s main attractions. We had Yuri as our guide and Mr Saul as our driver. They were awesome 10/10. The breakfast and lunch were at the same restaurant in Cusipata. The range was endless and so delicious. My fav buffet of all the day trips in Peru.
It challenged us physically but I am so glad we did it!
Thank you for sharing your experience. We understand that reaching the destination can be physically demanding, which makes the reward at the end even more special. We are glad to know that the effort was worthwhile and that you enjoyed the adventure. Thank you for choosing to explore this incredible destination with us.
