Full-Day Tour Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain in Cusco
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Overview
Popularly known as the alternative Rainbow Mountain trip from Cusco, Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Tour begins at 0700 AM. We will be driving you closer to the summit, so you will be reaching with a short and easy 45 minutes hike.
The hike takes you through stunning landscapes like the imposing Ausangate Mountain, the tallest and most sacred mountain in Andean mythology.
You will also be hiking near the much-photographed, Stone Forest or Bosque de Piedras. Those are natural rock formations towering up in the sky. It gives an illusion of a forest.
Most travelers choose to embark on an hour and a half hike to the Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain. The 1 Day Trek to Palccoyo Cusco offers similar views as Vinicunca. Also, the hike to Palccoyo Cusco is much easier and shorter.
The highest point of Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Peru is at 4900 meters above sea level (16076 feet). It is highly recommended that you spend at least 3 to 4 days in Cusco and acclimatize to avoid altitude sickness.
The hike takes you through stunning landscapes like the imposing Ausangate Mountain, the tallest and most sacred mountain in Andean mythology.
You will also be hiking near the much-photographed, Stone Forest or Bosque de Piedras. Those are natural rock formations towering up in the sky. It gives an illusion of a forest.
Most travelers choose to embark on an hour and a half hike to the Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain. The 1 Day Trek to Palccoyo Cusco offers similar views as Vinicunca. Also, the hike to Palccoyo Cusco is much easier and shorter.
The highest point of Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Peru is at 4900 meters above sea level (16076 feet). It is highly recommended that you spend at least 3 to 4 days in Cusco and acclimatize to avoid altitude sickness.
Inclusions
- Transfer from Cusco to Palccoyo and back
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- English speaking local tour guide
- First-aid kit
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Checacupe, Checacupe, Cusco Region
Your full-day trip to Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Peru begins with a transfer from your hotel in Cusco to a remote Andean village called Checacupe in our private transport. It is the place where the notable Inca Emperor, Tupac Amaru II lost his fight for Incan Independence. Here we will be having a brief stop.
Checacupe is a colonial town. It houses a colonial rope bridge similar to the only surviving Inca bridge, Qeswachaka. You can take a stroll around this small Andean village and move back in time.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain, Checacupe, Cusco Peru XP4V+22 Uchullujllo Checacupe, Cuzco 08230, Peru
We will then drive off the road through picturesque landscapes. As we will start driving up the hill, you will see a gushing stream of red color water flowing down the hill. Locals call this “Blood River”. The color is because of the mineral contents in the water, from the red valley.
We will be driving through pockets of highland Andean communities. Often we invite children to join us as it gives them exposure to the outside world.
It normally takes 45 minutes to reach Palccoyo from the car park. The hike offers captivating views of Andean peaks and stone forest, at a distance.
Once on top, our travel expert will be talking to you about the formation of this seven-colored mountain. You will have plenty of time to soak in the views of the Andes.
We will then start a gradual hike back down to the car park.
Duration: 5 hours
Stop At: Cusco, Cusco, Cusco Region
On our way back to Cusco, we will be stopping at a local restaurant in Checacupe for lunch.
We will be reaching Cusco by 04:30 PM, approximately.
Duration: 3 hours
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Checacupe, Checacupe, Cusco Region
Your full-day trip to Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Peru begins with a transfer from your hotel in Cusco to a remote Andean village called Checacupe in our private transport. It is the place where the notable Inca Emperor, Tupac Amaru II lost his fight for Incan Independence. Here we will be having a brief stop.
Checacupe is a colonial town. It houses a colonial rope bridge similar to the only surviving Inca bridge, Qeswachaka. You can take a stroll around this small Andean village and move back in time.
Duration: 3 hours
Stop At: Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain, Checacupe, Cusco Peru XP4V+22 Uchullujllo Checacupe, Cuzco 08230, Peru
We will then drive off the road through picturesque landscapes. As we will start driving up the hill, you will see a gushing stream of red color water flowing down the hill. Locals call this “Blood River”. The color is because of the mineral contents in the water, from the red valley.
We will be driving through pockets of highland Andean communities. Often we invite children to join us as it gives them exposure to the outside world.
It normally takes 45 minutes to reach Palccoyo from the car park. The hike offers captivating views of Andean peaks and stone forest, at a distance.
Once on top, our travel expert will be talking to you about the formation of this seven-colored mountain. You will have plenty of time to soak in the views of the Andes.
We will then start a gradual hike back down to the car park.
Duration: 5 hours
Stop At: Cusco, Cusco, Cusco Region
On our way back to Cusco, we will be stopping at a local restaurant in Checacupe for lunch.
We will be reaching Cusco by 04:30 PM, approximately.
Duration: 3 hours
Time of tour
07:00 AM
Meeting point
Traveler pickup is offered
Additional information
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 9 travelers
- Face masks required for travelers in public areas
- Face masks required for guides in public areas
- Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff
- Social distancing enforced throughout experience
- Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas
- Gear/equipment sanitized between use
- Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized
- Guides required to regularly wash hands
- Regular temperature checks for staff
- Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival
- Paid stay-at-home policy for staff with symptoms
- COVID-19 vaccination required for guides
Exclusions
- Entrance fee (10 Peruvian Soles)
- Entry/Admission - Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
821jessiw
August 2022
They are true professionals. I was ot quite prepared for this high altitude trip. Roger the guide was very compassionate and took excellent care of every group member. The view up top are surreal and this should not be missed in Peru for sure.
They are true professionals. I was ot quite prepared for this high altitude trip. Roger the guide was very compassionate and took excellent care of every group member. The view up top are surreal and this should not be missed in Peru for sure.Blueb009
September 2022
I booked this group tour while in Cusco and had the pleasure of having Roger as my guide for the day. There was supposed to be other people joining, but I ended up having a private tour due to a cancelation. It was an early 0400 am pickup and Roger had blankets in the van available if needed. W...
I booked this group tour while in Cusco and had the pleasure of having Roger as my guide for the day. There was supposed to be other people joining, but I ended up having a private tour due to a cancelation. It was an early 0400 am pickup and Roger had blankets in the van available if needed. We drove over a hour to a restaurant for breakfast which was absolutely delicious! We then continued the drive to Palccoyo and Roger explained the town and the history. Once we arrived to the Rainbow Mountains, Roger gave a overview of the hike and what to expect. We started the hike and stopped for pictures and breaks. We were the 1st ones to arrive and had the entire mountains to ourselves for awhile. Also learned a lot of history on the area from Roger. I got to take a picture with a llama which Roger took. Roger was very patient and always encouraged to take my time during the hike. After the hike, we returned back to the same restaurant for lunch and had more delicious buffet food. I really enjoyed my time during this tour and greatly appreciated Roger's knowledge and passion of this community since he grew up not far from the area. Big kudos to the driver! He did an amazing job handling all of the twists and turns around the mountain. Lastly, I want to thank Eber who was incredibly helpful with getting me setup for this tour. He was very patient answering my questions and super quick to respond on WhatsApp. I highly recommend this company for the Rainbow Mountain Tour. One tip: make sure to pack sunscreen. I forgot to pack mine before leaving for Peru. Ended up getting sunburned on my nose!177geav
October 2022
We did both the condor tour and rainbow mountain tour with the rainbow mountain expeditions. We planned it last minute via WhatsApp which went super smooth. Alex was very excited to see condors with us which was lots of fun. After this we were brought to the start of the salkantay trek (which w...
We did both the condor tour and rainbow mountain tour with the rainbow mountain expeditions. We planned it last minute via WhatsApp which went super smooth. Alex was very excited to see condors with us which was lots of fun. After this we were brought to the start of the salkantay trek (which we hiked by ourselves). Roger took us very early to the rainbow mountains and red valley (definitely also a beautiful place to visit!). It felt very special to be at the top before the masses of tourists arrive. He made sure we were feeling alright all along the way. On both trips the breakfast included a very nice fruit salad. The drive felt very safe.