How to get to Rainbow Mountain

Three hours from the city of Cusco, you will find a colorful and wonderful place where nature made one of its most beautiful works. In this land blessed by the Incas, Rainbow Mountain, or Vinicunca, as it is also known, is the ideal place to visit. A paradise for lovers of trekking and responsible tourism.

This mountain is one of the most visited destinations by travelers from all over Peru and the world, thanks to its captivating landscape. In addition, its fantastic trekking circuit focuses on the imposing and beautiful Ausangate snow-capped mountain.

This has generated that more than two thousand people pass through it daily, making its care essential since it is a fragile ecosystem dominated by the presence of endangered wildlife, such as the Andean condor, vicuñas, Andean cats, and more. If you have decided to take this tour, be sure that you will not regret it, but first, take note of these facts so you can make the most of your trip in a better way.

Location of Rainbow Mountain

The Rainbow Mountain is located 1-hour walk from the community of Llactoc, in the district of Cusipata, province of Quispicanchi, department of Cusco.

How to get there on your own?

Taking the city of Cusco as a reference, you must accept the transport to the town of Cusipata, passing through Oropesa, Andahuaylillas, and Quiquijana. If you dare to move by public transport, you can take the bus to Huayrurupata, close to the Coliseo Cerrado of Cusco (price S / 8.00).

Although there is not much distance in kilometers, the trip will take 1 hour and 15 minutes, being Cusipata as your first stop. Take advantage of this locality to eat something to eat, do some shopping or go to the bathroom since, from there on, you will not find good services. You can take a van (in front of the Cusipata municipality) to the Llactoc camp. On the road, you will come across a gate where you will pay S/. 10.00 for the entrance to Rainbow Mountain.

Once you arrive at Llactoc, you will begin the 1- and 30-minute hike to Rainbow Mountain.

Here is the map or route to follow to get to Rainbow Mountain.

How to Arrive with Travel Agency?

From 4:00 to 4:30 a.m., we will pick you up at your hotel in Cusco to make the trip to Rainbow Mountain, located in the southern part of the region of Cusco; from the beginning, we will travel for 3 hours approx. We will first pass through the town of Quiquijana and then continue through Cusipata; then, we will arrive at Chillihuani, where we will have breakfast. We will continue traveling until we come to Llactoc, a place where we will begin our 1-hour walk to the highest point of Rainbow Mountain; during this journey, we will have the opportunity to see the different varieties of South American camelids, beautiful landscapes, and birds, arrived at the Rainbow Mountain, we will have free time to take pictures of this mysterious place. Afterward, we will continue with our return hike to the starting point; then we will go by tourist transport to Chillihuani, where we will stop for lunch, then we will return to Cusco, where we will arrive at 6:00 p.m. approx.

The service includes:

• Pick up from your hotel in Cusco
• Tourist transportation
• One breakfast
• One buffet lunch
• Professional guide English – Spanish
• Entrance to Rainbow Mountain
• First aid kit
• Oxygen balloon
• Would you like to hire a tour? Get a quote for your Rainbow Mountain Tour

Why is it colored?

At the request of the community of Pitumarca, the Cultural Landscape Office of the Decentralized Directorate of Culture of Cusco prepared a study to obtain technical information about these mountains and offer them to tourists.

The report revealed that the colors of the mountains are due to their mineralogical composition: the pink color is due to the red clay, fangolites (mud), and argillites (sand). The whitish color is due to the white quartz sandstone. The brown, brown, and purple, by limonites and marls, are rich in calcium carbonate.

The red is due to the argillites (iron) and clays belonging to the upper Tertiary. The green is due to the compound of phyllites and clays rich in ferromagnesian. The earthy brown color is due to the fanglomerate composed of manganese-bearing rocks from the Quaternary era. And the mustard yellow color is due to the calcareous sandstones rich in sulfide minerals.

The Colors of the Mountain

• Pink or fuchsia: a mixture of red clay, mudstones (mud), and sand.
• Whitish: sandstone (quartz sand) and limestone.
• Purple or lavender: marl (a mixture of clay and calcium carbonate) and silicates.
• Red: argillites and clays.
• Green: clays rich in Ferro magnesium (a mixture of iron and magnesium) and copper oxide.
• Yellowish brown, mustard, or golden brown: limonites, calcareous sandstones rich in sulfide minerals (combined with sulfur).
• Entrance
• The entrance fee to Rainbow Mountain is S/. 10.00 for national tourists and S/. 20.00 for foreign tourists.
• Horse
• Horse rental on the route costs S/ 80.00 or USD 25.00 round trip; if you wish, you can also rent it only one way, and you would pay half.

Weather

In Cusco, the rainy season is cloudy, the dry season is partly cloudy, and it is excellent throughout the year. During the year, the temperature generally varies from 0°C to 19°C and rarely drops below -2°C or rises above 22°C.

Based on the tourism score, the best times of the year to visit Cusco for hot-weather activities are from mid-April to the end of October.

Temperature

The temperature at Rainbow Mountain ranges from 5°C to 18°C.

The altitude of Rainbow Mountain

Rainbow Mountain is located at 5200 meters above sea level.

The difficulty of Rainbow Mountain

The difficulty of the hike to Rainbow Mountain is medium. You have to walk 3 Km for 1 hour and 30 minutes approx. Depending on your physical condition.

Recommendations

Bring sunscreen and sunglasses. The dry season runs from March to November and is accompanied by radiant sunshine, so you must protect yourself adequately.

Hydrate adequately. Carry a bottle of water or rehydration drinks for your trip.

Do not exert yourself too much. If necessary, use a climbing pole or take the additional horse service.

Take snacks with you. There are no places to buy food along the way, so it is good to have some snacks to replenish your energy and overcome any difficulties.

Carry what you need in your backpack. Protect your back.

You bring warm clothes and a poncho for the rainy season (December – April).