Often referred to as the alternative Rainbow Mountain in Peru, Palccoyo Cusco trip to this mountain of the seven colors is an easier option.
Our full day tour from Cusco to Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain with a local expert is the best alternative to the Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain trek. Often referred to as the alternative Rainbow Mountain in Peru, Palccoyo Cusco trip to this mountain of the seven colors is an easier option.
Rainbow Mountain is the second most visited attraction after Machu Picchu. This is one of our signature tours, we have designed the itinerary to offer you the best and the most in a full day.
Both Palccoyo and Vinicunca are part of the Ausangate Mountain Range. The colors of Palccoyo are a result of mineral deposits. Until 2016 the mountain was covered in snow. As the snow started melting, the colours appeared.
It soon got all the deserving attention and became an unmissable attraction in Cusco.
About the Trek
Unlike the trek to Vinicunca, it is easier to visit the mountains of Palccoyo on a full day trip. This is primarily because we will be driving you closer to the summit. It barely takes 45 minutes to reach to the top with a gradual and easy climb.
The highest point of Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain is at 5000 metres above sea level and the hike begins at 4900 metres. The hike up is relatively easier. It offers you a closer look at the Apu Ausangate. The sacred Andean peak.
The trek takes you through stone forest. This is a peculiar sight where distinctly shaped natural rock formations tower to the sky. You will also be rewarded with a sight of Andean camelids – Alpacas and Llamas on your way up.
To offer you the most of your Cusco to Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain experience, we will also be introducing you to the life of the local community who have been living on the foothills of the renowned Cusco mountain, for generations and are untouched by modernity.
This is a high altitude experience, we highly recommend you to spend at least three days in Cusco before the trek to avoid altitude sickness.
Palccoyo Rainbow Mountains are a part of the Peruvian Andes. It is subjected to two seasons – dry season and rainy season. The best time to visit the Rainbow Mountains of Cusco is during the dry season – between April and November.
We offer Cusco to Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain tour both in small group and as a private tour.
Do take a moment to check our reviews on Trip Advisor.
We will be picking you up from your hotel in Cusco at 05:00 AM. Then along the South Valley of Cusco, we will be driving you to Checacupe. This is a colonial town. It is home to a colonial church and an ancient bridge that resembles Qeswachaka.
Here we will be having a brief stop so you can use the restroom. You can also buy some snacks here.
We will then drive you up the hill through some remote Andean communities. The trek begins at 4900 metres above sea level. It is a 45 minutes climb up to the summit at 5000 metres above sea level.
On your way up, you will be passing through some distinct rock formations. The place is popularly called the Stone Forest or bosque de piedras. You will also get a closer view of the mighty Ausangate Peak that marks the southern skyline of Cusco city.
Once at the summit, you will have some time to immerse yourself in the serenity of nature and witness one of the seven colored mountains of Peru.
We will then start descending through the same way we went up. On our way back to Cusco, we will be stopping at a local restaurant in Checacupe for lunch. We will be reaching Cusco by 06:00 PM.
Departure & Return Location
Cusco Hotel Transfer
Departure Time
5:00 a.m.
Price Includes
Price Excludes
Packing list
Usefull info
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Do you have any questions? Contact us at +51 974 378 488
Find out what those who have trusted us to explore unique destinations and live extraordinary adventures have to say.
John CJanuary 10, 2025Verified Excellent, perfectly planned trip. The trip was perfectly planned from start to finish, the transport, the hike, the hotel, the food and the entrance to Machu Picchu. The lovely guide Edwin was incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the site, the hike, and it's history. It truly is an incredible and captivating place that is a must see if you have the opportunity. Gabriel CNovember 12, 2024Verified Rainbow Mountain Tour guide We had a great tour of Rainbow Mountain. Jose was extremely knowledgeable and was a lot of help. The tour included good breakfast and lunch. I highly recommended this tour Joshua SNovember 10, 2024Verified "Unforgettable Machu Picchu Journey with an Exceptional Guide!" John was the perfect guide for our journey from Cusco to Machu Picchu! From the start, he made everything smooth and enjoyable, picking us up from our hotel and ensuring we were comfortable and ready for the adventure ahead. Thanks to his planning, we arrived at Machu Picchu early, avoiding the crowds and enjoying the stunning morning views. The weather was fantastic, and John's deep knowledge of the history and culture made every moment even more memorable. His explanations brought the ancient Incan sites to life, and he guided us thoughtfully through the walk at Machu Picchu, pointing out details we would have missed on our own. Throughout the entire day, John was attentive, patient, and incredibly helpful. He truly went above and beyond to make our experience unforgettable. Highly recommend! Gabriel CNovember 10, 2024Verified Great tour Me and my brother went on a tour with John. He was very helpful. He was very knowledgeable and helpful. Not only did he give a great tour but he was able to give us good recommendations and was very accommodating Kim AOctober 24, 2024Verified An amazing experience! We are an American family from Evansville, Indiana. After doing much research we chose Machu Picchu Tours to make our dream come true of seeing Machu Picchu via the 4-day Inca Trail Trek.Planning this kind of trip is no small feat, but John Taqquere Villaneuva was there for us every step of the way! He always responded quickly to my MANY texts and provided excellent information to prepare us for the trek. Our amazing guide, Edwin, the Porters and Chef went way above and beyond to make sure we felt safe and that we were getting the best experience that was promised. I cannot emphasize how important hygiene and safe food is on a trip like this. We feel our Porters did an excellent job keeping the dining area clean and providing excellent, healthy and safe food. While it is common for foreigners to get sick when traveling to a new country, the crew kept us healthy, hydrated, and safe the entire trip. Our porters took care of every single detail from setting up our camp, refilling our water bottles, and feeding us delicious hot meals 3 times a day. The porters were always there to take care of us. Our bags were transported and waiting for us in our tents upon arrival. Hot drinks were ready for us upon arrival at each campsite, and hot soapy water and towels were provided to clean up after a long day’s hike. Their work ethic and attention to detail was impressive. The 4 day trek is strenuous. Our guide, Edwin, coached us along the way, helping us to set a pace that worked for us so that we would not burn out. He also handled all of our paperwork and entry tickets. There are checkpoints and everything must be in order and spelled correctly. Without these documents, there is no trek and there is no entry into Machu Picchu. Our guide always kept us informed of the daily itinerary and was always supportive and eager to help. His knowledge of the history of the Inca and the ruins was exceptional. We walked away feeling an immense appreciation and understanding of the Inca because of Edwin. If your dream of seeing Machu Picchu is through the Inca Trail, or want to arrange guided tours, then don’t let fear stand in your way. And if you are looking for an agency, we highly recommend John Taqquere Villaneuva with Machu Picchu Tours. These are good, honest, trustworthy and hard-working people that will help make your dream come true. We are so thankful to Machu Picchu Tours, our Guide, Edwin, and the amazing Porters and Chef for their hard work and efforts to help make our dream come true. HikeJunkieCarlosOctober 21, 2024Verified Very organized crew knowledgeable friendly and just plain awesome to have around every step of the way. Couldn’t have asked for a better crew chef porters tents and food for this 4 day Inca trail tripWas the best experience for all 8 of us in our friends group to enjoy every moment and have amazing time all the way through the trip in town and on the Inca trailVery organized crew knowledgeable friendly and just plain awesome to have around every step of the way. Highly recommend this company to solo and groups that plan to visit Peru SkyMiles KOctober 19, 2024Verified 1 of 2 top Bucket List items, Hike the INCA Trail to Machu Picchu Completed the INCA trail with our Hike Junkies family. The Machu Picchu tours were INCREDIBLE!!! A great big shout out to John Taqquere Villanueva & his team for providing us with their expertise & care before, during & after the 4-day backpacking hike. The porters had camp setup for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner during our hiking adventure. Our chef, Carmelito "5-STARS," prepared meals that you should only find in a fine dining restaurant. We even had some Peruvian history lessons along the way. A few surprise discovery viewpoints along the trail. After completing 4-day Inca trail, we hiked the Humanatay Lake on 5th day & Rainbow Mtn on 6th day. We THANK YOU, John, Alberto, Berle, Aiwyn & drivers, porters for making this the adventure of the century!...so far Rebecca ROctober 19, 2024Verified 4 day Inca Trail with Hike Junkies We just completed the 4 day Inca Trail with Machu Picchu Tours. John Taqquere Villanueva went above and beyond to provide us with an amazing experience, with fun, knowledgeable guides to qn amazing chef and porters. Our tents were comfortable and kept us warm and dry from the elements. We were served four course meals, desert and happy hour on each day. Happy hour consisted of fresh hot popcorn, hot cocoa, coffee, cookies and bread. In addition to the 4 day Inca Trail we scored permits to hike Huayna Picchu ( Stairs of Death) which we conquered just having completed the last day of the Inca trail. Yes, our group is crazy! One member of our group was unable to hike the four day Inca trail due to severe health issues, John Taqquere and went above and beyond to give him an amazing Machu Picchu experience. Our trip consisted of City Walking Tour of Cusco, Alpaca Farm, Humantay Lake, Rainbow Mountain and other ruins. This was a humbling experience that will last a lifetime. Chalmers BOctober 9, 2024Verified Great experience! Our guide Edwin was excellent. The first day is very challenging but equally rewarding, and we were really glad that MPT arranged a pre-meeting the day before to go over logistics and make sure we were properly equipped -- renting poles is highly recommended, well worth the $10. Reaching the Sun Gate and getting the full vista of Machu Picchu felt like a life accomplishment. The second day is much less challenging, walking through the actual ruins of Machu Picchu, and we felt much less pressure because we'd gotten such great views and photos the day before.
Huchuy Qosqo was used as a royal estate by Viracocha. During the last days of his rule, he faced a revolt from Cancha People. Huchuy Qosqo Hike is an off-the-beaten-track experience that takes you to the lesser-known yet prominent Inca site, Huchuy Qosqo Peru.
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