Private Cusco Tour: Rainbow Mountain – Colors of The Andes Experience

About this activity

Listed in National Geographic’s “Top 100 Places to Visit Before You Die," Cusco’s Rainbow Mountain is an incredible sight to behold. Join a local guide for an unforgettable private trek to see this natural wonder up close and immerse yourself in its unique, colourful beauty. Along the way, keep an eye out for llamas and alpacas roaming freely. Your adventure starts with a hearty breakfast and ends with a delicious local lunch.

Highlights

Since this is a private tour, you can stop and take all the time that you want to enjoy the amazing Rainbow Mountain
Enjoy breathtaking views of the Ausangate Mountain Range near Cusco
Walk just 40 to 50 minutes to the viewpoint for spectacular views
A 6:30 a.m. start will give you the chance to reach a less crowded mountaintop Explore the area as you walk through the Andes and feel the power of the mountains
Mingle with locals for an amazing breakfast and lunch in a local restaurant

Full description

Local Impact: How you will help the local community by joining this tour:

Your tour visits the area at different hours than most groups to avoid overcrowding and minimize the impact on the natural environment.

The restaurant where you have breakfast and lunch is owned by a former Inca trail porter who started his business after many years of trekking.

Entirely covered in snow just a few years ago, Rainbow Mountain has now become one of the most impressive mountains around Cusco. Named for its eye-popping array of diverse colours created by the sediment of minerals throughout the area, this unique mountain recently opened for visitors and offers spectacular views of the Andes from its peaks. During this private tour, you will have the opportunity to see some awe-inspiring scenery you won’t soon forget. In addition to the kaleidoscope of colours on the mountain itself, you’ll also see the Apu (the spirit that lives within the mountain) Ausangate, the highest peak in southern Perú. Along the way, expect to see llamas, alpacas and other Andean wildlife roaming freely. To reach the top a short, 45-minute hike waits for you.

Your private tour starts at 6:30 in the morning. Your guide will pick you up from your hotel and after a two-hour ride, we'll reach the town of Paucarpata where a hearty local breakfast will be served. After a short break, you’ll continue for two more hours, passing through the town of Pitumarca in the Ausangate Mountain Range, and get to the starting point of our 45-minute hike to the viewpoint at 5020 metres. On arrival at the viewpoint, you'll have ample time to admire this wonder of nature and be immersed in the spectacular surroundings.

Once we’ve taken in the views, it will be time to move on and then stop for lunch at a local restaurant. Here you’ll be treated to a buffet featuring a tasty spread of local specialities including soup, something Peru is well-known for. Following lunch, it will be time to head back to Cusco. Your safety is very important to us, which is why we have carefully crafted this excursion following the official guidelines and regulations for this activity. We carry a first aid kit, along with oxygen bottles. Horses are also available should there be an emergency.

IMPORTANT NOTES: It is recommended you arrive in Cusco two days prior to your trek so you can adapt to the altitude. We strongly advise against taking this trip upon arrival. The walk will start at a point that is higher than the city of Cusco and will take you to 5020 metres at the highest point of the trek.