Discover the spot where a rainbow fell out of the sky and melted into the Andean landscape on this guided hike of Vinicuna, the spectacularly beautiful Mountain of Seven Colours.
Description
Get ready for an unforgettable adventure as we pick you up from your hotel in Cusco and set off toward one of Peru's most renowned peaks – Rainbow Mountain!
After about two hours on the road, we'll reach Kusipata village. Here, we'll fuel up with a hearty breakfast to energize ourselves for the upcoming Rainbow Mountain hike.
Once we have eaten our fill, we will board the bus and continue the trip for about two hours through the community of Pitumarca, located at 3570 meters above sea level and arrive at a mountainside community where the real trek begins at a lofty 4600 meters (15,000 feet) above sea level. As we follow our guide's lead, we'll ascend through these mystical peaks while encountering Andean creatures like alpacas, sheep, and vicuñas.
After an hour and 45 minutes of hiking, we'll stand in awe before the magnificent Rainbow Mountain, also known as Vinicunca or the Mountain of the Seven Colors. As soon as you set your eyes on this natural wonder, you'll understand why it's earned a spot on National Geographic's list of "100 Places to Visit Before You Die."
We'll take plenty of time to take pictures of Rainbow Mountain before we start our descent back to the bus, retracing our steps downhill – fortunately, it's easier going down!
Then, we'll return to Kusipata for a well-deserved buffet lunch, the perfect reward for all the effort!
After lunch, we'll journey back to central Cusco, dropping you off near the Plaza de Armas, marking the end of this 14 to 15-hour excursion.
Pickup
Hotel Pickup
This tour includes pickup from the following points in Cusco:
- Historical centre of Cusco (San Blas neighbourhood, Calle Nueva alta, Saphi, Ruins, Matara, San Pedro, Av. Sol, Tullumayu and Huascar).
- Santa Ana (only to the temple of Santa Ana).
- Recoleta (only up to the temple of Recoleta and the nearby streets).
- Zaguán del Cielo.
- Lucrepata.
- Wanchaq (the oval of Pachacuteq, Infancia, Estadio Garcilaso and Plaza Tupac Amaru).
- Santiago (Grau Bridge and Pasaje Esmeralda).
Hotel pickup takes place between 4 am - 4:40 am, depending on the location of your accommodation.
If your hotel is located elsewhere, we'll indicate to you the exact meeting point near Plaza de Armas in Cusco.
Important
- This route is relatively difficult. We recommend this activity for people that are in good shape and are healthy. People with heart conditions should not take part in this activity.
- The tour is carried out at high altitudes, reaching approximately 16,400 ft (5,200 meters) above sea level. While the hike is relatively flat with small hills, it lasts around an hour and 40 minutes and the lack of oxygen is notable. We recommend spending a few days before the activity in Cusco to acclimate yourself.
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