Day trip

Cusco: Rainbow Mountain Tour with Meals

Activity provider: Inka Altitude
Day trip

Cusco: Rainbow Mountain Tour with Meals

Activity provider: Inka Altitude
Save up to 15%

From US$ 34 US$ 28.90 per person

Hike Rainbow Mountain and see the colorful landscapes surrounding Ausangate Mountain on this guided day tour. Experience the mountain's incredible hues and take photos to last a lifetime.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
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Covid-19 precautions
Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
Duration 10 - 12 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
English, Spanish
Pickup included
Pick-up is available at downtown hotels in Cusco. Please indicate if you are staying at private accommodation (with address and phone number), you will then be provided with a meeting point near by. The local guide or transfer may take 10-15 minutes to find your place.
Private group available

Experience

Itinerary
1.5 - 3.5 hours
  • Cusco

  • 2 hours
  • Cusipata District (breakfast)

  • 1 hour
  • Hiking

  • 1.5 hours
    • Optional
  • Rainbow Mountain (photo stop)

  • 1 hour
    • Optional
  • Rainbow Mountain

  • 1 hour
  • Cusipata District (lunch)

  • 2 hours
  • Cusco

Pickup included
Main stop
Other stop
Transfer stop
Highlights
  • Be one of the first groups to Rainbow Mountain
  • Enjoy the panoramic views from different lookouts
  • Experience the local flavors of Cusco during your breakfast and buffet lunch
  • Choose from a shared or private experience
Full description

Experience the incredible beauty of Rainbow Mountain on a guided hiking tour. You get a chance to see alpacas, llamas, and vicuñas while soaking in the stunning mountain views during the journey. Savor a local lunch before heading back to your accommodation in Cusco. 

Your professional tour guide will pick you up from your accommodation in Cusco between 4:00 AM and 4:30 AM. After a 2-hour drive, you will arrive in Cusipata where you will stop for breakfast and buy water and snacks for the trek.

Following breakfast, you'll travel one more hour to the hike starting point, at 4,850 meters. From there you will start your 3.5-kilometer trek to Rainbow Mountain over both flat and uphill terrain.

During your hike, you will enjoy amazing views and encounters with wild alpacas, llamas, and vicuñas. Once you reach the top at 5,010 meters, you can make use of some free time to take a break, and if the weather is good, you will be able to enjoy views over Rainbow Mountain. You'll go downhill to the starting spot for another hour. Then, take transportation back to Cusipata where a local lunch will be waiting for you. Once you finish your buffet lunch you will travel back to Cusco, where you will arrive between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM at Plaza de Armas.

Includes
  • Hotel pickup
  • Downtown drop-off
  • Transportation
  • Professional tour guide
  • Breakfast and buffet lunch (vegetarian options available)
  • Oxygen bottle (for emergencies)
  • 1 Wood stick (optional)
  • First-aid kit
  • Horse (available to rent for 80 Peruvian Sol per person, in cash)
  • Entrance fees to Rainbow Mountain
  • Gratuities
Not suitable for
  • Pregnant women
  • People with mobility impairments
  • People with heart problems
  • People with vertigo
  • People with respiratory issues
  • People over 65 years
  • People over 220 lbs (100 kg)
  • People with low level of fitness

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Important information

What to bring

  • Sunglasses
  • Snacks
  • Hiking shoes
  • Sunscreen
  • Water
  • Rain gear
  • Travel insurance

Not allowed

  • Pets
  • Luggage or large bags

Know before you go

  • Pickup service is included. It can take 30 to 45 minutes to pick up the group. If you are one of the first ones to be picked up, it might take some time to collect the entire group
  • Climb 1.9 miles (3.5 km) to reach the top of Rainbow Mountain
  • Bring an extra warm sweater, jacket, hat, and gloves
  • If for any reason you need to rent a horse, the local partner doesn't manage these rentals and won't be involved in the process
  • Sunglasses are mandatory to use throughout the hike
  •  The local partner is not responsible for the change of weather conditions; choose the best day of departure based on research
  •  The dirt road is not in the best conditions; the drive can produce altitude sickness. It's recommended to bring personal medicine or altitude pills
  • Everyone walks at different speeds. The guide will be in different parts assisting the group
  • During your trip, extra expenses like entrance fees, water, souvenir and others are only available to pay with cash and Peruvian soles
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.7 /5

based on 373 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.8/5
  • Transportation
    4.7/5
  • Value for money
    4.8/5
  • Service
    4.9/5

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Star rating:

Clear communication about the trip up rainbow mountain, the travel, and lunches. The guide was sharing interesting stories about the background of Rainbow Mountain during lunch. Throughout the hike up rainbow mountain the guide kept a good eye on any participant falling behind on the schedule, and had clear empathic communication with them about making it up the mountain.

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March 9, 2023

It was definitely worth it. Great experience. Our guide was very good, his name is Broli. He speaks 2 languages, very attentive, gave us a lot of information about the place, he definitely knows his job! Breakfast and lunch were good, I would only add some more meat options in the menu for lunch. But anyone who wants to book this tour should prepare for the altitude(lower amount of oxygen, low atmo pressure and dangerous sunlight) and thats its NOT a walk through the park. But when you reach the top it’s one of those moments you remember for life! Also prepare for a rough drive through the mountains from Cusipata to the parking near the rainbow mountain(1 hour + 1 hour return.)

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December 6, 2022

Rainbow mountain is a short (~1 hour uphill for a decent fitness 30 year old man), but challenging hike to a scenic mountain. The photos do make it a look better than it is but it's still a good view (both the rainbow colored mountain and surrounding mountains with glaciers etc.). The challenge is the elevation and lack of oxygen (peak about 5000m or 16,000 feet). Be careful underestimating that difficulty though you can also pay about $20 for a horse to ride most (but not all) the way to the top. The free breakfast and lunch were very nice and all you can eat so no concern about going hungry. The guide gave a nice explanation on some of the history and context of the mountain but that part wasn't very notable.

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November 24, 2022

Product ID: 351741