The unfiltered brilliance of Rainbow Mountain is shown under a cloudless sky in the Peruvian Andes. The colorful alpine peak is near the city of Cusco. Click the icon in the lower righthand corner of the player to expand the video.
Only discovered a decade ago, Rainbow Mountain is already one of the top attractions in the Cusco area. Here’s key information about the colorful alpine peak.
Located in the thin, high-altitude air of the Peruvian Andes, Rainbow Mountain (Quechua: Vinikunka, Spanish: Montaña de Siete Colores) is one of Mother Nature’s finest multicolored masterpieces. Many images of the peak circulating the internet are heavily edited to enhance its natural hues. However, the mountain needs no filter on a bright, sunny South American day to impress even the most well-traveled explorer. Including photos from my own tour, the following information will help prepare you for your visit to what in Spanish translates as the “Mountain of Seven Colors”:
Why was Rainbow Mountain only recently discovered?
The short answer is climate change. Up until the last decade, Rainbow Mountain was covered by a perpetual layer of snow and ice. Once it melted and the soil underneath eroded, a kaleidoscope of sedimentary colors was left exposed. Varying shades of reds, yellows, browns, purples, and green (as illustrated in my video above) await you at the end of your upcoming trek to the summit.
When is the best time of year to visit Rainbow Mountain?
March through November is your best bet for good weather at Rainbow Mountain and anywhere else in the Peruvian Andes, for that matter.
Peru is in the Southern Hemisphere, so the seasons are opposite from countries in North America. I toured Rainbow Mountain in June, a few days after the winter solstice. This is the ideal time to visit Peru, as the month falls in the middle of the nation’s fair-weather calendar range.
How much does a tour cost to Rainbow Mountain?
I booked my day tour through the website Viator for $50 USD, which included breakfast, lunch, transportation, and guide service. The only other mandatory expense I incurred sans small restroom service charges was the entrance fee, which costs $25 PEN (around $7 USD).
Those with a disability, fitness concern, or sensitivity to altitude should consider paying for a horseback ride. A seat in a saddle will cost you $100 PEN (around $28 USD), and a horseman or horsewoman will lead you to a dismount point near the summit.
Along with essential fees, plan on bringing along extra money for souvenirs, alpaca photos, and refreshments. I think $50-$75 PEN ($14 USD-$21 USD) should be a fair amount for discretionary spending.
Note: While I am providing the exchange rate from Peruvian soles (PEN) to U.S. dollars (USD), all cash on hand should be in PEN.
What time will my tour leave for Rainbow Mountain?
Tours to Rainbow Mountain leave Cusco at various times in the morning, but yours should depart as early as possible if you want the best experience. My tour operator met me at my hostel at 4 a.m., allowing our group of 10-15 people to beat the mid-morning rush to the summit. The site sees well over 1,000 tourists per day during the high season; keep that in mind when you are evaluating how early you want to rise.
How far is the hike to Rainbow Mountain?
The hike to the summit is just over three miles uphill (five kms). You will trace the same path down to the parking lot once your tour is complete. The trek in both directions is self-paced, and your guides will give you ample time to enjoy the world-class mountain vista regardless of your speed.
How difficult is the hike to Rainbow Mountain?
Due to the altitude, the hike to Rainbow Mountain is no easy day. The summit (as the sign pictured below indicates) is at a soaring 5,036 meters above sea level, or 16,522 feet. To reach the top, you will gain 1,627 feet (496 meters) of well-earned elevation.
A few days of acclimation in Cusco is highly advised, but it likely won’t save you from all the symptoms that come with the ultra-thin air. I had been hiking high-altitude trails in the area for a week before taking on the Rainbow Mountain trek; my extremities were still tingling once I made it to the top.
When will I arrive back in Cusco after touring Rainbow Mountain?
From pickup to drop-off, expect your tour to take approximately 12 hours, half of which will be in a shuttle. The total drive time between Cusco and Rainbow Mountain in either direction is three hours. Breakfast on the way in and lunch on the way out are served at the town of Cusipata, which is at the midway point of the long commute. After being picked up at 4 a.m., I arrived back at my hostel around 4 p.m.
Related Content
– Click to view my high-resolution photo collection from Cusco, Peru.
– Click to read my travel guide “How to Tour Cusco Without Going to Machu Picchu” to learn where I went, ate, and stayed in and around the high-altitude city.
– Click to watch my high-definition video of Humantay Lake near Cusco.