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Red Valley: everything you need to know

May 3, 2021

So your next holiday is approaching and you are still looking for where to travel? Cusco is considered one of the Peruvian towns that has the greatest number of tourist attractions.

This becomes way easier when discovering all the places that are in this city and that will allow you to get to know unique places in the world.

One of them is the «Red Valley», a mountain through which a river of red waters flows, whose coloration is the product of the minerals found in the bed of this majestic river.

Throughout the year, more and more people take the initiative to make the route that leads to the Red Valley, especially due to the proximity that this place has with one of the most touristic sites located in Cusco, as is the case of the Rainbow Mountain.

This means that if you do the walk through the Rainbow Mountain, you can easily take the opportunity to get to know another tourist attraction such as the one represented by the Red Valley.

Where is the Red Valley located?

This Valley is located in the southern region of Peru, specifically in the town of Cusco.

Once people are in the city, they must travel to the Province of Canchis, District of Pitumarca, in order to reach the aforementioned Red Valley.

It is a place that is very easy to get to, taking into account that it is located near the Rainbow Mountain, this being one of the most touristic places in the region.

How to get to the Red Valley?

Most of the people who visit this place coincide in coming directly from the city of Cusco, considered as the meeting place for an interesting number of tourists who, from this place, begin to depart to new destinations.

From there, the transfer to the town of Checacupe begins, a journey that lasts approximately 2 hours.

After arriving at this place, a short break is taken to continue the journey to Pitumarca on a journey that barely lasts 15 minutes from Checacupe.

It is in this town where the real adventure begins, since being here, the hike that will lead directly to the Red Valley begins.

The approximate time to reach this tourist destination varies between 2 and 3 hours, it all depends on the physical condition of the people who make the walk.

When you reach the top of the Red Valley, you will notice with the naked eye that it is a spectacular place from any point of view and for which it will be worth all the effort you put to get to know.

When to travel to the Red Valley?

Before taking the initiative to get to know the Red Valley, it is recommended that you first know when is the best season to make this trip.

It is precisely for this reason that you should know what the climate is like in the mountains of the Cusco town, since it is divided into two types of seasons, the dry and the rainy.

Rainy season

It is a period that begins from the month of December to March. As the name implies, it is a season in which the sky remains cloudy and in which there is a greater chance of rain throughout the day.

Dry season

As soon as the rainy season ends, the dry season begins during the month of April, until November. It is in these specific months where it is advisable to take the tour to know the Red Valley.

The dry season is considered the best to visit this tourist attraction, considering that you can embark on a new adventure in which the sun will always be present so the risk of rain will be practically nil.

This will allow you to enjoy a more comfortable trip at all times, as long as you respect the safety regulations and take with you the necessary elements to make this an incredible experience.

What can you see in the Red Valley?

As it is a tour that lasts approximately 3 hours, it means that throughout the journey you will be able to see an incredible amount of landscapes that you will surely be pleased to know.

In addition to the landscapes, the tour will also allow you to know what the lifestyle of the inhabitants of this region is, this being something that is part of the Peruvian culture.

What is the best advice before visiting the Red Valley?

The walk to the Red Valley is considered a moderate route, taking into account that for 3 hours, you will pass through places of different scales among which there are some steep climbs that can be difficult for some people.

It is for this reason that before taking the tour, it is advisable to be in good physical condition so that the journey does not become uncomfortable.

In addition to this, there are other recommendations that will help you enjoy an adventure with which you will feel totally satisfied.

Comfortable clothes

The 3 hours in which this tour is made does not represent any inconvenience, taking into account that throughout the way you can enjoy incredible landscapes with which you will surely stay distracted.

However, for the experience to be pleasant enough, it is necessary to have totally comfortable clothing.

In this case, it is essential to wear sports shoes with which you can walk without running the risk of slipping at some point.

If you do the tour during the rainy season, waterproof clothing is an alternative that you can get a lot out of.

Lunch Box and Snacks

It is always important to stay hydrated throughout the journey, especially on a route where physical wear and tear is assured.

That is why we recommend bringing enough water and energy bars so that you can keep your body in perfect condition.

Altitude acclimatization

When talking about the Red Valley, we are talking about a mountain that exceeds 5,000 meters above sea level, which means that there is the possibility of suffering nausea, dizziness and even lack of oxygen.

So that this does not happen, it is recommended to spend at least one day in the city of Cusco in order to acclimatize the body in the correct way.