Rainbow Mountain Tour (Vinicunca)

What is the itinerary of the Rainbow Mountain tour?

03:50 – 06:30: Pick up from lodging –  Breakfast

The tour begins between 03:50 and 04:30, when a representative of Guru Explorers passes by your accommodation for the journey to the south of Cusco, which will take approximately one and a half hours. Once there, you enjoy breakfast at a local restaurant in the area. You can buy last-minute items such as drinks, snacks, sunscreen, and anything else you consider necessary.

06:30 – 7:30: Transportation to the base of Rainbow Mountain

Along the way, you will see a beautiful landscape, peasant communities and alpacas in their natural habitat.

08:00 – 9:30: Hike to the Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca)

When you arrive at the base, our professional guide will provide instructions for the final ascent, which takes approximately an hour and a half in the Peruvian Andes. You’ll pass impressive mountains and rocky hills with llamas and alpacas.

At a moderate pace, you will reach Rainbow Mountain (5,200 meters / 17,060 feet). Once at the destination, depending on your hiking pace, you will have approximately 45 minutes to take the best photos and enjoy the beautiful landscapes. Additionally, you will be able to appreciate the impressive valleys and the snow covering the mountains, crowned by the highest snow-capped peak in southern Peru, our Ausangate. Please remember that for safety reasons, you cannot stay longer than the time indicated by the guide at Rainbow Mountain due to its high altitude.

If you need it, you can ride a horse, which can be rented from the locals at the base of the hike (subject to availability at the time). For more details, please check the considerations section.

10:15 – 13:30: Return to the base

After this amazing experience, you’ll begin the descent, which takes about an hour, and then transfer to our transportation for lunch.

13:30 – 16:00: Lunch – Return to Cusco

On the way back, there is a buffet lunch featuring Peruvian cuisine at a local restaurant (with vegan and vegetarian options available). Due to the geography of the area and the fact that it is a remote rural region, restaurant options are limited, so the standards may be more basic compared to those in the city of Cusco or the Sacred Valley.

After regaining your strength, you will return to Cusco in private transport, arriving directly at Plaza Regocijo in the center of Cusco around 4:00 p.m.

Each experience is unique. Traveling with Guru Explorers offers you a new perspective not just of Peru, but also a connection with what you love and a fresh way to view the world.

The price of the Rainbow Mountain Tour includes:

• Departure from your accommodation in the Historic Center of Cusco. Sometimes, the selected accommodation may be located on streets with restricted access for tourist vehicles. In these cases, the guide will suggest a nearby point where you can walk to meet them, so they can pick you up from a permitted street.
• Return to Plaza Regocijo, one block from Cusco’s Plaza de Armas
• Professional guide in English and Spanish (other languages are available on private tours). The guiding may be bilingual in englinsh and spanish.
• Breakfast and lunch buffet style at a local restaurant in the area (vegetarian and vegan options available upon request).
• Trekking or hiking poles (on request).
• Entrance ticket to the Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca)

Price of the Rainbow MountainTour excludes:

• Transfer from hotels outside Cusco city (please inquire about additional costs for pickups from the Sacred Valley or other locations for private tours).
• Entrance ticket to the Red Valley.
• Tips for the guide.
• Drinks.
• Meals not specified in the itinerary.
• Horse or mule rental (approximate cost $30 USD one way).

What to bring to the Rainbow Mountain hike?

• Comfortable and optimal footwear for walks, warm jacket, caps or hat, gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen, bottles of water, clothing or rain poncho (especially between November – April).
• The weather during the hike can be variable, so it is recommended to carry a small backpack to store the clothes you take off or bring extra warm layers.
• Passport or DNI.
• Travel insurance.
• Cash (Local currency / Soles (S/.) In Peru, there is usually a fee to use public restrooms. We recommend bringing coins or cash for these situations and in case you want to rent horses.

Considerations that you should have when taking the Rainbow Mountain Tour:

What does it mean that the tour is shared?

• It means that you will join a group of tourists from various nationalities and ages, including both Guru Explorers guests and those from other operators (group of approximately 16 people). It’s a great opportunity to connect with travelers from around the world! Please note that this type of tour is operated by Guru Explorers or our strategic partners who adhere to our standards. If you prefer a tour where you don’t share with others, please request a Private Tour option.
• How is the guiding in this type of shared tour? This tour focuses more on experiences than on detailed historical narration. The guide will point out specific topics, safety recommendations, and highlights of the route before starting. During the hike, the beauty of the landscape will speak for itself. As it is a shared tour, it’s important to remember that the guide will be constantly moving among the group members, who will progress at different paces. In the end, everyone will meet again at the top, where they can enjoy some free time to rest and take photos before beginning the descent. If you prefer a more personalized guiding experience, we recommend our private tour, with an exclusive guide just for you.

Other Considerations:

• Seating arrangement on the transport: It is random, based on the order of arrival and pickup.
• Pickup and Schedule: One day before the shared tour, you will be assigned a pickup time range and an approximate return time. It’s important to be punctual to avoid delaying others. The duration of the tour may vary depending on the group’s pace and traffic, so the return time is only approximate. Please remember that neither traffic nor the pace of tourists is the responsibility of Guru Explorers.
• Access Limitations: Due to some streets having restricted access for tourist vehicles because they are narrow or congested, a nearby pickup point may be suggested.
• Physical conditions: This Vinicunca tour requires stable physical conditions to complete the hike; however, you can rent horses for the excursion at your own risk.
• Horse rental: This service is offered by the local community to tourists and is subject to availability. Guru Explorers has no responsibility or control over this service. We ask tourists to take necessary safety precautions if using this service. Additionally, please note that payment can only be made in cash and the horse will not take you to the typical photo area; you will need to walk for about 10 minutes, depending on your pace.
• Acclimatization: It is recommended to acclimate in Cusco before undertaking the Rainbow Mountain. This will help your body adjust to the altitude of the region.
• Age restrictions: The Rainbow Mountain tour in Cusco is not recommended for children under 12 years old. Adults over 60 should consider that this activity requires good physical condition.
• Time Spent at the Top: We remind you that the time spent on top of the Rainbow Mountain is limited to approximately 45 minutes. This is to preserve the health of passengers, as staying longer could predispose them to developing symptoms of altitude sickness due to its elevation of 5,200 meters above sea level.
• Medications: The guide is not authorized to administer medications. Consult your doctor before taking pills for altitude sickness.
• Route: Being in a mountainous area, the road may have many curves, which could cause dizziness in some people. If you are one of those who experience dizziness, we recommend consulting your doctor about the possibility of taking medications to prevent it.
• Remember that, since these are outdoor activities, the natural features of the landscape may vary depending on weather conditions and the natural daylight. Each visit is an authentic experience, where nature reveals itself in unique and unrepeatable ways.

Not allowed:

• Pets
• Smoking.
• Large suitcases or bags.

Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain is not recommended for:

• People with heart disease, back problems, asthma or high blood pressure.
• People in wheelchairs.
• Pregnant women

According to Peruvian regulations, foreign tourists may be exempt from the local tax IGV (VAT). As a formal and registered travel agency, we are required to submit to the local authorities a copy of the document you used to enter the country, as well as your date of entry. For this reason, a few days before your arrival, we will contact you to request a photo of that document and ask you to let us know the date you entered Peru. If we do not receive this information, we will be required to add the 18% corresponding to the IGV tax. 

Thank you for your cooperation!

Cancellation Policy

• More than 30 days in advance: Penalty is 20% of the total amount
• Between 7 and 30 days in advance: Penalty is 40% of the total amount
• Less than 7 days in advance: Penalty is 100% of the total amount

Date changes

• More than 30 days in advance: Penalty is 5% of the total amount
• Between 7 and 30 days in advance: Penalty is 10% of the total amount
• Less than 7 days in advance: Penalty is 100% of the total amount
• Subject to availability.
• There will be no refunds in case of delayed flights, train delays, bad weather, or other external factors.

Force Majeure Policy

• Guru Explorers values your time and makes every effort to follow the itinerary. However, it may be affected by force majeure events such as weather conditions, rain, natural disasters, protests, roadblocks, or other circumstances beyond our control. In such cases, no refunds or compensation will be provided, as these are unforeseeable and unavoidable situations. Nonetheless, we will do everything possible to offer efficient alternatives and solutions for your enjoyment. Any additional costs resulting from changes or alternative activities will be the responsibility of the client and not Guru Explorers.