1 DAY TREK TO PALCCOYO CUSCO – PALCCOYO RAINBOW MOUNTAIN TOUR

1 Day Trek to Palccoyo Cusco – Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Tour

Rainbow Mountain of Peru is one of the popular tourist attractions in Cusco. It is the second most visited site after Machu Picchu. Often travelers prefer hiking Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain on a full-day trip from Cusco. Most travelers however skip this because of the arduous hike.

1 Day Trek to Palccoyo Cusco is a popular alternative to the full-day trip to Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain. Often referred to as Alternative Rainbow Mountain in Peru, Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Tour is less strenuous and uncrowded.

Unlike the trek to Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain, on this Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain tour, we will be driving you closer to the summit. It normally is a 45 minutes easy hike through picturesque sights including the mighty Ausangate Mountain and Stone forest (Bosque de la Piedras).

Before reaching the colored mountains, we will be visiting Checacupe Village. It is a traditional village that is home to Inca, republican and colonial bridges.

Palccoyo Altitude:

Although Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Tour is easier than Vinicunca Trek, it is also a high-altitude experience. The highest point is at 4900 meters above sea level (16070ft). We highly recommend that you spend a few days in Cusco and acclimatize to avoid altitude sickness. 

When is the best time to visit Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain?

Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain is a part of the Andean mountain range. It is subject to two seasons, dry season and Rainy Season. It is worth visiting Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain during the dry season, between March and November. It is often sunny and you will be getting a clearer view of the seven colors under clear blue skies.

1 Day Trek to Palccoyo Cusco – Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Tour

At 0400 AM, we will be picking you up from your hotel in Cusco. Then in our private transport, we will be driving you to an Andean town, Checaupe. It is a small Andean town. It houses a colonial church and an Inca, republican and colonial bridges. 

We will be having a brief stop here, so you can check out the beauty of the town and feel the colonial vibes. 

All set, we will start driving up the hill. This route offers captivating views from start to end. As we enter the community you will witness a red river, locally known as the blood river. The red color is a result of the high iron oxide being washed off the mountainside during the monsoon.

We will be passing through different Andean communities. Often we encourage local kids to join us as this would be great exposure for them to the outside world.

From the car park, it normally takes 45 minutes to reach the summit of Palccoyo Mountain. We will be hiking through highland terrains where you will be able to spot Alpacas and Llamas in their natural habitat.

The route offers stunning views of the mighty Ausangate peak at a distance. We will also be hiking with a sight of the stone forests or bosque de Piedras. These are natural rock formations. 

Once at the summit of Palccoyo, our tour guide will be explaining the prominence of the mountain in Andean mythology. You will have plenty of time to soak in the view.

We will then hike back down to the car park. We will be driving you to Checacupe for lunch. After lunch, we will be driving back to Cusco city. We will be reaching by 0500 PM. 

• Pick up from your hotel
• Private bus to palccoyo(around trip)
• Professional Tour Guide(English and Spanish speaking)
• 1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch(buffet)
• First-aid kit
• Oxygen tank
• Package

• Alcoholic drinks and others not mentioned on the list
• Dinner
• Rain poncho (can be bought anywhere in the city or along the trail)
• Entrance fee

• Daypack, warm clothes (scarf, sweaters, rainjacket, gloves)
• Walking boots.
• Walking sticks
• Rain poncho
• Sun hat + sunglasses.
• Toilet paper and hand sanitizer.
• Sun cream
• Camera & Extra Film & Batteries
• Personal medical kit