Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Full Day Tour

Discover the Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain — the best-kept secret of the Peruvian Andes. While thousands crowd the classic Vinicunca trail, our exclusive Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain tour takes you to a completely different range: three vividly colored peaks, a mysterious stone forest, and wide-open trails where you'll feel like the only traveler in the world. At 4,900 m (16,076 ft) — 300 meters lower than Vinicunca — Palccoyo delivers the same jaw-dropping mineral stripes with a shorter, gentler hike that works for families, first-time hikers, and anyone who wants the rainbow experience without the exhaustion. No crowds. No 3-hour uphill grind. Just you, the sacred Apus of the Andes, and landscapes so colorful they barely look real. Some things you have to see with your own eyes. This is one of them. Book your Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain tour from Cusco today and live it for yourself.

Day 1: Palcoyo Colorful Mountain Range – Full Day

We'll pick you up from your hotel in Cusco at the agreed time and head south through the Andean highlands for about 2.5 hours, toward the Pitumarca district. Our van holds a maximum of 16 travelers — small enough to keep the experience personal. Along the way, the elevation of Rainbow Mountain country rises gradually, and so does the scenery. 

Once we reach Pitumarca, our chefs serve a hearty breakfast to fuel the day ahead. You'll have a moment to grab water, snacks, or chocolate before we continue toward Combapata. A quick stop at the colonial bridge of Combapata — perfect for photos — and then we follow the left bank of the Salcca River for about 1.5 hours on a scenic dirt road. Wild alpacas graze along the route, framed by towering Peruvian colored mountains that set the tone for what's ahead. We arrive at the community of Palccoyo, at 4,100 meters, where the trail opens into a wide basin with privileged views of the Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain range: three distinct colored mountains stretching across the horizon, with a dramatic rocky valley below. 

This is what makes Palccoyo one of the best Rainbow Mountain tours in Peru — the colored mountains are visible almost immediately, and the hike itself is short and gentle compared to Vinicunca. From here, our guide offers an optional 40-minute walk to the highest viewpoint, where you'll get the best panorama of all three peaks and the stone valley — a rewarding stretch of hiking Rainbow Mountain terrain for those who want a little more. We spend 2–3 hours exploring, photographing, and soaking in the landscape before heading back toward Cusco along the same route, with a lunch stop in Pitumarca. Arrival in Cusco: approximately 6:30 pm, with drop-off at your hotel.

• Overnight: Hotel in Cusco (not included)
• Includes: Transportation, guide, entrance tickets, breakfast, lunch, first aid kit, oxygen balloon.

• Comfortable trekking shoes /boots
• Back pack 20L o 30L
• Shirts /T shirts
• 1 trekking trousers
• Warm jacket
• Coca leaves, chocolate bars, snacks
• Beanie, sunhat and gloves
• Sunscreen, toilet paper
• Sunglasses, water bottle
• Personal medicines (for headaches, anti-inflammatories, prescription medications etc)
• Extra money in soles and small denominations