The distance between Cusco and the Rainbow Mountain is 140 kilometers by this route.
Although in kilometers there is not much distance, the journey will take you 1 hour and 15 minutes, with Cusipata being your first stop. Take advantage of this town to eat something or do some shopping.
Then you must go to the Llacto camp. On the route you will come across a gate where you will pay S/ 10.00 for entry to the Rainbow Mountain.
Once you arrive at Llacto, you will begin the 1 hour and 30 minute walk until you reach the Rainbow Mountain.
Three hours from the city of Cusco you will find a colorful and wonderful place, where nature did one of its most beautiful works. In this land blessed by the Incas, the Rainbow Mountain or Vinicunca, as it is also known, is the ideal place to visit. A paradise for lovers of trekking and responsible tourism.
This mountain is one of the most visited destinations by travelers from all over Peru and the world, thanks to its captivating landscape. In addition, its surprising hiking circuit focuses on the imposing and beautiful Ausangate snow-capped mountain. This has caused more than two thousand people to pass through there daily, making its care essential, since it is a very fragile ecosystem, where the presence of endangered wildlife predominates, such as the Andean condor, vicuñas, Andean cats and more. If you have made the decision to take this tour, rest assured that you will not regret it, but first, write down these details so that you can make the most of your trip.
The 7-color mountain is located 1 hour walk from the community of Llacto, in the district of Cusipata, province of Quispicanchi, department of Cusco.
In the morning from 4:00 to 4:30 a.m., we will pick you up at your hotel in Cusco to make the trip to the Mountain of 7 Colors, located in the southern part of the Cusco region, from the beginning we will travel for approximately 3 hours by tourist transport, first we will pass through the town of Quiquijana, then continue through Cusipata, and then we will arrive at Chillihuani, where we will have breakfast, then we will continue traveling until we reach Llacto, where we will begin our 1 hour walk to the highest point of the Mountain of 7 Colors, during this journey we will have the opportunity to see the different varieties of South American camelids, beautiful landscapes and birds, arrived at the Mountain of 7 Colors, we will have free time to take pictures of this enigmatic place. Afterwards, we will continue with our return walk to the starting point, then we will go by tourist transport to Chillihuani, where we will make a stop for lunch, then we will return to Cusco, where we will arrive at approximately 6:00 p.m.
The service includes:
Pick up from your hotel in Cusco
Tourist transport
1 breakfast
1 buffet lunch
Professional English – Spanish guide
Entrance to the Mountain of 7 Colors
First aid kit
Oxygen cylinder
Taking the city of Cusco as a reference, from there you have to take the transport to the town of Cusipata, passing through Oropesa, Andahuaylillas and Quiquijana on the route. If you dare to move by public transport, you can take the bus in Huayruropata, very close to the Indoor Coliseum of the city of Cusco (price S/ 8.00).
Although the distance in kilometers is not very long, the journey will take you 1 hour and 15 minutes, with Cusipata being your first stop. Take advantage of this town to eat something, do some shopping or go to the bathroom, since from there on, you will not find good services. Right there you can take a van (in front of the Cusipata municipality) to the Llacto camp. On the route you will come across a gate where you will pay S/ 10.00 to enter the Mountain of 7 Colors.
Once you arrive at Llacto, you will begin the 1 hour and 30 minute walk until you reach the Mountain of 7 Colors.
The entrance to the Mountain of 7 Colors costs S/ 10.00 for national tourists and S/ 20.00 for foreign tourists.
Horse rental on the route costs S/ 80.00 or USD 25.00 round trip, if you wish you can also rent it one way or return and pay half.
In Cusco, the rainy season is cloudy, the dry season is partly cloudy and it is cool year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically ranges from 0°C to 19°C and rarely drops below -2°C or rises above 22°C.
Based on the tourism score, the best times of year to visit Cusco for warm weather activities are from mid-April to late October.
The temperature at the Rainbow Mountain ranges from 5°C to 18°C.
The Rainbow Mountain is located at 5200 meters above sea level.
The difficulty of the hike to the Rainbow Mountain is medium. You have to walk 3 km for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Depending on your physical condition.
Bring sunscreen and sunglasses. The dry season runs from March to November and is accompanied by bright sunshine, so you need to protect yourself properly.
Hydrate yourself properly. Bring a bottle of water or rehydrating drinks for your journey.
Don't overexert yourself. If you consider it necessary, use a climbing stick or take the additional horse service.
Bring snacks with you. There are no places to buy food along the way, so it is good to have some snacks to replenish energy and overcome any difficulty.
Bring what you need in your backpack. Protect your back. Bring warm clothes and a poncho for the rainy season (December – April)
