Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain Tour The Easy Rainbow Mountain from Cusco
Three rainbow ridges at 4,900 m with only a 1-hour gentle hike and a fraction of Vinicunca’s crowds. Hotel pickup, breakfast, lunch and entrance included — US $45 per person.
Palcoyo (Palccoyo) is the rainbow mountain for travelers who want the colors without the hard climb. Our Palcoyo tour from Cusco picks you up at 4:00 AM, stops for an Andean breakfast in the village of Palccoyo and drives you up to the trailhead at 4,800 m. From there it is about one easy hour on foot to the 4,900 m viewpoint, where three striped ridges, a natural stone forest and the snow-capped Ausangate range open up in front of you — usually with far fewer people than at Vinicunca. Transport, breakfast, lunch, the entrance fee, a bilingual guide and oxygen are all included for US $45 per person (minimum 2 travelers), and you are back in Cusco around 4:00 PM.
The drive is part of the experience: the road follows the Vilcanota valley past adobe villages, highland farms, llamas and alpacas before climbing into the hills of Palcoyo. The colors come from mineral layers — iron-oxide reds, sulfur yellows and copper greens — exposed over millions of years. Your guide explains how the Quechua communities who look after this land live, the pace stays relaxed and oxygen and a first-aid kit travel with the group all day.
Follow the Vilcanota valley past adobe villages, farmland and grazing alpacas on the way to Palcoyo.
Three rainbow ridges
See three striped mountains side by side, colored by layers of iron, sulfur and copper minerals.
Stone forest & Ausangate views
Walk among the rock towers of Palcoyo’s stone forest, with the glaciers of Ausangate (6,384 m) on the horizon.
Living Quechua culture
Meet the herding communities of Palccoyo and learn how they live above 4,000 m, from guides who know the area well.
Photographer’s paradise
Fewer people means clean shots of the ridges, the rock towers and the llamas and alpacas grazing nearby.
Easy, accessible hike
About one hour each way on a wide, gradual path — a great choice for families, older travelers and anyone who wants an easier day.
Tour at a glance
Duration
Full Day · 12 h
Price
From US $45 per person
Hotel pickup
4:00 AM
Back in Cusco
4:00 PM
Max altitude
4,900 m
Walking
≈1 h up + 1 h down
Difficulty
Easy
Drive from Cusco
about 3.5 h
Meals
Breakfast + lunch
Entrance fees
Included
Group size
Small group, max 14 travelers
Last-minute booking
Until 11:00 PM the night before
Book today, travel tomorrow
Online booking stays open until 5 hours before hotel pickup (Cusco time). With a 4:00 AM pickup you can book until 11:00 PM the night before — the calendar updates by itself. You receive your confirmation by email as soon as you pay. Need a seat even sooner? Message us on WhatsApp and we will check availability for you.
A relaxed, scenic day: early pickup, Andean breakfast, an easy hike to the viewpoint and back in Cusco by late afternoon.
FULL DAY
Full Day · Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain
04:00 AMHotel pickup in Cusco. We pick you up at your hotel and drive about 3 hours southeast along the Vilcanota valley to the village of Palccoyo (3,900 m).
07:00 AMAndean breakfast. A warm breakfast in Palccoyo, then about one more hour by road up to the trailhead at 4,800 m.
09:00 AMEasy hike to the viewpoint. A gentle one-hour walk takes you to the 4,900 m viewpoint, facing the three rainbow ridges. Free time for photos and for the stone forest.
11:00 AMDescent. We walk back down at an easy pace — about one hour — to the trailhead and the vehicle.
01:00 PMBuffet lunch. Lunch at a local restaurant on the way back to Cusco.
04:00 PMBack in Cusco. Drop-off at your hotel in Cusco around 4:00 PM, depending on traffic.
Good to know: The walk stays between 4,800 and 4,900 m. Some travelers feel mild altitude symptoms (soroche), so your guide carries oxygen and a first-aid kit all day. Times are approximate and may change with weather and road conditions.
Inclusions & exclusions
Exactly what your Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain tour covers — and the little you may want to budget separately.
What's Included
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cusco, in a comfortable tourist vehicle.
Andean breakfast in Palccoyo.
Buffet lunch on the way back.
Snack for the journey.
Palcoyo entrance fee.
Professional bilingual guide (English and Spanish).
Oxygen and first-aid kit.
Not Included
Tips for the guide and driver (optional).
Travel insurance.
Personal expenses — extra drinks, souvenirs and roadside toilets.
Before you go
A few tips to make your Palcoyo day comfortable and safe.
Acclimatize first
Spend at least 2 days in Cusco (3,400 m) before this tour. The walk is short, but Palcoyo still reaches 4,900 m. Drink plenty of water, try coca tea, eat light the night before and walk slowly. Your guide carries oxygen.
Physical fitness
The hike is easy: about 1 hour up from the trailhead (4,800 m) to the viewpoint (4,900 m) and 1 hour back down on a wide, gradual path. If you can walk slowly for an hour, you can do it — the only real challenge is the altitude, so spend two days in Cusco first.
Best time to go
The dry season, April to October, brings clearer skies and brighter colors. From December to March, rain and clouds can mute the stripes and the trail can get muddy. We run the tour all year.
Sun & weather
The Andean sun is intense at 4,900 m. Bring sunscreen SPF 50+, a wide-brim hat, sunglasses and lip balm with SPF, and dress in layers: early morning is close to freezing, midday can feel warm in the sun.
Cancellations & weather
Full refund for cancellations made 30 days or more before the tour (the full scale is in the pricing section). If weather or road conditions make the trip unsafe (snowstorms, closed roads), we offer a free new date or a full refund. Safety always comes first. See our refund policy.
What to pack
Travel light but smart. Here's exactly what we recommend bringing for a comfortable, safe day at altitude.
Essentials
Passport — required for the entrance ticket.
Hiking boots (broken in) — terrain is rocky & uneven.
Clear prices with no hidden fees. Minimum booking: 2 travelers.
Group Type
Group Size
Price / Person
What's Different
Shared group Most popular
2 – 14 travelers
US $45 / pp
Mixed international group · set 4:00 AM departure
Private service ★ Best experience
From 2 travelers
US $145 / pp
Your group only · own guide & vehicle · your pace
Adolescents & children
0–17 years, shared group
US $42.75 / pp
5% off the adult price
Group discount
3+ travelers, shared group
From US $40.50 / pp
4% (3–4), 7% (5–7), 10% (8–14) — automatic
Discounts are applied automatically in the booking box: 4% for 3–4 travelers, 7% for 5–7 and 10% for 8–14 in a shared group. The private service is a flat US $145 per traveler, any age. For groups larger than 14, message us on WhatsApp.
Payment & refund highlights
Secure online payment
Pay with Visa, MasterCard, American Express. All transactions SSL-encrypted via Izipay.
Cancellation policy
We accept cancellations up to 24 hours before the tour when a verifiable emergency prevents you from attending. Refunds go back to your original payment method and are processed by your bank, not by us: any bank fees are applied by the bank, and the money can take up to 30 business days to reach your account. Thank you for your patience. Read the full policy.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often. More? See the full FAQ page or reach us on WhatsApp.
Palcoyo is in the Checacupe district, Canchis province, in the Cusco region of Peru — about 3.5 hours by road southeast of the city of Cusco.
The trailhead is at about 4,800 m and the main viewpoint at about 4,900 m (16,076 ft) above sea level.
Instead of a single striped mountain, Palcoyo shows three rainbow ridges side by side, plus a natural stone forest and views of the Ausangate glacier (6,384 m). You get Vinicunca-style colors with a much gentler walk and far fewer visitors.
About 1 hour from the trailhead to the main viewpoint and 1 hour back, on a wide path. It is one of the easiest rainbow-mountain hikes near Cusco.
The dry season, April to October, has the clearest skies, and May to September is the most stable. From December to March it can rain and clouds sometimes hide the colors, but the tour runs all year.
Vinicunca is more famous and its stripes are more intense, but the hike takes about 4.5 hours. Palcoyo shows three colorful ridges with a 1-hour easy walk and far fewer people. Choose Palcoyo for an easy day or for families; choose Vinicunca, or Vinicunca by ATV, if you want the iconic view.
Yes. Online booking for the Palcoyo stays open until 5 hours before hotel pickup (Cusco time). Pickup is at 4:00 AM, so you can book until 11:00 PM the night before. Pick your date in the calendar — any date still shown as available can be booked — and you will get your confirmation by email as soon as you pay.
US $45 per person in a shared group (minimum 2 travelers), including hotel pickup in Cusco, breakfast, lunch, the Palcoyo entrance fee, a bilingual guide and oxygen. A private tour is US $145 per person. Adolescents and children pay US $42.75, and shared groups of 3 or more get an automatic 4–10% discount.
Yes. Bookings start at 2 travelers, for both the shared and the private tour. Traveling solo? Message us on WhatsApp and we will check whether we can add you to a group.
Yes — it is one of the easiest high-altitude walks near Cusco. The trail is wide and gradual. The altitude (4,900 m) still matters, so everyone should spend two days in Cusco first.
