HIGHTLIGHTS

Palcoyo Mountain is beautiful place to get to an altitude you usually never get to. You will pass by small Andean villages and a lot of Llamas and Alpacas. Once at the base of the palcoyo mountain, you could see one of the three peaks from the parking lot itself. You will be the only ones there, so we pretty much had the mountains to yourselve, which is kind of nice after visiting all the other places in Cusco/Sacred valley which are over-crowded with tourists.

The hike to the summit is mostly, as the locals like to call it, Andean flats, i.e., a gradual incline to the summit. It takes around 35-40 minutes to reach the summit. Once there you will be entertained by your guide with some interesting facts. After the hike, you will take a van then drive to Ttio town where you will your lunch in a loca house.

Why you should hike Palcoyo Mountain with us?

• We skip the crowds!— Everybody else goes to Palcoyo Mountain at the same time. That means they’re all up at the top at the same time. We leave from Cusco at 05:00 am.  You will get the Palccoyo Mountain before the crowd.
• Our chef will prepare your lunch in local family’s house and you will have chance to feed the guinea pigs of the family.
• The lunch is prepared by our AB Expeditions chef. If you have any food restrictions, our chef will take care of it.
• Our drivers drive carefully on the narrow road.
• Our vans are new in a really good conditions.
• Our guide always bring oxygen tanks which is important as you get over 5040 meters/16,500 feet above sea level! Not all travel agencies offer this, so this is definitely something to look out for when choosing the best Rainbow Mountain tour operator.
• Small groups(a máximum 08 people).
• You will take your time and you will enjoy the hike without pressuse.
• Friendly, attentive, tour guides with fluent English and ample knowledge on all things concerning Palcoyo Mountain Peru.
• AB Expeditions is most reliable tour operator. Check out our reviews on Trip Advisor.

PALCCOYO RAINBOW MOUNTAIN ITINERARY

Cusco – Palccoyo – Cusco

We begin our day with pick-up from the hotel at 5:00 am and begin our drive towards the Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain trailhead. Located south of Cusco, we drive for approximately 4 hours in private transport until the trail where we will provide you with a breakfast.

Along the way, we see beautiful Andes mountains as well as lush green valleys, local people working on their land, and hundreds of alpacas and llamas. If we are lucky we will stop for vicuñas and observe them in their natural free state. When we get to Apacheta, we will begin our hike towards Palcoyo Mountain. After hiking for 10 minutes we get the viewpoint from where you enjoy the first Rainbow Mountain. We take pictures and drink our wáter. Then we hike for another 10 minutes we get to the second viewpoint where we will take pictures of the second Mountain. Then we hike another 10 minutes to the third viewpoint and you will be impressed by the third mountain. This viewpoint is the place from where you take the classical Postcard Picture of Palcoyo.

After enjoying the beautiful colorful mountains, we will hike back to the Trailhead. Then we take the van for about 2 hours until Ttio town where will have our lunch in a local house prepared by our Chef. After enjoying our delicious meal, we drive another 1 hour and a half to Cusco. We will drop you off at your hotel at 05 pm roughly.

Stone forest(optional)

If you feel good once you get the third viewpoint, we can hike another 10 minutes to the Stone Forest. You will see beautiful rock formations once you get to the top. The trail is swift and steep. But the view from the top is amazing. You will see Ausangate Mountain in the distance and all 3 Rainbow Mountains. Another good thing to climb is, that you don’t come back by the same trail, you hike in a loop.

• Elevation Gain: 163 m / 534 ft.
• Elevation Loose: 165 m / 541 feet.
• Walking Distance: 3 km / 1.8 miles
• Trailhead Elevation: 4770 m / 15,649 ft.
• Highest point: 4920 m/ 16,141 ft.

INCLUSIONS

Included

• English speaking guide, plus an assistant guide for a big group.
• First aid kit, including oxygen.
• Breakfast and lunch.
• Snacks for the trek.
• Private transportation to and from your hotel in Cusco.
• Entrance fees to Palcoyo Mountain.
• Pick up and drop off from the hotel.
• Pre-Trek briefing the night before the trek to go over the itinerary, meet your guide(s) and answer any questions.

Not Included

Gratitudes for the staff.

WHAT TO BRING FOR PALCCOYO RAINBOW MOUNTAIN

• 1 Liter and half of the water (per person- at least!).
• Water-resistant trekking shoes.
• Warm clothing (thermal underwear, fleece, hat, gloves, and socks).
• Waterproof clothing (poncho).
• Synthetic or cotton clothing (socks, trousers, shorts, t-shirts).
• Sunhat and sunglasses.
• Sun cream.
• Water bottles such as Nalgene.
• Basic medications.
• Walking sticks.
• Personal items.

IMPORTANT INFO 

• Don’t go to the Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain in the afternoon in the rainy season because of lighting. Since the high concentration of mineral. There is a high chance to get stricken by lighting.
• You will enjoy the beauty of the área without flocks of other tourist so that sounds rather appealing to you as well.  Of course you will see Quechua-speaking herders tending to their llamas and alpacas grazing on the land.  don’t hesitate, just go for this alternative tour- before it is too late.
• The walk grants some spectaculars views of the range. Every 100 meters another gorgeous red or Green valley or unique rock formation is to be seen. This another advantage over Classic Rainbow Mountain; you won’t see one beautiful multi-color Mountain. But Many.
• This tour will also incorporate a cultural stop in Checacupe where our guest can walk across a traditionally created Inca Bridge.
• On the alternative Rainbow Mountain hike, the van stops at 4900m (16.076 ft). From the parking you can already see the colorful mountains and you only have to hike up for another 150m (492 feet)or so, along a nice and easy path.
• If you want a better view, at a slow pace you can reach the viewpoint of the Palcoyo mountain range in 45 minutes.
• If you see the Mountain covered with snow in rainy season, just wait! and the snow will melt. However, If you see Mountain covered with snow in dry season. The snow will melt slow beacuse it is frozen.
• The local community have already organized basic infrastructure to welcome visitors. They have proper toilet!.
• The journey begins at a more “prudent” time, around 5 a.m. It is also a 3.5 hour drive and 3.5 hour return trip.

Our Recommendations

• It is recommended for all ages and all genres, It is also a great option for those travelling with their kids.
• We don t recommend to go early to Alternative Rainbow Mountain(Palcoyo). when it is cloudy its colors will be dimmer or darker and if the day is  sunny it will be vibrant colors.
• It is better to visit Machu Picchu and Cusco first, giving you time to adjust to the mountain air.
• If you’re short on time and want to tick-off impressive landscapes in a hurry without committing to much hiking, then Palcoyo is a very interesting option as a day trip.