Red Valley Peru Information

The Red Valley Peru is located close to Classic Rainbow Mountain and Majestic Ausangate Mountain. This Valley is utterly unique in its wonderful appearance. One of the most vivid colors of the Valley is red. The red coloration is distinct in its layers on the mountainside. The red coloration is a result of rust due to the iron oxide present in the rocks

Helpful Info:

Age Restrictions: There is no, but we recommend those over 7 years old.
Bathroom: There isn’t a bathroom along the trail for Red Valley.
Height: 5,053 meters/ 8,923 feet.
Cost: The entrance fee to the Red Valley is 20 Soles. you pay 10 soles at the beginning and 10 at the end of the trail.
Location: The Red Valley is located in Pitumarca and Cusipata district, Province Canchis. It is 3 hours from Cusco town.
Hiking time: From the Rainbow Mountain trailhead to Red Valley is 50 minutes(round trip)
Fauna: we can find alpacas, llamas, vicuñas, andean condors, kestrels, andean dears, among others
Advantages: You will escape from the crowd.
Disadvantages: Extra effort, not many people will go there because they feel tired after the Rainbow mountain hike.
Difficulty:

Short trail: Easy-Moderate
Long Trail: Moderate – Difficult

Walking distance :

Short trail: 970 meters / 0.60 miles.
Loong trail: 1.2 km/ 0.74 miles.

Finding the trail to the Red Valley Peru

The trail to red valley Peru is just above the last horse stop point on the way up to the final climb to the rainbow mountain, you will see a small path to the right of you with a rope. After 10 minutes of hiking, you will meet local people who charge the entrance fee. They are exactly where the short and long trail split so they can help you to choose.

The Trail

The trail to Red Valley is through dirt path and well-established paths. The walk is not really dangerous, but it will require all your strength. As the trail gets closer to the viewpoint of Red Valley, the trail becomes steeper and more challenging.

Short Trail

This trail starts from Rainbow Mountain. At the beginning is flat for about 15 minutes then is uphill. We recommend this trail for those who don’t have much time and still want to see this amazing Red Valley. Most tour groups take this option. It only takes 25 minutes (one way).

Long Trail

This trail start from Rainbow Mountain too. You hike for about 20 minutes flat then it will be uphill all the way up. In order to avoid walking back the same way you had come, you can take the longer alternative path down from the Red Valley Viewpoint to the Rainbow Mountain car park. We recommend this option for those who have time and want to avoid the crowd. It takes 40 minutes (one way).

Useful information

The Red Valley viewpoint is far less crowded than Classic Rainbow Mountain, which has hundreds of people when you arrive at the top at about 10 am.
Book in small groups, they leave early Cusco so they have more chances to visit the Red Valley Peru.
The route to the Red Valley is the same that leads to the mountain of Vinicunca
Male sure that Red Valley Peru is included in your Rainbow Mountain trek. It will actually make your day!
Make sure that you are correctly adapted to the altitude – it’s not an easy trek if you aren’t.
Don’t go to the Red Valley 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.