RAINBOW MOUNTAIN FULL DAY HIKE

MEALS

• Meals as indicated in the itinerary (1x Breakfast, 1x Lunch)
• Meals can be accommodated for any dietary requirements such as vegetarian or vegan. Please let us know in advance if you have certain preferences, so we can plan ahead.

TRANSPORTATION

• Pick-up from your hotel in Cusco to the starting point of the trek.
• Transportation back to Cusco (drop-off at Plaza San Francisco).

LOCAL GUIDES & TEAM

• English/Spanish speaking professional guide, plus an assistant guide for groups over 12.
• All our trekking guides have a minimum of 3 years of guiding experience and are certified. They carry a first aid kit with them, as well as an extra oxygen bottle in case of emergencies. 

TICKETS & BRIEFING

• Briefing: You will have a meeting with your guide in our office to go over all the details regarding your tour. The orientation will be between 5:00-7:30 pm at our office in Cusco the day before departure.
• Entrance ticket to Rainbow Mountain.

• Meals, beverages or other snacks not mentioned in the program (dinner not included).
• Other activities or excursions that are indicated as optional or not mentioned in the itinerary.

There are two aspects that affect the difficulty of this day hike: the altitude and the steep uphill climb.

The trek starts at an altitude of 4,650m and you will hike for 1.5 hours up to Vinicunca Pass, which is the classic viewpoint of the colourful Rainbow Mountain, located at 5,040m. 

The hike is not long, but a very steep, uphill climb, with an elevation gain of approximately 400m. This can be very demanding. Of course, others will find the return trip down even more challenging! Steep inclines can be very hard on the knees.

Please make sure you are well acclimatized before beginning the hike. We also recommend hiking poles that improve posture, making hikers more upright as they walk and in turn this can help breathing.

Rainbow Mountain has a very high altitude – you will hike over 5,000m, which is why acclimatization is very important!

The best way to prepare yourself for this trekking experiencee is easy: spend at least 2 to 3 days at a high-altitude place like Cusco, so your body gets used to the high altitude. If you have already been to a high altitude destination before arriving to Cusco, we still recommend you spend at least one full day in Cusco to rest, recuperate from your trip, and enjoy the beautiful views of the city before your trek.

Additionally, taking good care of your body helps deal with the extra pressures that altitude creates. We recommend you to eat healthy food, drink lots of water and stay away from alcohol. Chewing coca leaves, drinking coca tea helps to alleviate any discomfort associated with the altitude.

We have two main seasons in the Andes Moutnains, the rainy season (November-March) and the dry season (April-October).

During the rainy, warmer season temperatures average around 15°C / 60°F during the day and 5°C / 40°F at night. However, these temperatures may feel a lot colder to you.

During the dry season the weather is sunny and clear, and on average 20° C / 70 °F during the day but much colder at night, around -3 °C / 26 °F.