Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain - Day Tour

Of course, you have heard about the magnificent Rainbow Mountain in Peru. Over the past 10 years, the Vinicunca rainbow mountain has become the latest Peruvian phenomenon after Machu Picchu! This colorful gift of Mother Nature has captured the fascination and hearts of many a traveler to Peru, and even Instagrammers! for its remarkable colorful display in the Vilcanota mountain range of the magnificent Andes mountains. However, did you know that the famous Rainbow Mountain is not the only Rainbow Mountain in Peru, or in the same mountain range? Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain is the colorful, quieter sister mountain in the Vilcanota Mountain Range near Ausangate and only receives a fraction of the visitors. Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain is easier to get to and offers spectacular natural landscapes all around. Beyond the stunning panorama of Palcoyo Mountain, you also have the bonus of seeing the other natural features of the region!

The colors of the Rainbow Mountains of Palcoyo are due to marine sediment in the water that once covered the Andes Mountain range. The age of these sediments dates back to about 65 million years ago. Over the years, these sediments formed layers into the color layers of Palcoyo. The movement of tectonic plates in the area raised these sedimentary deposits that became the mountains. The colors of the Palcoyo Mountain in Peru are caused by the natural minerals found throughout this magnificent stripy mountain range. Minerals such as sulfur and iron, as well as many others, paint the rolling Andean scenery. The red tints are produced by iron oxide. The rainbow-like appearance is created by the sediment of the different minerals. This gives the mountain its red, lilac, turquoise, and gold stripes.

On a Palcoyo Rainbow mountain tour, you actually get 3 for 1! What a bargain! Palcoyo consists of 3 rainbow-colored mountains, a sweeping red valley, the stone forest of Ccacca Loma with spectacular rock formations, agricultural terraces carved into the mountains, and awe-inspiring views of the sacred Apu Ausanagate Mountain in the distance. You will also exchange the thousands of tourists that visit Rainbow Mountain every day for rural farming communities, llama herders, alpacas, and scenery to knock your socks off! Not only is the Palcoyo Mountain is included on this trip, but the red valleys and surrounding terrain are also a sight to behold. All around you, you can marvel at the never-ending grasslands and rolling hills of the Andes. These are home to numerous alpacas, birds, and the small native farming communities of the Vilcanota mountain range. If you are up for an extra 20 minute walk uphill, you can visit the otherworldly stone forest, found at an elevation of 4900 m / 16,076 ft. This unique geographical feature is full of tall, standing stones, giving the illusion of a forest of trees, made of stone!

The kaleidoscopic mountains of Palcoyo offer a more relaxed, more remote, more spectacular, more varied, and more astounding surrounding scenery than its more famous counterpart, with fewer travelers, less altitude, less walking distance, and less stress! The Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain Trek is perfect for a family hike or for those who are not used to hiking long distances at high elevations. This Trek is much less demanding and is only a 45-minute stroll, the perfect option if you’re not used to trekking long distances. These Rainbow Mountains are a better option if you have any physical issues or problems with acclimatization, as it is a less strenuous hike. (You will still need to acclimatize for 2 days in Cusco, prior to the trek).

Visit the Palcoyo Rainbow Mountains when you travel to the Cusco region and enjoy lesser-visited spectacular nature in this spectacular section of the Andes!

• Base elevation: 4,700m / 15,400 ft
• Top elevation: 4,900m / 16,076 ft
• Elevation gain during the trek: 200 m / 656 ft.
• Difficulty Level: Easy.
• Duration Trip from Cusco: 10 hours approximately