Vinicunca — the Rainbow Mountain — is the most photographed peak in the Cordillera Vilcanota, but the same geological story plays out at Palcoyo, Pallay Punchu and the Red Valley, all within a few hours of Cusco. Peruways runs guided day-trips to each, with Quechua guides from the communities who hold the land. The ridges got their red, ochre and turquoise bands from iron and sulphur weathering out of sediment, and they only became visible in the last fifteen years as glaciers retreated. The Palcoyo variant is a gentler hike for travellers who want the colours without the 5,200 m summit of Vinicunca. Book your Rainbow Mountain day with Peruways and we’ll handle the 4 a.m. pickup and the ticket at the community checkpoint.
