Vinicunca — Rainbow Mountain — is a striped Andean ridge above 5,000 meters south of Cusco, with mineral bands running across it in red, orange, green, and blue. Peruways runs guided day trips out from Cusco.
The colors come from different mineral layers oxidizing at different rates over millions of years — iron oxide for the red, iron sulfide for the yellow, chlorite for the green. Walking up to the viewpoint is basically walking a geological cross-section.
Our guides are Cusco-based and know the trail. The walk is short (about 90 minutes each way) but the altitude is serious — the viewpoint sits above 5,000 meters, which is higher than most travelers are used to. We pace the walk, carry oxygen, and have horses available at the trailhead for travelers who’d rather skip the first climb.
Book your Vinicunca trip with Peruways. We’ll handle the long day at altitude and get you to the ridge comfortably.
