Vinicunca, better known as Rainbow Mountain or the Seven Color Mountain, sits at 5,200 metres (17,060 feet) in the Vilcanota range about three hours southeast of Cusco. The coloured stripes along its flank are weathered mineral layers — iron oxides in red, chlorite in green, copper sulphates in blue — exposed after a glacier retreated from the ridge in the last decade.
The hike up is short but hard. From the roadhead at Chillihuani (around 4,500 metres), the climb is about an hour and a half to the viewpoint at 5,000 metres. The altitude is what makes it difficult — not the distance. Horses are available on the lower section if you need them.
Peruways runs the Rainbow Mountain day from Cusco with a 4am start, pickup at your hotel, breakfast on the way, and a guide at the top who explains the geology and the Red Valley on the far side (worth adding if you have the legs for it).
Acclimatise in Cusco for at least two nights before attempting the hike. Water, coca leaves, sun protection and a wind shell for the summit are the essentials. Book at Peruways.
