Vinicunca — the Seven Colour Mountain, also called Rainbow 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.
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. The nearby Red Valley is worth adding if you have the legs for it after the main summit.
The hike itself is short but hard — about an hour and a half from the roadhead at Chillihuani (4,500 metres) to the viewpoint at 5,000. Altitude is what makes it difficult, not distance. Horses are available on the lower section if you need them.
Acclimatise in Cusco for at least two nights before attempting the climb. Water, coca leaves, sun protection and a wind shell for the summit are the essentials. Book at Peruways.
