By air
Cusco (CUZ), ~3 h by road
South America · Peru
Rainbow Mountain, Peru
A striped mountain in the high Andes
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September — dry season
Don't miss
Vinicunca
The Red Valley
Ausangate's glaciers
Palcoyo
Things to do
The early-morning hike
The alternative Palcoyo rainbow mountains
Where to eat
What to pack
Warm layers, sun protection; acclimatise in Cusco first
A quieter corner
The Red Valley beside it
Questions travellers ask
How do I get to Rainbow Mountain?
It's about 3 h by road from Cusco (CUZ). Acclimatise in Cusco first.
When is the best time to hike Rainbow Mountain?
May to September, the dry season. It's an early-morning hike; pack warm layers and sun protection.
Is there an alternative to Rainbow Mountain?
Yes — the Palcoyo rainbow mountains. And don't miss the Red Valley beside Rainbow Mountain, or Ausangate's glaciers.
What will I eat on a Rainbow Mountain trip?
Expect coca tea and packed breakfasts.
About Rainbow Mountain
- Mountains
Where it is
Rainbow Mountain, or Vinicunca, is a peak of just over 5,000 m in the Andes of the Cusco region of Peru, south-east of Cusco near the glaciated Ausangate massif.
History
Its stripes come from layers of mineral-rich sediment, from red iron-bearing claystones to whitish sandstones and marls, laid down over millions of years and tilted by the rise of the Andes. Long known mainly to local Quechua herders, for whom the surrounding peaks, above all Ausangate, are sacred, it drew mass tourism from the mid-2010s.
People
The mountain lies on the lands of Quechua herding communities, among them Chillihuani and Pampachiri, who raise alpacas and llamas and now also work as guides and horse handlers for hikers. Many wear the region's bright hand-woven clothing, and Quechua is their first language.
Known for
- The striped slopes of Vinicunca
- A high-altitude hike to about 5,000 m
- The Red Valley
- Views of Ausangate's glaciers
- Alpacas and llamas grazing the puna
Did you know?
The Vinicunca viewpoint, at around 5,000 m, is higher than the summit of Mont Blanc, the tallest peak in the Alps.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.