Palcoyo Rainbow Mountains: A fantastic alternative tour to the popular “Rainbow Mountain", Palcoyo offers a more relaxed and peaceful place option that is best for those who don’t want to hike 3 hours round trip, providing an amazing view of 3 distinct rainbow mountains, the stone forest, and the Ausangate glacier in the distance in only a short 30 minute walk (one way).
Checacupe 3 bridges: Checacupe is a special place where you will see 3 different bridges and have the opportunity to cross the Inca bridge, which is an amazing experience.
Don't miss our excursions to Rainbow Mountain, a true spiritual portal to the Andean gods and Pachamama. We guarantee unique and unforgettable experiences. We also offer two-day tours, and we can put together complete packages for your trip to Cusco, including this wonderful adventure.
The adventure begins very early with our team picking you up from your hotel at 06:00 hrs. and heading to the small village of Checacupe (located south of Cusco). Where we will make a stop to see an Inca and a colonial bridge and also to grab some last-minute items like drinks, snacks, sunblock, rainponcho, etc.
After the short stop, we continue one more hour to the base camp. Once we arrive there, we take a short and gradual uphill walk (30–45 minutes) to the Palcoyo Pass (4880 m/16,000 ft). Here you will have spectacular panoramic views of the 3 Rainbow Mountains and the spectacular Palccoyo peaks as well, as well as the highest mountain in the Cusco region (Ausangate) and also the Stone Forest at the highest point. We will spend 1 hour at the pass taking pictures and enjoying the spectacular view.
Once we are done enjoying the scenery, we walk back down the same way to the base camp. We now take our private transport to the village called Cusipata to enjoy a delicious, freshly prepared, hot lunch.
After lunch, we will catch our private van back to Cusco.
Unlike Vinicunca, the Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain is a lesser-known attraction and therefore less crowded during the day. Reaching this tourist attraction is much easier because it includes only a 1-hour hike and the altitude is also much lower. From its summit, you can appreciate the Ausangate snow-capped mountain like nowhere else. Additionally, there is a forest of stones and a unique landscape all around.
| Diferencias | Montaña Palcoyo | Montaña Vinicunca |
| Atractivos | Montaña de los 7 Colores de Palcoyo. | Montaña de los 7 Colores Vinicunca. |
| Altura | 4,900 m.s.n.m. | 5,200 m.s.n.m. |
| Dificultad | Fácil | Difícil |
| Tiempo de caminata | 1 hora (2 kilómetros). | 3 horas (5 kilómetros) |
| ¿Necesita caballo? | No | Sí (opcional) |
| Número de visitantes | Bastantes | Pocos |
| Clima | Frío | Frío |
The Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain is located south of Cusco in the Checacupe district and Canchis province, a short distance from the Ausangate snow-capped mountain, in the Andes Mountains of Peru.
Tours of Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain are only available in the mornings and part of the afternoon. Due to the cold weather, the opening hours are from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The best time of year and month to visit Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain is during the dry season (April to October). Rainfall is less frequent during these months, making the hike easier.
You must purchase an entrance ticket in the town of Palcoyo. The cost for foreigners is 10 soles (3 dollars). Domestic tourists pay 5 soles (2 dollars). If you booked with us, the ticket is included.
Inca Trail Machu Picchu 4 days Inca Trail Machu Picchu 2 days Inca Trail Machu Picchu 1 days Inca Trail + Wayna Picchu 3D Inca Trail + Wayna Picchu 5D Inca Trail + Wayna Picchu 2D Luxury Inca Trail 4 days
Short Inca Trail + Salkantay 6 days Classic Inca Trail + Salkantay 7 days
Salkantay Machu Picchu 5 days Salkantay Machu Picchu 4 days Salkantay Machu Picchu 3 days Salkantay & Humantay lake 2 days
Choquequirao 4 days Choquequirao 5 days Choquequirao Machu Picchu 7 days Choquequirao Machu Picchu 8 days Choquequirao Machu Picchu 9 days
Inca Jungle Machu Picchu 3 days Inca Jungle Machu Picchu 4 days
Manu Cultural Area 3 days Manu Cultural Area 4 days Manu, Reserved Zone 5 days Manu Reserved Area 6 days Manu Reserved Area 7 days Manu Park, Pakitza 8 days
Inca Trail + Cachicata 5 days Lares Machu Picchu 4 days Cachicata Machu Picchu 4 days Sacred Valley Machu Picchu 3 days
Inti Raymi 2025 Machu Picchu Full Day Humantay Lake Rainbow Mountain Palcoyo Mountain 7 lakes of Ausangate Classic Sacred Valley Sacred Valley VIP Chonta, Condor Viewpoint Cusco City Tour Cusco - South Valley
Haley R
June 13, 2025
Henrry was a thoughtful and passionate guide! He had so much to share about local history, geography, ecology and culture! He was able to include out kids (ages 11 and 13) in engaging ways. It is evident he is passionate about his work. He also did a great job of balancing multiple hiking experience levels on our group hike.
Elvia A
June 13, 2025
Inka trail was an absolute unforgettable experience. I can say it was tough, but with Henry’s help it was a huge success! Thank you for having guides like him. People I can count on♥️. I would. Definitely recommend you guys with their own experience they want to accomplish!
Eric R
June 13, 2025
Our guide Henry provided us with an excellent time hiking the Inca Trail. He was super knowledgeable about all of the sites that we visited along the trail. Henry did a great job of interacting and encouraging our 13 and 11 year old along the hike. On the next day of our tour, Henry led us through Machu Pichu to explain in great depth the history and different aspects of the site. We had a really great experience and would recommend this tour company and especially our guide Henry to other families. Henry went above and beyond and created a short video slide show for us of the trek as a special treat for our family. Please note the hike was in total about 12 kilometers and had a lot of stairs, so it was a strenuous hike, but so worth it once we reached the Sun Gate and looked down upon Machu Pichu!
EMc
June 11, 2025
Der Reiseleiter hat die verschiedene Sehenswürdigkeiten sehr gut erklärt und die tolle Aussichten haben sich die beschwerliche Aufstieg mehr als bezahlt gemacht. Obwohl man Macchu Picchu in zahlreichen Videos und Berichte gesehen hat, muss man diesen Ort wirklich selber erleben.
Demonstrating our commitment to quality, we hold ISO 9001 certification, ensuring excellence in our services.
With ISO 14001, we prioritize environmental sustainability, reducing our impact on the planet.
We're honored to be recognized with the Traveler's Choice Award in 2024, a testament to our dedication to exceptional travel experiences.
We are an official agency and tour operator, ensuring a unique and high-quality travel experience to the destinations of your choice in Cusco and Peru.
