How to get to Rainbow Mountain

How to get to Rainbow Mountain

Three hours from the city of Cusco you will find a colorful and wonderful place, where nature did one of its most beautiful works. In this land blessed by the Incas, the Mountain of 7 Colors or Vinicunca, as it is also known, is the ideal place to visit. A paradise for lovers of trekking and responsible tourism.

This mountain is one of the most visited destinations by travelers from all over Peru and the world, thanks to its captivating landscape. In addition, its surprising walking circuit focuses on the imposing and beautiful snow-capped Ausangate. This has caused more than two thousand people to pass through there daily, making its care essential, since it is a very fragile ecosystem, in which the presence of endangered wildlife predominates, such as the Andean condor, vicuñas, Andean cats and more. If you have made the decision to take this tour, rest assured that you will not regret it, but first, write down these details so that you can make the most of your trip.

Location

The mountain of 7 colors is located 1 hour walk from the community of Llacto, in the district of Cusipata, province of Quispicanchi, department of Cusco.

How to get there on your own?

Taking the city of Cusco as a reference, from there it is time to take transportation to the town of Cusipata, passing through Oropesa, Andahuaylillas and Quiquijana on the route. If you dare to get around by public transportation, you can take the bus in Huayruropata, very close to the Closed Coliseum in the city of Cusco (price S/ 8.00).

Although there is not much distance in kilometers, the journey will take you 1 hour and 15 minutes, with Cusipata being your first stop. Take advantage of this town to eat something, do some shopping or go to the bathroom since, from then on, you will not find good services. Right there you can grab a van (in front of the municipality of Cusipata) to the Llacto camp. On the route you will come across a gate where you will pay S/ 10.00 to enter the Montaña de 7 Colores.

Once you arrive at Llacto, you will begin the 1 hour and 30 minute walk until you reach the Mountain of 7 Colors.

Here is the map or route that you must follow to reach the mountain of 7 colors.

How to get there with a Travel Agency?

In the morning from 4:00 to 4:30 a.m., we will pick you up at your hotel in Cusco to make the trip to the Mountain of 7 Colors, located in the southern part of the Cusco region, from the beginning we will travel during 3 hours approx. By tourist transport, we will first pass through the town of Quiquijana, and then continue through Cusipata, and then we will arrive at Chillihuani, where we will have breakfast, then we will continue traveling until we reach Llacto, where we will begin our 1-hour walk to the highest point. At the top of the Mountain of 7 Colors, during this journey we will have the opportunity to see the different varieties of South American camelids, beautiful landscapes and birds. Upon arrival at the Mountain of 7 Colors, we will have free time to take photographs of this enigmatic place. Afterwards, we will continue with our return walk to the starting point, then we will go by tourist transport to Chillihuani, where we will stop for lunch, then we will return to Cusco, where we will arrive at 6:00 p.m. approx.

The service includes:

  • Pick up from your hotel in Cusco
  • Tourist transportation
  • 1 breakfast
  • 1 buffet lunch
  • Professional guide English – Spanish
  • Entry to the Mountain of 7 Colors
  • First aid kit
  • Oxygen balloon

Why is it Colored?

At the request of the community of Pitumarca, the Cultural Landscape office of the Decentralized Directorate of Culture of Cusco prepared a study to obtain technical information about these mountains and offer it to tourists.

The report revealed that the colors of the mountains are due to their mineralogical composition: the pink color is due to red clay, mudstones (mud) and arilites (sand). The whitish, due to the white quartz sandstone. The brown, brown and purple ones, due to limonites and marls, rich in calcium carbonate.

Red is composed of claystones (iron) and clays belonging to the upper Tertiary. The green is due to the compound of phyllites and clays rich in ferromagnesia. The earthy brown is a product of fanglomerate composed of rock with manganese belonging to the Quaternary era. And the mustard yellow color due to the calcareous sandstones rich in sulfide minerals.

The Colors of the Mountain

  • Pink or fuchsia: mixture of red clay, mudstones (mud) and sand.
  • Whitish: sandstone (quartz sand) and limestone.
  • Purple or lavender: loam (mixture of clay and calcium carbonate) and silicates.
  • Red: argillites and clays.
  • Green: clays rich in ferromagnesian (a mixture of iron and magnesium) and copper oxide.
  • Yellowish brown, mustard or golden: limonites, calcareous sandstones rich in sulfide minerals (combined with sulfur).

Entry

The entrance to the Mountain of 7 Colors has a price of S/ 10.00 for national tourists and S/ 20.00 for foreign tourists.

Horse

Horse rental on the route has a cost of S/ 80.00 or USD 25.00 round trip, if you wish you can also rent it only one way and you would pay half.

Climate

In Cusco, the rainy season is cloudy, the dry season is partly cloudy, and it is cool all year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature generally varies from 0°C to 19°C and rarely drops below -2°C or rises above 22°C.

Based on the tourism score, the best times of year to visit Cusco for hot weather activities are from mid-April to the end of October.

Month T Max T Min. Climate
January 18.5ºC 6ºC With rain
February 18ºC 6ºC With rain
March 18.5ºC 6ºC With rain
April 19ºC 4ºC Dry
May 19ºC 2ºC Dry
June 18.5ºC 0ºC Dry
July 18ºC 0ºC Dry
August 19ºC 1ºC Dry
September 19ºC 3ºC Dry
October 20ºC 5ºC Dry
November 20ºC 5ºC With rain
December 18ºC 6ºC With rain

Temperature

The temperature in the Mountain of 7 Colors ranges between 5°C to 18°C.

Height

The Mountain of 7 colors is located at 5200 meters above sea level.

Difficulty

The difficulty of the hike to the mountain of 7 colors is medium. You have to walk 3 km for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. According to physical condition.

Recommendations

  • Bring sunscreen and sunglasses. The dry season runs from March to November and is accompanied by bright sunshine, so it is necessary to protect yourself properly.
  • Hydrate properly. Bring a bottle of water or rehydration drinks for your journey.
  • Don’t make too much effort. If you find it necessary, use a climbing stick or take the additional service of horses.
  • Carry snacks. There are no places to buy food along the way, so it is good to have some snacks to replenish energy and overcome any difficulties.
  • Carry what you need in your backpack. Protect your back.
  • You wear warm clothes and a poncho for the rainy season (December – April)

Cusco and Machu Picchu Trips

Contact With Machu Picchu Peru Travel

Contact Form Demo
7 Lakes Trek Ausangate 1-Day Trip From Cusco

7 Lakes Trek Ausangate 1-Day Trip From Cusco

View Tour
Tour Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley 1 Day

Tour Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley 1 Day

Duration:
1 Day
View Tour
Rainbow Mountain Tour 2 Days

Rainbow Mountain Tour 2 Days

Duration:
2 Days
View Tour
Tour Palcoyo Mountain hike 1 Day

Tour Palcoyo Mountain hike 1 Day

Duration:
1 Day
View Tour
Pallay Punchu 1 Day Trek

Pallay Punchu 1 Day Trek

View Tour
Humantay Lake with Salkantay Pass Trek 2 Days

Humantay Lake with Salkantay Pass Trek 2 Days

View Tour
Ica Tour (Huacachina) + Paracas Full Day

Ica Tour (Huacachina) + Paracas Full Day

Duration:
1 Day
View Tour
City Tour Lima – Old and New Lima Tour

City Tour Lima – Old and New Lima Tour

Duration:
1 Day
View Tour
Tour Waqrapukara 1 Day

Tour Waqrapukara 1 Day

Duration:
1 Day
View Tour
Full Day Tour to Copacabana and Isla del Sol from Puno

Full Day Tour to Copacabana and Isla del Sol from Puno

Duration:
Full Day
View Tour
Tour “Ruta del Sol” Cusco to Puno by  Bus

Tour “Ruta del Sol” Cusco to Puno by Bus

Duration:
2 Days
View Tour
Tour  Colca Canyon from Puno to Arequipa 2 Days

Tour Colca Canyon from Puno to Arequipa 2 Days

Duration:
2 Days
View Tour
2-Day Lake Titicaca Tour to Uros – Amantani and Taquile

2-Day Lake Titicaca Tour to Uros – Amantani and Taquile

Duration:
2 Days
View Tour
Uros Lake Titicaca  and Taquile from Puno Full day

Uros Lake Titicaca and Taquile from Puno Full day

Duration:
Full Day
View Tour
Half Day Lake Titicaca Tour to Uros Floating Islands

Half Day Lake Titicaca Tour to Uros Floating Islands

Duration:
Half Day
View Tour
Overnight Misminay Community with Machu Picchu 2 Days

Overnight Misminay Community with Machu Picchu 2 Days

Duration:
2 Days
View Tour
Machu Picchu and Amazon Jungle Tour 8 Days

Machu Picchu and Amazon Jungle Tour 8 Days

Duration:
8 Days
View Tour
Machu Picchu with Amazon Jungle Tour 7 Days

Machu Picchu with Amazon Jungle Tour 7 Days

Duration:
7 Days
View Tour
Tambopata Jungle Tour 4 Days / 3 nights

Tambopata Jungle Tour 4 Days / 3 nights

Duration:
4 Days
View Tour
Tambopata Jungle Tour 3 Days / 2 nights

Tambopata Jungle Tour 3 Days / 2 nights

Duration:
3 Days
View Tour
Machu Picchu Package 9 Days, Cusco & Puno

Machu Picchu Package 9 Days, Cusco & Puno

Duration:
9 Days / 8 Days
View Tour
Tour Hike in Cusco half day

Tour Hike in Cusco half day

Duration:
Half Day
View Tour
Cuatrimotos Valle Sagrado Cusco

Cuatrimotos Valle Sagrado Cusco

Duration:
1 Day
View Tour
Machu Picchu Tour From Cusco 1 Day

Machu Picchu Tour From Cusco 1 Day

Duration:
1 Day
View Tour
Salkantay Trek 5 Days to Machu Picchu

Salkantay Trek 5 Days to Machu Picchu

Duration:
5 Days
View Tour
Lima Cusco, Machu Picchu 5 Days

Lima Cusco, Machu Picchu 5 Days

Duration:
5 Days
View Tour
Lima Cusco Machu Picchu Puno 5 Days

Lima Cusco Machu Picchu Puno 5 Days

Duration:
5 Days
View Tour
Lima Cusco Machu Picchu Puno 6 Days

Lima Cusco Machu Picchu Puno 6 Days

Duration:
6 Days
View Tour
Choquequirao Trek 5 Days

Choquequirao Trek 5 Days

Duration:
5 days
View Tour
Inca Jungle Trek 4 Days

Inca Jungle Trek 4 Days

Duration:
4 Days
View Tour