Day Trips
6+ hours
Free cancellation
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Recommended by 100% of travellers
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from
AU$191
per adult
Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain
Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain
5
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Full view
About
The Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain is the new hidden gem and secret of Cusco. With less than 1 hour to hike to the peak and 3 beautiful Rainbow Mountains with tons of wild alpacas around, this is the new alternative Rainbow Mountain to the still popular Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain. But the preferences are changing, as travelers don't want to suffer under the 3-4 hour hike to the Vinicunca, especially as the altitude makes it a bad experience. So compare and decide what's the best option for you here.
Tours and Tickets by Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain
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Full-day Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
AU$135
per adult
Full-day Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
AU$189
per adult
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5.0
165 reviews
Excellent
142
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15
Average
6
Poor
1
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1
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SEA-Fred
24 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
We booked our trip through Rainbow Mountain Expeditions (highly recommended).
Eber and our driver picked us up at our hotel in Cusco at 4am. We drove to the breakfast restaurant then went off to the village of Palccoyo.
It is difficult to describe the scenery there other than to say it is spectacular. Eber was with us every step of the way explaining everything about the area. He generously offered to take pictures of us throughout the tour, and of course Eber knew all the great spots for pictures. The rainbow mountains and red mountains were stunning. Each different viewpoint made the scenery look slightly different due to the sun, clouds, colors. Sooooo beautiful there.
We made our way to the third rainbow mountains where you are very close to the natural striations with the other rainbow mountains in the background. Amazing views and a wonderful guide. Eber packed hot muña tea again which helped us warm up, such a great way to soak in the views all around us.
The elevation here is quite high, so we took our time on the short hike up to the stone forest. Eber stopped often to let us catch our breath.
The stone forest is also breathtakingly beautiful ( looks like something out of Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings). The sharp stone walls shoot out of the ground…nature is truly amazing.
We have many pictures of us at Palccoyo taken by Eber that we will treasure and help remind us of our time in Peru.
We are so glad we did this tour with Eber and pretty much had the place to ourselves. We only started seeing other tourists on our way back to the car. We really enjoyed our tour of Palccoyo with Rainbow Mountain Expeditions…glad we skipped the crowds of Vinicunca rainbow mountain.
Eber and our driver picked us up at our hotel in Cusco at 4am. We drove to the breakfast restaurant then went off to the village of Palccoyo.
It is difficult to describe the scenery there other than to say it is spectacular. Eber was with us every step of the way explaining everything about the area. He generously offered to take pictures of us throughout the tour, and of course Eber knew all the great spots for pictures. The rainbow mountains and red mountains were stunning. Each different viewpoint made the scenery look slightly different due to the sun, clouds, colors. Sooooo beautiful there.
We made our way to the third rainbow mountains where you are very close to the natural striations with the other rainbow mountains in the background. Amazing views and a wonderful guide. Eber packed hot muña tea again which helped us warm up, such a great way to soak in the views all around us.
The elevation here is quite high, so we took our time on the short hike up to the stone forest. Eber stopped often to let us catch our breath.
The stone forest is also breathtakingly beautiful ( looks like something out of Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings). The sharp stone walls shoot out of the ground…nature is truly amazing.
We have many pictures of us at Palccoyo taken by Eber that we will treasure and help remind us of our time in Peru.
We are so glad we did this tour with Eber and pretty much had the place to ourselves. We only started seeing other tourists on our way back to the car. We really enjoyed our tour of Palccoyo with Rainbow Mountain Expeditions…glad we skipped the crowds of Vinicunca rainbow mountain.
Written 17 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim J
Hillsboro, OR349 contributions
Nov 2021
I cannot recommend this enough, but do be aware of what you are getting into!
We arrived a private tour. Originally it was just me but I picked up a few friends along the way to join me. It is a FULL day out there and back.
The drive is LONG and HARD. It was about 2 hours from Cusco when we started to run out of paved road. We were on nice dirt road for about another hour. The last hour was rough back roads with hairpin turns. We saw a lot of wildlife - domestic alpacas and wild ones as well. We were truly off the beaten track to get here.
The facilities were very modest when we arrived (a single pay toilet) but it does appear they were building more buildings as the site becomes more popular. You can see the first rainbow mountain from parking lot.
We started hiking out. We did this hike at the end of the trip so we were all well-acclimated to the elevation. Even then, I found myself sucking in air to get enough oxygen. Never in my life have I been at this high an elevation. We hiked slowly and soon could see the second rainbow mountain. We did not have enough time to hike up into the upper rocky areas nor the 3rd rainbow mountain. You either need more time or to hike faster. There was no crowds, though. There was maybe a dozen people there total, including several locals, breezing past us.
We then had to do the entire drive in reverse. In total, I think it was a 10 hour day or so - 8 hours of driving and maybe 2 hours of hiking. We needed more time, but most of us flew out the next day so I'm grateful for what we got. We brought packed lunches which I also highly recommend in terms of both time and access.
We arrived a private tour. Originally it was just me but I picked up a few friends along the way to join me. It is a FULL day out there and back.
The drive is LONG and HARD. It was about 2 hours from Cusco when we started to run out of paved road. We were on nice dirt road for about another hour. The last hour was rough back roads with hairpin turns. We saw a lot of wildlife - domestic alpacas and wild ones as well. We were truly off the beaten track to get here.
The facilities were very modest when we arrived (a single pay toilet) but it does appear they were building more buildings as the site becomes more popular. You can see the first rainbow mountain from parking lot.
We started hiking out. We did this hike at the end of the trip so we were all well-acclimated to the elevation. Even then, I found myself sucking in air to get enough oxygen. Never in my life have I been at this high an elevation. We hiked slowly and soon could see the second rainbow mountain. We did not have enough time to hike up into the upper rocky areas nor the 3rd rainbow mountain. You either need more time or to hike faster. There was no crowds, though. There was maybe a dozen people there total, including several locals, breezing past us.
We then had to do the entire drive in reverse. In total, I think it was a 10 hour day or so - 8 hours of driving and maybe 2 hours of hiking. We needed more time, but most of us flew out the next day so I'm grateful for what we got. We brought packed lunches which I also highly recommend in terms of both time and access.
Written 22 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
patrick d
Calais, France8,349 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
To get there, 2 options, By Cusipata or by Combapata. The majority of tour operators choose Cusipata, the shortest route from Cusco, but the climb is the most strenuous. We opted for the easiest climb by sleeping in Combapata the day before. In the morning, a good hour's drive (more like a track) from Combapata, as much to return. Coming from Cusco, this is the path on the left just before the orange bridge. You must then pass through the village of Palccoyo and continue to the toll (15 sols per person) located a few kilometers before the car park. On this side, the height difference does not present any particular difficulties. The altitude, however, takes its toll on the body; at more than 4000 meters, you have to walk calmly. After 5 minutes the famous mountain is already visible and after around 45 minutes, the efforts are rewarded. Extraordinary views of the Andes cordilleras with snow-capped peaks (including one at an altitude of 6,400 meters) and an overall view of multicolored mountains. Breathtaking in every sense of the word. Worth the trip.
Written 3 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TheExplorerFamily
Somerset, NJ7,156 contributions
Sept 2023 • Family
We were in a small group tour of ten people who went to Palccoyo Mountain. None of us wanted a steep and difficult hike like the one at Rainbow Mountain. So, we opted for this alternative destination. We got the same gorgeous views without the massive crowds, and without walking too much. The total hike is about 50 minutes each way, but we took an hour while going up, because we had to catch our breaths several times because of the 17,500-foot altitude, plus stop to stare incredulously at the colorful scenes. Coming back down was an easier downhill walk and took us about 25 minutes.
The tour was wonderful, albeit a little tiring. We were picked up at 4 A.M., and it took us about three hours to reach Palccoyo due to the ascending roads and due to the fact that we were also driving on small roads right through small villages. Breakfast and Lunch were included in the tour. The Guide, as well as the driver were fantastic.
This tour was a much better option compared to Rainbow Mountain. Although, we were at a higher altitude here (17500 feet compared to 15000 feet at Rainbow), the climb was more gradual, and once we reached the third viewpoint, we were able to look down upon all three Rainbow Mountains. That was an unforgettable and superb sight. No words can describe what we were feeling as we stared down at all that natural beauty. The added bonus was the cute Llamas waiting with their keeper at the pinnacle. And, of course, we had to get a bunch of photos with them.
Luckily for us, we were the only ones at this destination, so we were able to take our time admiring those gorgeous views around us. The guide did not rush us either, because she did not need to.
Highly recommend this alternative tour. If you do not want a tough hike, and do not like crowds, this is the place to go to. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to this magical place. The awesome scenery is indescribable, and no photos do justice to what your eyes are actually seeing.
Do this at least once in your lifetime. The colorful mountains are simply unbelievable.
The tour was wonderful, albeit a little tiring. We were picked up at 4 A.M., and it took us about three hours to reach Palccoyo due to the ascending roads and due to the fact that we were also driving on small roads right through small villages. Breakfast and Lunch were included in the tour. The Guide, as well as the driver were fantastic.
This tour was a much better option compared to Rainbow Mountain. Although, we were at a higher altitude here (17500 feet compared to 15000 feet at Rainbow), the climb was more gradual, and once we reached the third viewpoint, we were able to look down upon all three Rainbow Mountains. That was an unforgettable and superb sight. No words can describe what we were feeling as we stared down at all that natural beauty. The added bonus was the cute Llamas waiting with their keeper at the pinnacle. And, of course, we had to get a bunch of photos with them.
Luckily for us, we were the only ones at this destination, so we were able to take our time admiring those gorgeous views around us. The guide did not rush us either, because she did not need to.
Highly recommend this alternative tour. If you do not want a tough hike, and do not like crowds, this is the place to go to. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to this magical place. The awesome scenery is indescribable, and no photos do justice to what your eyes are actually seeing.
Do this at least once in your lifetime. The colorful mountains are simply unbelievable.
Written 29 September 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cuba172
Florence, Italy530 contributions
Aug 2024 • Friends
Along with Macchu Picchu was the thing I liked most about my tour in Peru.
Arrived early, I walked through the path until I reached the highest peak.
With the sun the colors change in intensity creating a unique and beautiful environment
Must-see attractions
Arrived early, I walked through the path until I reached the highest peak.
With the sun the colors change in intensity creating a unique and beautiful environment
Must-see attractions
Automatically translated
Written 27 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nicoletraveler
Arnold, MD91 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
Palccoyo mountain was amazing. This is the back side of Rainbow Mountain. It's in the same range but is a series of lower peaks all of which have the rainbow stripes. It is managed by the local community and all of the proceeds go to the local economy. It's at 16,000 feet, which is 1,000 feet lower than Rainbow Mountain. The drive there is spectacular, with shepherds herding flocks of alpacas and farmers growing potatoes. We also saw the red river, which is red from the runoff minerals from the mountains.
Written 10 March 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Carlie
Mexico578 contributions
Apr 2024 • Solo
I was very undecided about which of the two colorful mountains to go to as it was my first time in Cusco. After a lot of research and because I have bad knees apart from the touristic places I do not love, I decided on Palccoyo and it was a super successful decision. Although it had snowed a lot the night before and when we arrived it was practically all white, little by little the landscape cleared up and it revealed some movie views. This place is amazing first of all because you don’t see one, but 3 colorful mountains, apart from the Valley and Red River and you pass by the bridges of Q’eswachaka, where you can see the passage of time in the architecture of 3 different bridges. On top of that, it’s a much quieter place with far fewer people than the “original” Mountain of Colors, so you don’t have to fight to take a picture without a thousand people behind. The journey is relatively easy and since you arrive you start to see soil and colored stones. It is an amazing experience and in my review totally worth it. Wear good footwear because it can be slippery. From the stone valley they have stunning views, yes or yes they have to climb. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
Automatically translated
Written 18 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Snafu
352 contributions
July 2023 • Family
A not too difficult climb (except the last climb) but with the altitude not easy for those who are less used to walking. But even the latter will be able to enjoy the rainbow mountains. Here, unlike Vinicunca, there are three and above all, there is no one. In total, we must have encountered four people. How nice it is.
The view of the other Andes mountains is magnificent!
A great place and a great walk!
The view of the other Andes mountains is magnificent!
A great place and a great walk!
Written 23 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
D Bracci
Plymouth, IN17 contributions
Sept 2023 • Friends
You have to leave well before dawn. The drive to the bottom of hike is not something to look forward to. The walk to these mountains are fun, about an hour. Take care of informs and no kids please, unless you have at least two guides per kids.
Written 28 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JerryPT
Phoenix, AZ66 contributions
Dec 2018 • Solo
Everybody knows about the main Rainbow Mountain with a 3-hour trek and the following instructions are for the "other" Three Rainbow Mountains & Bosque de Las Piedras (Forest of Stones) in Palccoyo which is only a 30-minute hike. Summit elevation for the Forest of Stones is 5000 meters (16,404 feet).
After scouring the internet and finding very little information on how to drive to Three Rainbow Mountains on your own I wanted to provide definitive instructions so you can go it alone. It's easy with these instructions.
DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS: All you have to do is use Google Maps to navigate to this point, -14.085988,-71.348453 and then within 1 km there will be one and only one road going to the left (uphill). From here it's almost impossible to get lost and you just follow the road which will take you through the very small village of Palccoyo. Continue on the main road (it's obvious) until you reach your destination Cordillera del Arcoiris Palccoyo (which you can see on Google Maps). Along the way, you will pass a checkpoint (small shack) to sign in and pay 2 soles per person; be prepared with proper change and if they attempt to overcharge you (they tried with me) tell them "La tarifa es de 2 soles por persona. Lo comprobé en internet." Driving time 3 hours motorcycle (3.5 hours car). Roads are suitable for any vehicle. When you are driving you will likely see locals walking many miles on these back roads... PLEASE be kind and offer them a ride. I gave three people a lift and I was on a motorcycle.
Note: I have included a map that is a ROUGH outline from -14.085988,-71.348453 to the destination.
Note 2: My photos are unedited. NO FILTERS.
After scouring the internet and finding very little information on how to drive to Three Rainbow Mountains on your own I wanted to provide definitive instructions so you can go it alone. It's easy with these instructions.
DRIVING INSTRUCTIONS: All you have to do is use Google Maps to navigate to this point, -14.085988,-71.348453 and then within 1 km there will be one and only one road going to the left (uphill). From here it's almost impossible to get lost and you just follow the road which will take you through the very small village of Palccoyo. Continue on the main road (it's obvious) until you reach your destination Cordillera del Arcoiris Palccoyo (which you can see on Google Maps). Along the way, you will pass a checkpoint (small shack) to sign in and pay 2 soles per person; be prepared with proper change and if they attempt to overcharge you (they tried with me) tell them "La tarifa es de 2 soles por persona. Lo comprobé en internet." Driving time 3 hours motorcycle (3.5 hours car). Roads are suitable for any vehicle. When you are driving you will likely see locals walking many miles on these back roads... PLEASE be kind and offer them a ride. I gave three people a lift and I was on a motorcycle.
Note: I have included a map that is a ROUGH outline from -14.085988,-71.348453 to the destination.
Note 2: My photos are unedited. NO FILTERS.
Written 9 December 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Jerry for sharing this feedback with us here. What I read hurts, to only pay 2 soles for the entrance and "rob" them. The official entrance fee is 10 soles and is used to pay maintenance as well as to improve the entire area to make it more friendly. Nice to hear that you took 3 people with you on the motorbike, hope this was not dangerous at all as the way itself can be.
Respect locals, nature and enjoy the place, that's what counts.
Written 11 March 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Hay diferentes recorridos que se hacen en la Montaña Palccoyo, veo en internet, agencias de turismo que indican caminata de 2km otras de 4km, tambien veo que las agencias indican que es facil hacer la caminata, que no es dificil como la Vinicunca? es cierto ?
Written 19 February 2020
NO, quando tu tiene la ruta desde Combapata, Chiara (CU 1453) tu busca un grande estacionamiento al fin de ruta. De despues a pied son 30 minutos…. nada mal (pero: Altura :-))
Written 21 February 2020
Has anyone experience doing this tour in february? I'm concernd about the weather conditons (lots of rain?). Thx!
Written 18 December 2019
It always depends on the weather at the moment. Average values of previous years are of little use to you ..... that annoys you now, but is the truth.
We are in Rio, rarely rain in February, now rain is like it has not been for 80 years.
DO IT...……. it's fantastic.
Written 3 March 2020
What is the proper tip to give the guide and driver each day for the full one day tours ?
Written 19 September 2019
We gave $20 or 10% of the price for the tour for that particular day, whichever was higher, to our guide. And $10-$15 to the driver depending in the length of the trip.
Written 19 September 2019
It is above 16,000 feet but my daughter who gets asthma -but 23years old, managed just fine.
Drink a lot of water, eat along the way, and sip coca tea at the top!
Written 17 July 2019
This is in response to RonaldoG640 Director de Relaciones: Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain is a beautiful place and based on what I found on the internet the cost of entry was 2 soles (apparently this information was incorrect). I'm glad that you publicly posted the correct amount of 10 soles and had I known this was the official entrance fee I would have happily paid 10 soles. For the record, I included the price in my review because being charged the proper amount is a matter of principle and integrity. As you surely know in Peru, and South America, many unsuspecting tourists are "robbed" when they are unknowingly overcharged and this takes away from what otherwise could be a wonderful experience. Hopefully, the official entrance fee could be posted to avoid any confusion. I'm happy to contribute to the local economy and regularly purchase snacks/water/drinks/etc that I do not really need just to contribute and did so here as well. Best wishes to you in your role as Director de Relaciones... Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain is a beautiful place and I loved my time there.
Written 16 March 2019
Hi, Sue. What would you like to know about this attraction?
Hi Huy
We are travelling to Cusco in May. when booking the Palccoyo Rainbow trip do we have to ensure oxygen is carried up the mountin with us ???
Written 30 January 2019
it has been covered in previous answers. if you spend time in Cusco you will have got used to the altitude beforehand so that shouldn't be an issue.
we found the coco sweets were very useful during our trip you can buy big bags of them in all shops.
As for the rainbow mountain trip as long as you take your time up the mountain to take in oxygen you will be fine
Written 4 March 2019
Quisiera saber si en febrero es posible visitar esta montaña.?
Written 30 December 2018
Se puede visitar todo el año... por ahora esta nevada y fria pero creo que en Febrero estará mejor el clima.
Written 31 December 2018
Palccoyo es una montaña de colores también ? Voy a viajar el 28 de diciembre. Se pueden ver los colores en esta época?
La subida debe hacerse con zapatos de trekking o con tenis esta bien?
Gracias
Written 19 December 2018
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.