3-Day Rainbow Mountain Trek from Cusco with Red Valley Hike

Depart from your Cusco hotel at around 3:30 am for a 3-hour drive to the trailhead at Ccayrabiry (4,500 m / 14,763 ft) in our spacious van, allowing you to rest a bit more until we reach the start of the trail.

Trek along the meandering path of a beautiful stream. As dawn breaks around us, the surrounding herds of alpacas and llamas will also be waking, and our paths will often cross as we continue the hike. The distant majesty of Ausangate Mountain will form our backdrop as we leave the stream and wander through the rustic villages that make up the remote communities of this area. You may even want to practice your Quechua with the local residents as they go about their daily business. Our early start means we will not be rushing, so there will be plenty of opportunities to stop for rest or snacks to keep our energy levels up.

Back on the trail, encounter even more of the traditional elements of this route. The area is home to many fincas (farms), and we will pass fields of potatoes and other vegetables that are the lifeblood of the farming community. We will also see some unique fauna, perhaps chinchillas or even vicuñas. Vicuñas are the only non-domesticated animal of the llama family found in Peru, so make sure you have your cameras ready. If that were not enough, the vibrant colours of the red mountains around us are also a highlight of this portion of the hike.

After hiking for around 2 hours, finally reach our destination, the magnificent Rainbow Mountains (5,020 m / 16,466 ft). No Photoshop or Instagram filters are needed here - this awesome display of colour is 100% natural and completely breathtaking.

Take our time at the summit so you can take pictures, explore the area, or simply enjoy the spectacular views.

Go for a short 20-minute walk into the Red Valley itself, a tranquil and beautiful hike among the crimson rocks that leads to a spectacular view across the valley.

Your guide will let you know when it is time to return, and we will hike downhill the way we came. In a sense, this is almost a different hike, as we take in as much of the scenery behind us as we did during the ascent. The hike down will take around 2 hours, and our chef will be waiting for us with an incredible lunch when we return.

Embark on a 3-hour drive back to Cusco. We will drop you off at your Cusco hotel at around 7 pm, no doubt exhausted but with incredible memories of a unique day.