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Rainbow Mountain Tour: Peaceful Afternoon Escape
4.9
808 Ratings
Cusipata
Escape the crowds and experience the stunning beauty of Rainbow Mountain on our exclusive afternoon tour. Capture perfect pictures, enjoy a meal in breathtaking surroundings, and create lifelong memories.
Escape the crowds and experience the stunning beauty of Rainbow Mountain on our exclusive afternoon tour. Capture perfect pictures, enjoy a meal in breathtaking surroundings, and create lifelong memories.
Duration:
12 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Cusipata - Guests will be picked up directly from their hotel. The exact pickup time will be confirmed based on the chosen tour option and hotel location. The journey to the rest stop takes approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, where guests can enjoy:
Early Bird Departure: Includes a full breakfast
Comfort Departure: Offers snacks
Restrooms are…
- Cusipata - Guests will be picked up directly from their hotel. The exact pickup time will be confirmed based on the chosen tour option and hotel location. The journey to the rest stop takes approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, where guests can enjoy:
Early Bird Departure: Includes a full breakfast
Comfort Departure: Offers snacks
Restrooms are available here before continuing to the trailhead.
-
Rainbow Mountain Peru - Upon reaching the trailhead, the guide will provide a briefing on the hike, supply walking sticks, and arrange horse rentals for those who prefer riding.
Time to Summit:
By horse: Approximately 1 hour (40 minutes riding + 20 minutes hiking the final stretch)
By foot: Approximately 1.5 to 2 hours
At the Top: Enjoy breathtaking views without the crowds. Early Bird departures arrive before the masses, while Comfort Departure guests arrive after they have left. Either way, there is plenty of space to relax and take photos in peace.
Return & Lunch: After enjoying the views, guests will hike back to the parking lot and drive to a restaurant for a delicious lunch.
Vegan, vegetarian, or other dietary needs? No problem — just inform us the day before so we can coordinate with our team. -
MESON ANDINO - Upon arrival at the restaurant, lunch will be ready and waiting. Guests can take their time — no rush, just relax and refuel.
After lunch, a 2-hour scenic drive back to Cusco begins. Guests will be dropped off at their hotel — not the main plaza. True door-to-door service, from start to finish.
What's Included
- Professional licensed tour guide
- Hotel pick-up & drop-off (door-to-door service)
- Oxygen available during hike & in car
- Snacks provided
- Comfortable transportation
- Lunch at exclusive restaurant in Cusipata
- Professional licensed tour guide
- Hotel pick-up & drop-off (door-to-door service)
- Oxygen available during hike & in car
- Snacks provided
- Comfortable transportation
- Lunch at exclusive restaurant in Cusipata
What's Not Included
- Admission fees
- Horse Riding (Optional) to be paid directly to locals in cash
- Admission fees
- Horse Riding (Optional) to be paid directly to locals in cash
Additional Information
Rainbow Mountain ranks as Peru’s second most popular attraction, following Machu Picchu. This popularity often results in large crowds, with many visitors aiming to reach the summit simultaneously, often before dawn.
This experience is offered differently.
The Early Bird Departure ensures arrival at the summit among the first, with a return to Cusco by…
Rainbow Mountain ranks as Peru’s second most popular attraction, following Machu Picchu. This popularity often results in large crowds, with many visitors aiming to reach the summit simultaneously, often before dawn.
This experience is offered differently.
The Early Bird Departure ensures arrival at the summit among the first, with a return to Cusco by early afternoon. The Comfort Departure is scheduled to reach the summit after the morning crowds have dispersed, allowing for a more private experience.
No lengthy queues. No need to rush. No competition for photographs. Just the vibrant colors and the peaceful silence.
Picture yourself standing before the colorful hills and expansive glaciers at your leisure — with room to breathe, time to appreciate the beauty, and the freedom to capture the ideal photograph.
After the hike, savor a delightful meal amidst the stunning Andean scenery. A chance to unwind, recharge, and fully appreciate the surroundings.
This is how Rainbow Mountain should be experienced — with peace, privacy, and a true sense of connection.
Location
Cusipata
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(808 Ratings)
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Kennethsu6598bj
Apr 18, 2026
Fantastic! - Experience of a lifetime! The tour guide, John, was very knowledgeable and friendly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Dtorr74
Apr 16, 2026
Couldn’t have been a better experience - Book it! Not sure why people wake up so early instead of going on this tour, we were one of a handful of people when we got to the mountain and didn’t have to wake up before dawn. John was a great guide, made sure we were comfortable. Definitely recommend acclimating a few days before as it can be challenging, easier with the horses available though! Weather can be unpredictable but we got lucky and had excellent visibility!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stephaniegj8776fs
Apr 15, 2026
Wonderful trip to see - It started out and as a rainy day, but the guides were encouraging. I don’t know if it’s routine, but on the way, they stopped at a village that made fresh bread and shared it with the group! Very beautiful ride to the mountain. We stopped by the restaurant on the way to use the restrooms as well as the place our orders so they would be ready on the way back. Once we arrived at the mountain, the guides explained everything and gave us the option of taking a horse or walking up. Since I’d been in Cusco a few days and already walked the Inca trail I felt I could do it. The guide stayed at the end, no matter how slow we are and reassuringly carried an oxygen tank, (which was not needed, but reassuring given all that I’ve heard about potential altitude problems) . Despite the clouds no rain the entire way and when we got to top, the clouds opened so that we could see the beautiful mountain. The guides were helpful taking pictures, even fixing my daughter‘s boot. We encountered some snow flurries, which were fun to see. I believe we were one of two groups that was up on top so we definitely avoided the crowds.On the way down we encountered the dreaded showers, but it was light and when we got to the car, we had warm drinks and blankets just in case. Dinner was enjoyable. The guides answered many questions for us, and on the long way home they entertained us with music from all the parts of the world that the people in the group were from. Altogether a very well organized and memorable trip that is not to miss!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
225anjelicam
Apr 13, 2026
8am start? Yes, please. - Great day with Elisvan & Jober! I was nervous about the hike, but Elisvan was a wonderful, patient guide. Jober is an awesome driver; we even got back to Cusco ahead of schedule! Avoid waking up at 3am for Rainbow Mt & check these guys out :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Guy
Apr 10, 2026
8th Natural Wonder of the World? - An unforgettable experience that should be on the tour planner for trips to Cusco. Machu Picchu gets the headlines but Rainbow Mountain is spectacular.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ninotchka960
Apr 8, 2026
Best tour operator ever for a magical day at Rainbow mountain! - Amazing tour!!!! Worth paying a bit more than other tours.
The restaurant and food were of very high quality. The guide was calm and helpful and spoke English (and Quechua !) well providing us with useful information on local life and made sure we felt ok along the way (with a bottle of O in his bag and multiple stops possible).
The group was small, we did not have to wake up so early and had the mountain without crowds, transport was smooth and comfortable and the ride was beautiful so did not feel long.
Bonus, I could book via whatsapp just an hour before the tour started (so super reactive and flexible). I felt very safe and really thought the landscape was more than beautiful than what was announced!
Highly recommend and will book with the tour operator again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christophe_b
Apr 7, 2026
Beautiful scenery, but... - Very beautiful scenery, but very high, so you have to be used to being at more than 4500 m altitude. Lunch at the restaurant was delicious.
Review provided by Viator
Evena_l
Apr 4, 2026
5000m altitude! Worth the hike - This tour is not for the weak! Rainbow mountain at its peak is about 5000m, way higher than Cusco. Definitely don’t book this tour the first day you arrive Cusco. Our tour guide (so sorry I forgot his name) was funny and well prepared. My son and I rode the horses up and hiked down. The last stretch though, you have to say goodbye to your horse and hike on your own… that was… hard! But well worth it! Our 7yr old son did it ;) very proud of him
Review provided by Viator
Z877kpliamc
Apr 2, 2026
Amazing experience - One of the best experiences of my life
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mike_b
Mar 29, 2026
Awesome experience @ Rainbow Mountain - The experience was well organized and the team of both Elisban and Alex were great. Starting later in the morning vs. the 4:00 AM option was great. Be prepared to have a late lunch (around 3:00), but you basically have the mountain all to yourself. Elisban did a great job explaining about the history and food of the towns you pass through on the way to your final destination. We stopped for some local bread along the way which was a nice treat. The second half of the drive is on unpaved roads, so it takes about 3.5 hours to arrive at the base of the Rainbow Mountain hike. You will need to bring 30 soles/person to enter.
The hike itself is a challenging trek at 16000 feet above sea level - the altitude is no joke. You can choose the option of hiking the first 3/4 or taking horses. If you are not a seasoned hiker, I would strongly suggest choosing to take the horses so you can save your energy for the final climb.
The views are beautiful, however, you should come prepared for all weather. We faced rain, snow and small hail - so proper clothing helps.
The hike back down is much easier than going up. You can choose to take horses back down, however, it is not necessary. The hike back to base camp is ~ 3 KM and the views are beautiful. It should be noted the van and tour guides come equipped with oxygen if anyone is suffering from the altitude.
Once we departed, it is about 1.5 hours of driving to reach the lunch spot. You order your food in advance so it comes quickly after you arrive. The restaurant is nice and the food was delicious. They also have clean bathrooms which is a plus.
On the final stretch of the drive we listened to music of our different cultures which was fun for all the passengers. We were back by 7:00 PM in Cusco.
Overall, we had a fantastic experience and I would highly recommend the tour.
Review provided by Viator
