Rainbow Mountain and Ausangate Trek 3 Days
3 DAYS / 2 NIGHTS Adventure
23 reviews
Rainbow Mountain and Ausangate Trek 3 Days
3 DAYS / 2 NIGHTS Adventure
23 reviews
Ausangate Trek 3 Days to Rainbow Mountain, The local Andean villages have undergone very little change, these Ausangate villages have remained intact over the years. The trip we offer will allow you to see how these people live in their natural environment;
You will have the opportunity to meet traditional Quechua-speaking indigenous people who live at 14,000 m altitude, herding llamas and alpacas. They live in the isolated region of the «Cordillera del Vilcanota» among glaciers, brightly colored lakes and relaxing hot springs.
Throughout this three-day Ausangate Rainbow Mountain Trek, you will have the opportunity to see a condor (South America’s most gigantic flying bird) soar high in the air.
You will also witness Andean wildlife such as; vicuñas, marmots (Vizcacha), geese, hawks, and wild ducks. Although you will be hiking at high altitudes, the hike is considered moderate once acclimatized.
CAUTION: it is necessary to acclimatize for at least 2 days in the city of Cusco before doing this tour.
Our great hike begins at 5:00 am. (pick up at your hotel) and we leave the city of Cusco in our private transportation. We head to the «Cusco-Puerto Maldonado Highway» towards Tinki (3,800 m/12,464 ft).
We will make a short stop in the town of Urcos to appreciate the lagoon. Then we will visit an agricultural community. Here, we will appreciate several spectacular views of the region and finally pass through Ocongate.
We will arrive at the village of «Tinki» after a 3 hours drive. We start with a light to moderate climb crossing «La Puna» (a high and dry area with little vegetation) and arrive at our lunch area after 3 hours of walking. While enjoying lunch, we will have a fantastic view of the Ausangate Peak (6,372 m/20,900 ft.).
After enjoying lunch we will continue hiking for two more hours until we reach our campsite called «Upis Alto» 4400 m (14400 ft).
Here we will be able to appreciate an impressive view of the Andes. We will camp and have dinner just before the Ausangate mountain and near the hot springs.
After enjoying a breakfast prepared by our chef, we will hike for two hours to reach the «Paso La Arapa» (4,850 m/15,908 ft) and then descend to get our lunch.
We will see hawks, vizcachas or Andean squirrels, and three beautiful lagoons with red, green, and turquoise tones («Pukacocha», «Hatun Pukacocha» and «Qomerqocha»). Here we will also appreciate the view of the Andean snow-capped mountains.
We will continue with an ascent for two hours until we reach the sector of «Abra de Apuchata» (4,900 m). Where we will finally descend to our camp in Ananta for the night, you will see an incredible view of the Ausangate glacier.
We will start the day enjoying a coca tea. After breakfast, we will ascend for 1 hour and 45 minutes until we reach an altitude of (5,030 m / 16,480 ft).
Your private guide will show you the best views. Your guide will take you to the best places to get amazing pictures of these incredible Vinicunca Rainbow Mountains and the other surrounding mountains. Your tour guide will explain why the colors of these mountains are so unique.
After taking pictures and enjoying the view, we will continue hiking until we reach the end of the trail. This is a 2 hour downhill hike. There we will have lunch.
We will have lunch in this area and take our transportation to Cusco and your hotel.
Ausangate Trek to Rainbow Mountain 3 Days
Aunsagate Trek 2 Days
If you live at an altitude of more than 1000 meters, we recommend that you stay in Cusco for at least 2 to 3 days to acclimatize before taking this tour.
For the best acclimatization, you should take short walks around the city of Cusco on your own, or you can also hire a short tour such as the City Tour, the Sacred Valley, the salt mines of Maras – Moray or Machu Picchu full day (separate reservation).
In case you have difficulties to make the hike you can hire an additional horse for US $ 12.00 per day.
| Number of persons | Price per person |
| 1 | $620.00 |
| 2 | $590.00 |
| 3 | $560.00 |
| 4 | $530.00 |
| 5 | $500.00 |
| 6 | $470.00 |
| 7 | $470.00 |
| 8 | $470.00 |
Permits are needed for your chosen start date. Tour prices are based on the number of people in a group. Prices are valid from March 2022 through January 2023. All prices quoted are $USD
Important: Price includes up to 7 kilos of your personal belongings to be carried by the mules (NO need of extra Porter hire!).
Discounts:
The Rainbow Mountain (also known as Vinicunca or Cerro Colorado) is an attraction of natural origin located on the outskirts of Cusco.
Its main tourist attraction is its colorful slopes and peaks, which have different colors and shades due to the melting of ice and the erosion of a diversity of minerals formed millions of years ago.
If you want to reach this magical mountain, you must walk 6 kilometers from the community of Pampachiri (approximately 100 kilometers away from the city of Cusco). Due to its altitude (5,200 meters above sea level / 17,060 feet), moderate physical effort is required.
The Rainbow Mountain is located on the route to the Ausangate Mountain. Due to the photographs that tourists took there, this attraction began to gain popularity in the world.
How to buy a ticket to Rainbow Mountain?
Tickets to Rainbow Mountain are not reserved online. Nor can they be obtained at an agency in Lima or Cusco. The only way to buy a ticket is by traveling directly to the control booth located on the way to Rainbow Mountain, at the foot of the Ausangate mountain.
The walking distance is approximately 6 kilometers. In the place, you can also hire horses that will take you to the Rainbow Mountain
Rainbow Mountain you must follow the following steps:
A taxi or bus will take you from the city of Cusco to the town of Cusipata. The buses leave from the Closed Coliseum on Huayrurupata Avenue (cost 5 soles). In 2 hours you will reach Rainbow Mountain.
Once in the town of Cusipata, you can rest before continuing your journey to the community of Pampachiri. There are ‘collective’ taxis that provide this service (cost 10 soles). The trip takes approximately 1 hour.
The walk to Rainbow Mountain lasts 2 hours depending on the physical state of the visitor. The ascent is difficult but worth it.
The entrance to the Mountain of the 7 Colors has a cost for Peruvians and another for foreigners. Payment is with an identity document or passport.
| Price in soles (S/.) | Price in dollars ($) | |
| National tourist (Peru) | S/. 10 | $3 |
| foreign tourist | S/. twenty | $6 |
*Tickets are purchased at the Rainbow Mountain itself
What does a tour to Vinicunca include?
If you review our Rainbow Mountain tour we include the following services
It includes:
Does not include:
Rainbow Mountain offers one of the most incredible natural landscapes in the world. These are some of the things to do in this magical place:
You can enjoy the characteristic fauna of the high Andean landscapes such as llamas, vicuñas, alpacas, vizcachas, condors, and more.
Live one of the most memorable extreme adventures. Cerro Colorado is over 5 thousand meters above sea level.
You will be in direct contact with the local communities that inhabit the most extreme places in the Peruvian Andes.
Take the most popular picture on Rainbow Mountain, one of the 100 places to visit before you die according to National Geographic magazine.
When is the best time to visit the Mountain of 7 Colors?
Some tourists return from Vinicunca with the disappointment of seeing it covered in the snow without the colors and nuances that characterize it.
This happens mainly during the rainy season (from November to March). Between these months the fluvial precipitations make the Rainbow Mountain covered with snow
We recommend you visit Rainbow Mountain in the dry season (April to October). During those months the sky is clear, here you can enjoy the best colors of the Rainbow Mountain
The climate on Rainbow Mountain is cold. Temperatures can reach 0 ℃ at night. During the day, the sun can wear down the visitor. Furthermore, in the parts
If you plan to travel on your own, we recommend leaving at 3 or 4 am
If you want to rent a horse for the ascent, it has a cost of 100 S/. per person. The payment is to the residents who offer this service in the place.
Check the weather on Rainbow Mountain in advance
This famous mountain is at the foot of the snowy Ausangate, near the community of the district of Cusipata – Cusco.
The Rainbow Mountain area is full of minerals formed thousands of years ago. This causes the visibility of a floor full of colors such as: yellow, pink, green, purple, red, gold, brown and its shades.
We recommend the dry season that is from April to October , on other dates it is common for the Rainbow Mountain to be covered with snow
The weather is cold. The maximum temperature is 17ºC. and with a minimum temperature of 7ºC. At night and early morning, it can drop to 0ºC. and even less.
The 7-color mountain originated millions of years ago as a result of the abundance of minerals in the place.
This name comes from two Quechua words. ‘Wii’ means black stones (abundant in the place). ‘Kanka’ means pass-through or bottle-shaped neck.
The mountain was formed millions of years ago. However, the discovery of its colors occurred only at the beginning of the 21st century.
To go to Vinicunca you must take transport to the town of Cusipata. Then with another transport to the campsite at the beginning of the trek. Finally, a walk of approximately 6 kilometers is made to Rainbow Mountain.
The mountain became popular in 2015 after the photos taken by tourists who made the hiking route to the snowy Ausangate.
The tours to the 7 colors mountain range from 30 to 65 dollars.
Distances and times from Cusco to the Rainbow Mountain?
The distance from Cusco to the Rainbow Mountain is 140 kilometers, but in terms of time, which is what really matters, it takes about 2 hours to Que Sino (at 4,200 ms), the first stop for breakfast, and another hour until the start of the walk to reach the Rainbow Mountain (at 4,400 ms).
In total there are 3 hours there and another three hours back, plus the walk.
Only since 2016 has tourism begun to become known, and today it is a daily pilgrimage that reaches Rainbow Mountain.
The mountain is located at 5,200 meters above sea level (masl) also, the sun’s rays at this height are intense, therefore, we will be exposed to intense weather.
We must consider that the road to Rainbow Mountain is a steep and difficult path that has a distance of 5 kilometers. If you feel tired on some of the routes, you can hire the service of a horse that can be done at the beginning of the walk.
Ausangate is the best option for high altitude trekking in the Cusco region. It is a hike through spectacular mountain scenery, snow-capped peaks, hot springs, turquoise lakes and glaciers. We will have the opportunity to meet the native inhabitants who live more than 4000 m. away in the remote region of the Cordillera Vilcanota.
Difficulty:
Considerations according to difficulty:
Physical Condition.
Good health condition. It is recommended to pass a medical check-up before your arrival in Peru or before 72 hours of the activity (trekking).
Age: Minimum – 12 years old
Notes:
For minors (up to 17 years and 11 months) must have the authorization of their parents or guardians according to the form «Affidavit of authorization for minors and conditions for the provision of the service».
For passengers over 65 years of age, it will be mandatory that they have a medical check-up prior to their arrival in Peru or within 72 hours of the activity (trekking).
High: To have done a hike of one or more days that has exceeded 4800 meters above sea level. Otherwise, it is recommended to stay 07 days in places over 3000 m.a.s.l. before starting the service.
Difficulties of the terrain
Horseshoe trails, with animal crossings, in rainy weather it can be slippery, it is highly recommended to use traction shoes and walking sticks with rubber protection on the tips (protection of cultural heritage). Very steep slopes, people with balance problems and vertigo would not be suitable for this hike/trekking.
In SULLPAYKY EXPERIENCES we are not only a Travel Agency, we are a 100% Quechua family with more than 15 years of experience in the world of tourism. Our mission is to offer an unforgettable experience that will mark your life, based on Inca values: honesty, love and respect. For this reason, we offer a different kind of tourism, in which our priority is to give you more than a fun trip, a trip of reunion with yourself, to know your essence through the most sacred thing we have, our land, the Pachamama.
We are specialists in creating a personalized experience, so we have more than 28 tours that can be modified according to your needs (from the classic Inca Trail to innovative and alternative tours such as Moonstone) because there are many ways to know Machu Picchu, however, we are convinced that there is only one right for each client. . We also offer tours for clients with special needs.
We offer personalized assistance 24 hours a day, before and during your trip. When you contact us, you will be attended by our Peru travel experts, who will be happy to assist you and help you as soon as possible, answering your questions and providing you with information, as well as recommendations to prepare you physically and mentally for the experience you will live.
All our staff is 100% Quechua and is in constant training to always offer the best possible service. Our guides are Quechua mystics who will provide you with a unique experience. They also have basic training in photography and are equipped with a semi-professional camera to document your entire trip so you don’t have to worry about anything except enjoying every moment. Our cooks have chef training and will be informed of any dietary restrictions (such as allergies).
SULLPAYKY EXPERIENCES is a local travel agency and tour operator authorized by the institutions that govern tourism regulations in Peru. That is why we have the necessary licenses and permits to operate within our country.
We also emphasize that we are against the exploitation of the Pachamama (earth) and our wayki (brothers), so we offer a totally ecological tourism and well paid for all our workers, as we seek to be the difference in everything.
We know you will be happy with our service, as evidenced by the hundreds of testimonials from our traveler clients from all over the world. See the recommendations and memories of travel experiences in various social networks such as TripAdvisor, which will explain why you should choose SULLPAYKY EXPERIENCES for your next vacation in our country.
About our growth process
Continuous improvement is one of our commitments. One of our principles is that the work of each area is important to achieve the best final product. Therefore, throughout our history we have developed several projects with different areas, which have given us the following results:
We have completed the policy of our Integrated Management System as a sign of the guarantee of our organization.
Continuous training to tour guides, cooks, porters, drivers, people in charge of different areas such as Sales, Reservations, Operations, Administration, etc., in customer service, quality of service to tourists, knowledge of the route, and other topics concerning the tourism industry in Peru. Due to our progress in these areas, we have received the CALTUR 2021 Certification from the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism.
About SULLPAYKY EXPERIENCES Licenses and Authorizations
SULLPAYKY EXPERIENCES – Travel Agency and Tour Operator, complies with all the requirements and licenses necessary to operate and offer various services in the field of tourism throughout the Peruvian territory. The institutions mentioned below are in charge of regulating the tourism industry in Peru and we are subscribed to them:
We are authorized by DIRCETUR (Regional Directorate of Foreign Trade and Tourism of Cusco), a government agency that promotes competition, sustainability, and diversification of Peruvian exportable products, tourism, and handicrafts.
We are subscribed to PROMPERU (Commission for the Promotion of Peru for Exports and Tourism), an institution belonging to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism of our country.
We are also subscribed to SERNANP, in order to operate in the Inca Trail Network. The National Service of Natural Areas Protected by the State, which is a specialized technical public agency of the Peruvian government, under the Ministry of Environment of Peru, is in charge of directing and establishing the technical and administrative criteria for the conservation of the Natural Protected Areas of Peru.
Here are some other options that will suit your needs
We strive every day to provide the best experience for our passengers, and they recommend us, so you can recommend us too.
[WPCR_SHOW POSTID="1439" NUM="36" PAGINATE="1" PERPAGE="5" SHOWFORM="1" HIDEREVIEWS="0" HIDERESPONSE="0" SNIPPET="" MORE="" HIDECUSTOM="0" ]
