Vinicunca, Rainbow Mountain is on the road to the Ausangate mountains.

Cusco is one of the most splendid places you should visit. Not only it is home of one the seven wonder in the world: Machu Picchu, but also is a city with a rich history. It was the capital of the Inca Empire. It is on any adventurer trekker’s bucket list.

Once you land in Cusco, you should take advantage of the sights and activities that make the city truly unique. There are many things you can do. On this post we will talk about one that makes Cusco the best option to go with: Vinicunca or Rainbow Mountain.

Inkayni Peru Tours has designed special tours that take you to this wonderful Mountain. We have a 2-day tour and a full-day tour. You can check our website to find more about these tours, But before let’s take a look at this new attraction:

Description:

Located 3 hours away from Cusco. It is at an altitude of 5 200 m.a.s.l (17000 ft.). It is located on the road to the Ausangate mountain, in the Andes of Peru, in the Cusco Region, between the districts of Cusipata, province of Quispicanchi, Pitumarca, and the province of Canchis.

The mountain is famous for its natural, multi-colored beauty. This rainbow-like appearance is created by the sediment of minerals throughout the area giving the mountain the turquoise, lavender, gold, and other colors.

Pink: It is for the red clay, fangolitas (mud) and arilitas (sand).
Whitish coloring: It is because of the quartzose, sandstone and marls, rich in calcium carbonate.
Red: It is made up of the claystones (iron) and clays belonging to the upper tertiary.
Green: It is due to the compound of phyllites and clays rich in ferromagnesian.
The earthy brown: It is a product of fanglomerate composed of rock with magnesium belonging to the Quaternary era.
The mustard yellow: Its color is for the calcareous sandstones rich in sulfurous minerals.

Inkayni History details:

Inca’s civilization called the mountains which were considered to have mystical powers “Apu”. Although most of these majestic mountains were covered with snow, there was one that stood out for its colorfulness: the Vinicunca Mountain, also known as “the rainbow mountain” in Peru.

The Incas conferred Vinicunca a masculine character, considering that masculine energy sprouted up from its foundations that fertilized Mother Earth, known as Pachamama. The local inhabitants consider Vinicunca to be a “sacred mountain”, leading them to perform rituals such as the payment to the earth, and which can make the visit an experience of great mysticism.

How to get to Vinicunca, Rainbow Mountain?

To get to the Rainbow Mountain you need to go to Cusipata town first.

You can watch this video:

Cusipata route:

You can book the Rainbow Mountain tour with a local tour operator that will pick you up between 3 and 4 a.m. in town. The drive to the start of the trail takes about two hours and begins around 4000 m. Near Cusipata you will have breakfast. After breakfast, the ride takes you to Phuluwasipata. Here is where the hike starts.

In case you feel tired, you can ride a horse. You can rent one along the way.

The cost of the horse is around 30 USD.

Inkayni Tip:

Make sure the tour operator has all the papers up-to-date needed. Licenses must be submitted by DIRCETUR.

Inkayni Peru Tours is a local tourist agency that has all the proper documents to operate as a licensed tour agency.

Our main goal is to offer you the best service. Check the two options we have for our Rainbow Mountain tour: Full Day Rainbow Mountain /Vinincunca Trek – Group Service and 02 Day – Rainbow Mountain /Vinicunca Trek

Full-Day group service:

Itinerary:

	Full-Day group service:
Departure time	4:30 am to 5:00. Inkayni Peru Tours will pick you up from your hotel. We will drive for around 2 hours to the town of Cusipata. What will you see along the way? Beautiful landscapes of valleys and agricultural communities.
Breakfast	You will have breakfast in Cusipata. After breakfast, we will continue our trip by van. What will you see? You will see the first view of Ausangate, the highest peak of Cusco. Also, you can see hundreds of alpacas and llamas and the occasional shepherd or local people moving about their daily activities.
Climb	We will start the hike in Phuluwasipata. You will walk for about 2 hours. What will you see? We can appreciate the outstanding views in all directions and the rare geological formations that appear to be painted with exotic colors by God’s hand.
Break – Rainbow Mountain	We will stop for about 30 minutes – the perfect amount of time to rest, to have a snack, and immerse yourself in this wild environment before we must begin our descent. You can take as many pictures as you want.
Descent	It takes about an hour and a half to go back to the point where we started the day’s hike in Phuluwasipata, where our transport will be waiting to take us to the restaurant.
Lunch	We will enjoy an energizing lunch in Chillihuani.
Visiting the locals	After lunch, we will visit some local households and observe the lifestyle and customs that are still being practiced since Inca times. Here the native language of Quechua is spoken very well and agriculture is essential for life
Journey back to Cusco	We will take you back to your hotel at around 4:30 p.m to 5:30 p.m

02 Day – Rainbow Mountain Trek- Group service

Itinerary:

2-Day Tour Group Service
Day 1: Cusco– Ausangate – Ananta
Departure time	Inkayni Peru Tours will pick you up from your hotel at 4:00 a.m. The car will depart from Cusco to start the journey. It takes approximately 3 to 4 hours.
Breakfast	We will have our breakfast in Cusipata.
Climb	We will arrive at the first pass of Pucaccocha. What will you see? We will be able to observe the majestic Ausangate glacier and its glistening lakes.
Lunch	We will stop for lunch on the way. The time and place depend on the trekkers’ pace.
Journey	After lunch, we will go to our camp in Ananta where we will have dinner and rest.
Day 2: Ananta – Rainbow Mountain – Cusco
Breakfast	We will have breakfast at the campsite.
Climb	What will you see? Fascinating landscapes with a variety of flora and fauna. You will also see lagoons and first views of Ausangate, the highest peak of Cusco.
Rainbow Mountain	Here we will stop to admire and appreciate the outstanding views in all directions and the rare geological formations that look like to be God’s hand’s painting with exotic colors. Far below and into the distance are infinite valleys and glaciers as far as one can see
Descent	It takes about an hour and a half to go back to Phuluwasipata. We will conclude the trip with lunch before traveling to the city of Cusco.
Journey back to Cusco	Our transport will be waiting for us to return to Cusco.

What is included?

Our Full-Day Rainbow Mountain /Vinicunca Trek – Group Service includes:

Professional English-speaking Tour Guide.
Assistant Tour Guide for groups of 8+.
Pickup and drop off from any hotel in Cusco
All transportation.
1 Breakfast, 1 Freshly prepared hot lunch. If you have a dietary request such as vegetarian food please let us know.
Private toilet
Taxes
Oxygen bottle.
First aid kit.
Entrance fee for the Rainbow Mountain.

Note:

No matter what tour agency you hire or even if you go on your own you have to get to Cusipata- Phuluwasipata first. Then you have to climb up to the Rainbow Mountain. It takes approximately 2 hours to get there.

We would love to be part of this adventure with you. Feel free to contact us in case you have any doubts: Inkayni Peru Tours.

Inkayni Tips:

To make the most of your hike, you should bring the following:

Original Passport
Hiking Boots
Waterproof jacket/rain poncho
Warm jacket
Hat and gloves
T-shirts (quick-dry)
Comfortable Trekking Pants
Sun hat
Sunscreen (SPF 35+)
Toiletries and hand sanitizer
Personal medication
Camera and film.

Restrictions:

Children under 9 years old shouldn’t participate in this trek due to the high physical demand.
Children over 9 years old can take part on the trek under adult supervision

Our clients’ testimonials are our best recommendation.

We are very grateful to all our clients who had chosen us as their favorite tour agency. We also want to congratulate them for hiking and getting to the Rainbow Mountain top. Even though they had to deal with the altitude and weather, they were very motivated to complete the hike. You are the reason why we want to be better. We work really hard to give you the best service.