Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca)

A Mountain Of Red, Yellow, Green And Lilac Mineral Bands In The Cordillera Vilcanota, Opened To Visitors After Glacial Retreat In 2015. Entry Is Through Community Run Gates On Indigenous Quechua Land With A Small Fee, And The Day Starts Before Dawn From Cusco. · Pitumarca, Cusco

Rainbow Mountain, called Vinicunca in Quechua, is a ridge of red, yellow, green and lilac mineral bands high in the Cordillera Vilcanota, near the Ausangate range, at about 5,020 m. It only opened to visitors around 2015 after the snow cover retreated, and it is now one of the busiest day trips out of Cusco. The colours come from iron, copper and sulphur minerals in the rock. Be honest with yourself about the trip. You leave Cusco in the dark, ride about three hours, then walk two to three hours uphill in thin air, often in wind, hail or snow. Photos online are often over-saturated, and the real colours are softer and best in clear mid-morning light. The viewpoint is crowded, and the community that owns the land feels the pressure of tourism. There are almost no toilets and litter builds up. Acclimatise in Cusco for two or three days first, go slowly, carry cash for the gate, dress for freezing, windy weather, and consider the quieter Palccoyo alternative if the main trail sounds too much for you.

Striped mineral mountain at about 5,020 m in the Ausangate range, reached by road from Cusco to Cusipata or Pitumarca and a 2 to 3 hour walk, Pitumarca, Cusco, Peru

There is no fixed opening for the mountain itself, but the community gates take visitors only in daylight, and day tours leave Cusco around 3 to 4 am and return in the late afternoon. Going in the dry season gives the best light. The gate fee is NEVER free for visitors. Heavy snow, strikes or road blockades can close the route, so confirm with your operator the day before.

Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) on Spottos · Explore more places on Spottos