RAINBOW MOUNTAIN HIKE IS ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING THINGS YOU CAN DO NEAR CUSCO. THIS BLOG TELLS YOU TIPS ON RAINBOW MOUNTAIN HIKE AS A DAY TRIP FROM CUSCO.
Vinicunca mountain, otherwise known as Rainbow mountain, is located in the Ausangate mountain region of Peru. There are several peaks but Ausangate is the highest mountain in the area, peaking at almost 21,000 ft. It is considered one of the most sacred mountain in Peru. The good news is that you can actually hike Rainbow Mountain and see this sacred mountain for yourself.
OVERVIEW OF RAINBOW MOUNTAIN
Rainbow mountain got its name from the appearance of colorful stripes. Apparently Rainbow Mountain was largely undiscovered because it was frozen under a layer of ice.
In recent years the warm weather melted the ice and presented the beautiful multi-color stripes. The colors come from weathering and different minerals in the soil. In the last couple of years, Rainbow Mountain gained international fame and started to attract an influx of visitors and trekkers. There is a similar “rainbow” mountain that exist in China in the Ganxia.
IS RAINBOW MOUNTAIN WORTH IT?
One thing I want to mention is that the actual Rainbow mountain is not as colorful as you would expect. Almost all the photos of Rainbow Mountain you see online are enhanced and edited. You can still see the colors of Rainbow Mountain in person but don’t expect it to be the same as what you see on social media.
Is it worth it to do the Rainbow Mountain hike? I think it’s worth it to see it once but I would never do it again. It was a good challenge to see how my body can last that long at such a high altitude and it’s also an amazing sight to see, but if you have problems acclimating to high altitude then I would strongly recommend against doing the Rainbow Mountain hike. Similarly if you never hike, you probably don’t want to go to Rainbow Mountain just for this one photo.
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN RAINBOW MOUNTAIN HIKE
- 1 hiking stick (more like a wooden stick, instead of an official hiking stick)
- breakfast (tea/coffee, bread, omelet)
- lunch (pasta, lomo saltado, tea, coffee, water, salad)
- round trip transportation from/to Cusco
- 1 guide that will hike up and down with the group
- A vest so the guide recognizes you
- Toilet breaks (before the hike you have to pay for the toilet (1 sol) unless it’s at your breakfast/lunch spot). There are portable toilets throughout the hike that are free
- Oxygen tank (if necessary)
If you want to do this type of excursion write us. We will take a walk with expert travelers we are cuscoland we are prepared for your trip. Write Us!