Rainbow Mountain Beat-the-Crowd, Small Group - 8:00 AM Departure
- 11–12 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 2 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Rainbow Mountain is Peru's second most visited destination after Machu Picchu. And with that popularity comes the crowds — large groups all rushing to reach the summit at the same time, often before sunrise. We do it differently. Our Early Bird Departure gets you to the summit among the first, returning to Cusco by early afternoon. Our Comfort Departure is timed so you arrive when the morning crowds have left — giving you the viewpoint almost to yourself. No long lines. No rushing. No fighting for photos. Just you, the colors, and the silence. Imagine standing before the painted hills and sweeping glaciers at your own pace — space to breathe, time to absorb the beauty, and freedom to capture the perfect shot. After the hike, enjoy a delicious meal surrounded by Andean landscapes. A moment to relax, refuel, and take it all in. This is Rainbow Mountain the way it should be experienced — with tranquility, privacy, and genuine connection.
Inclusions
What's included
- Professional licenced tour guide
- Hotel Pick up & Drop Off (Door to Door Service)
- Walking Sticks: Upon your request, we provide walking sticks to support your trekking experience.
- Oxygen during the hike & in the car on your disposal
- Confortable Transportation
- Lunch at an exclusive restaurant in Cusipata
- Snacks: A bottle of water, chocolate, cake, Andean cereal bar, fresh fruit and delightful candies.
What's not
- Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain
- Horse Riding (Optional) to be paid directly to locals in cash
Itinerary
We'll pick you up directly from your hotel. Exact pickup time will be confirmed based on your selected tour option and hotel location. From there, we travel approximately 1 hour 45 minutes to our rest stop, where you'll enjoy: Early Bird Departure: Full breakfast included Comfort Departure: Snacks provided Restrooms are available here before we continue to the trailhead.
Upon arrival at the trailhead, your guide will brief you on the hike, provide walking sticks, and arrange horse rentals for those who prefer to ride. Time to Summit: By horse: Approximately 1 hour (40 min riding + 20 min hiking the final stretch) By foot: Approximately 1.5 to 2 hours At the Top: The reward — stunning views without the crowds. Early Bird departures arrive before the masses. Comfort Departure guests arrive after they've left. Either way, you'll have space to breathe and take photos in peace. Return & Lunch: After soaking in the views, we'll hike back to the parking lot and drive to our restaurant for a delicious lunch. Vegan, vegetarian, or other dietary needs? No problem — just let us know the day before so we can coordinate with our team.
Upon arrival at the restaurant, lunch will be ready and waiting. Take your time — no rush, just relax and refuel. After lunch, we begin the 2-hour scenic drive back to Cusco. And yes, we drop you off at YOUR hotel — not the main plaza. True door-to-door service, from start to finish.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.9
- 5896
- 426
- 35
- 21
- 13
Ratings come from 931 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
5Rainbow mountain experience
Had a lot of fun on the rainbow mountain tour! Our tour guide Alex was very accommodating and gave us snacks and waters and made sure we delt with the altitude correctly! Admission fee to the mountain was 30 soles and it cost 80 soles to rent a horse. Liked this one a lot because it was not crouded at all at the time we went.
5Rainbow mountain
I have to say this was the best tour and our guide john was the best guide I have ever had.i would recommend this tour as one of the best for ranbow mountain. All the little extra bread on the way blankets hot tea after walk the use of poles the lunch was beautiful
5What a great day! John,...
What a great day! John, Alex, and Christian were fantastic and led a great experience for all of us. It was nice to leave later in the morning because it wasn’t as crowded as it states in the description. John was our guide was always checking on us to make sure we were okay getting up the mountain! He made sure we were comfortable and had everything we needed. He gave us some cool fun facts about the mountains on the way up too. The lunch at the end of the hike was also great. Nothing but good things to say about our experience. Thank you again!
5Don’t miss this tour!
Guide and ride showed up on time, and brought some snacks for us which was a nice touch. Through the ride he would point out things along the way. Once we got up to Rainbow mountain we stopped as needed (altitude didn’t bother us until we got here as elevation is higher than Cusco). So beautiful definitely don’t miss this if you’re capable of getting up there. It is about 3 hr drive each way. Also stopped for lunch at a buffet lunch on way down that had a huge selection of food. Also bring a beanie or headband and also a wind jacket/winter coat. It’s colder up there and windy. Gloves an poncho as well (it started to drizzle on way down but we just missed the rain thankfully)
5Rainbow Mountain Experience
Ronald did an amazing job guiding us on our Rainbow Mountain hike. He was friendly, informative, and most importantly, concerned for our safety. He made sure we knew we could take our time due to the difficulty of the hike and checked in on us frequently. He also took plenty of photos for us. Highly recommend!
5The best of rainbow mountain
Ronald the tour guy was very friendly and attentive. Alex the driver was very friendly and excellent driver as well. I am glad I choose this tour very well worth the money. It's absolutely beautiful view. The BEST...thanks so much to Alex and Ronald
Know before you go
- Pickup
- Pickup is included for everyone.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 12 travellers
- Operated by
- Peru Private Tours
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
How it compares in Cusco
- Its from-price is 45% below the median of the 4460 experiences we list in Cusco.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 22 of 4460.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Cusco
Cusco, the old Inca capital high in the Peruvian Andes, blends massive stone walls with colonial churches and is the gateway to Machu Picchu.
The Plaza de Armas is the heart of the city, framed by the cathedral and the Jesuit church of La Compañía. Inca stonework survives throughout the centre, most famously at the Qorikancha, the sun temple on which the Spanish built a monastery, and in the twelve-angled stone on Hatun Rumiyoc street. San Blas, the artisans' quarter, climbs steeply with workshops and cafés.
Top-ranked sights in Cusco: Aguas Calientes, Machu Picchu, Ollantaytambo Ruins.
Special offers in Cusco
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
