The 15 Best Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Tours

1.Private Palccoyo Rainbow Hike Without the Crowds

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 86 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $199Our pick

Leave Cusco before dawn for Palccoyo, a quieter alternative to Vinicunca. This 12-hour outing includes hotel pickup, breakfast, lunch, a local guide and a gentle walk to views of three rainbow mountains. You can add an optional hike to the stone forest. Groups are capped at eight, though private-guide arrangements depend on your booking date.

“We had a fantastic time exploring Palcoyo, thanks to our experienced guide, Jesús Carrion. The tour started promptly, and Jesús took great care of us throughout the day. Although the walk to Palcoyo, also known as the alternative Rainbow Mountain, was relatively easy and moderate, the high altitude of 4900m caused my husband to feel short of breath. Jesús made a concerted effort to ensure his well-being while also keeping an eye on the rest of the group. Compared to Vinicunca, Palcoyo was noticeably less crowded, and it offered breathtaking views of three rainbow mountains, the red valley, and the stone forest. Unfortunately, we had to skip the stone forest…”

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2.PRIVATE Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 65 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $225

Leave Cusco early for Palccoyo, a quieter Rainbow Mountain area with three colorful peaks and views of Ausangate. A private guide and driver, hotel transport, a local-ingredient lunch, and a stop at Checacupe’s colonial bridge are included. The walk takes about 40 to 50 minutes uphill at roughly 5,000 meters. Jenny and Luis have handled one guide-and-driver team, though assignments may vary.

“This mountain area is spectacular. It perhaps should be known as Rainbow Mountain 2 as it is not the one of instagram fame but I believe this experience far surpasses that one from what I’ve heard. This is a an amazing area with terraced mountains, free Alpaca roaming and painted mountains. It surpasses my expectation. I would recommend this trip to anyone if nature is what you’re after and not a tourist nightmare;) Be aware that It is remote and gravel road for a large part of it. A shout out to Jenny our guide and Luis our driver. They were both charming, easygoing and excellent.”

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3.1 Day Tour to Palccoyo (Alternative Rainbow Mtn) from Cusco, Peru

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 53 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $153

Leave Cusco at 5 am for a roughly 3.5-hour drive to the Tres Rainbows near Palccoyo. An English-speaking guide leads a gentle 15 to 30 minute walk at about 16,000 feet, with time to explore, take photos, and eat a boxed lunch. Hotel transport and snacks are included; bring water.

“Das war eines der besten Erlebnisse meines Lebens. Ich hätte mir in meinen Träumen nie eine eindrucksvollere Landschaft vorstellen können. Der uns gebotene Service war auch ganz toll und die Führung einfach Klasse!”

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4.Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Full Day Tour from Cusco

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 49 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $65

Leave Cusco around 4:00 am for Palccoyo, where a roughly 45-minute walk leads toward three colorful mountains and a stone forest, with Ausangate visible in the distance. This small-group tour includes breakfast, lunch, transport, entrance fees and an English- and Spanish-speaking guide. Joel, Marco and Miguel have led recent outings, though guide assignments vary.

“This was a wonderful tour - everything was smooth from booking to pickup and drop off. Marco - the guide - was truly wonderful and helped everyone adjust to the elevation.”

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5.Full-Day Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain All-Inclusive Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 35 reviews · 11 hours - 1 day · from $36

Travel from downtown Cusco to Palccoyo with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide, then walk for about two hours among rainbow-colored and rocky mountains at up to 4,700 meters. The day includes breakfast, lunch in a local restaurant, and time to meet local people living with llamas and alpacas. Guides on recent departures have included Joel, Monica, and Usmer.

“Absolutely stunning day trip, would highly recommend. The tour guide, Joel, was the best guide I have had in 2 and a half months of travelling South America. He was very calm, knowledgeable and ensured everything ran smoothly while allowing people to go at their own pace. Nice breakfast and great buffet lunch. There was a nice number of people on palcoyo, a much better alternative to Vinicunca.”

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6.Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain Full Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · 13 hours (approx.) · from $165

From Cusco, this roughly 13-hour tour takes you to Palccoyo, where the walk to the peak is under an hour and three rainbow-colored mountains and alpacas are the reward. A guide, transport, breakfast, lunch, oxygen and a first aid kit are included. The route also includes Checacupe’s three working bridges, though the stop may not always happen.

“Everything was perfect except the food, was totally a scam, the tour guy was fun and the walk was fair and worth it.”

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7.Palccoyo Rainbow Mountains Full Day Tour from Cusco

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 31 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $56

Leave Cusco at 4:30 a.m. for Palccoyo’s colorful slopes at 4,900 meters, with a roughly 40-minute walk, a stop at Checacupe’s three bridges, lunch and four lagoons. Transport, meals, entrance fee and a bilingual guide with paramedic training are included. The group is shared and capped at 10.

“The rainbow mountains covered with snow for a few days, before we got there. The guide didn’t mention anything when we left early in the morning so we could not see anything.”

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8.Full day Palccoyo Mountain tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 23 reviews · 12 hours · from $58

Travel from Cusco to Palccoyo with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide, breakfast and buffet lunch included. Walk about 45 minutes among the colored mountains, stone forest, red valley, and alpacas, reaching more than 4,900 meters. The ride is long, but the walk is shorter and less strenuous than many high-altitude hikes.

“Il faut bien avoir en tête qu’il y a plus de 6h de voiture pour 1h40 sur place. Le paysage est cependant impressionnant. Attention à l’acclimatation à l’altitude 4700m. L’agence nous avait fixé le rdv entre 4h50 et 5h10 et on a reçu un sms de la guide le matin pendant qu’on dormait nous informant que le rdv était à 4h15. Petit déjeuner et repas très bien.”

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9.Full day Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 23 reviews · from $39

Wayraq Peru’s 13-hour Palccoyo tour takes you from Cusco to three striped mountains, with a short walk to the first viewpoint and a roughly two-hour circuit. A bilingual Spanish- and English-speaking guide leads the route; breakfast and buffet lunch are included. Expect a long drive, high-altitude walking and weather that can change the plan.

“because of the weather it was not possible to reach palcoyo: waking up at 4 a.m. and endless hours on the bus for nothing. it would have been appropriate to cancel it,since the guide knew it had rained heavily and there would be snow.”

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10.Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 23 reviews · from $40

Ride from Cusco to Palcoyo with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide, breakfast and lunch included. Walk among three rainbow mountains, view the Red Valley and Ausangate, then stop in Checacupe for photos of its Inca, colonial and modern bridges. Expect an early start, extra entrance fees and a long day on the road.

“The bus was not really suitable for the distance. It was too small with little legroom. This sort of bus is more suitable for short, local trips. Otherwise it was good value for money. The breakfast and lunch were superb.”

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11.Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain all Inclusive

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 21 reviews · 1 day · from $34

Head south from Cusco to Palccoyo, at 4,100 meters, with a bilingual guide, breakfast, buffet lunch and round-trip transport. The day includes photo stops at colonial and Inca bridges and about an hour at Palccoyo. Pickup is around 4:30 a.m.; entry costs 15 soles extra.

“To be honest we were not really happy with the tour at all! First our pickup was almost 1,5hours late (!) Without any information why, when or if we are going to be picked up at! We were waiting from 4 a.m. until 5:20 a.m. , a Taxi was picking us up, the man driving was completely uninformed ,did not know where he has to drop us off and was constantly on the phone while driving and almost caused accidents!After the pickup, there was not a single sorry for being late! The food at the restaurant was absolutely NOT good twice (breakfast and lunch) this place should be changed! The…”

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12.Palcoyo mountain hiking + stone forests

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 10 reviews · 1 day · from $53

Leave Cusco before dawn for Palcoyo, a high-altitude hike to colorful mountain slopes and a striking stone forest. Chullos Travel Cusco runs the small-group trip, with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide, breakfast and lunch included. Expect about two hours on the trail, an additional entrance fee, and a long day at nearly 4,900 meters.

“Lo que más me gustó fue la puntualidad, el acompañamiento del guía excelente, muy rica comida. Lo que mejoraría es que la microbus no tenía aire acondicionado y al regreso a Cusco era demasiado calor y polvo, por lo que se hizo muy pesado el viaje, sin ventanas, realmente si no hubiera sido por ese detalle tan importante, hubiera tenido 5 estrellas de valoración.”

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13.Palccoyo Mountain Tour full day

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 9 reviews · 12h 30m · from $33Best value

Leave Cusco before dawn for Palccoyo, where colorful mountain slopes, the Stone Forest, herds of llamas and alpacas, and views toward Ausangate await. Breakfast, lunch, transport, walking sticks, and a bilingual guide are included. The walk is short, but the 4,900-meter altitude can make it feel strenuous. Pickup and guide quality may vary.

“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Excellent Experience and Great Value It was a very well-executed experience from start to finish. Pickup was on time and well coordinated, transportation was comfortable, and the overall logistics were smooth and professional. The itinerary is thoughtfully designed, with breakfast and lunch included at the right moments, which really helps considering the altitude and long day. Palccoyo Mountain itself is absolutely stunning and, unlike other rainbow mountains, it’s far less crowded. The views of the colorful mountains, the Stone Forest. The guide was knowledgeable, supportive, and clearly focused on safety and acclimatization, which added a lot of confidence to the experience. Ti...”

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14.Colorful mountain tour Palcoyo | Cusco

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 5 reviews · from $54

Take an early pickup from central Cusco to Palcoyo, a high-altitude range of three colorful mountains. The guided outing includes a moderate, roughly two-hour walk with rest stops, three viewpoints, and a visit to the stone forest. Breakfast, buffet lunch, transport, and walking sticks are included; the entrance fee is extra.

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15.Full day Palcoyo Mountain of colors

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 5 reviews · 1 day · from $50

Leave Cusco around 4 a.m. for Palcoyo, a quieter alternative route to Peru’s colorful mountains. The day includes breakfast in Cusipata, a photo stop at an Inca bridge, a 50-minute walk at 4,100 meters, and a visit to the stone forest. An English- and Spanish-speaking guide leads the group. Transport, breakfast, and buffet lunch are included; the 15-sol entrance fee is extra.

“Pick up en retard - le guide parle peu anglais mais est très attentif et accorde du temps au groupe avec humour et en accord avec la communauté”

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