Destination
Waqrapukara
Difficulty
Challenging
Activities
Hiking – Trekking
Trip Type
Hiking – Trekking, Astronomía
Duration
2 Days / 1 Nights
Max
2 Min – 16 Max
Overview
Take your hiking boots and let it explore the most beautiful geological formation in Cusco: The Rainbow Mountain or the Apu Winicunca as the locals name it. Located in the Peruvian Andes of Cusco, just 3 hours from the historic center, the Rainbow Mountain is becoming the main attraction to see after or before Machu Picchu. As you could guess, the mountain is famed for its natural, multi-colored beauty at a staggering 5,200m above sea level. This rainbow-like appearance is created by the sediment of minerals throughout the area giving the mountain the turquoise, lavender, gold and other colors. It was only recently discovered due to melting snow, which revealed the hidden gem that many still consider sacred. Since its discovery, Rainbow Mountain has slowly begun to gain popularity and has even been included in National Geographic’s list of “100 Best Places to Visit Before You Die.”
Itineraries
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We will pick you up early from your Cusco hotel around 04am and set out on a drive through the South Valley. The drive to the trailhead (4,326 m / 14,189 ft) is 2 hours long. On the way we will provide you Breakfast in a local restaurant (at the hotel you may not have the option to get breakfast). We then start off on our hike, following a lovely stream. Literally herds of alpacas and llamas will immediately surprise you. We will have consistent views of the Ausangate Mountain. We will hike through villages and interact with the local residents. Back on the trail, we encounter more of the traditional elements of this trek. This includes potato fields and unique fauna. We have the prospect of seeing chinchillas and vicunas. Vicunas are the only non-domesticated animal of the llama family in Peru. Many red mountains are also a highlight of this portion of the hike. After a total hike of approximately 2 hours, we finally reach our destination, what we came to see, the Rainbow Mountains (5,036 m / 16,466 ft). After getting over the shock of their beauty, you will have time to explore the area. You will have time to take pictures and soak in the environment. We will spend approximately 30 minutes at the top. At this point, it is time to go back down. We hike downhill the way we came. The hike will take 1 hour and a half. Our transportation will be waiting for us when we return. We will stop for lunch in the same restaurant before we head to Cusco. We will embark on the 3-hour drive back to Cusco and drop you off at your Cusco hotel. Approximate arrival time is between 5:00 pm.
- MEALS: Breakfast and Lunch
- Night: Not included
- ACTIVITY LEVEL: moderate to hard.
- WALKING DISTANCE: 7 km
- WALKING TIME: 3&4 hours
- HIKING STARTING POINT: 4630m / 15190 ft
- MINIMUM ELEVATION:4795m/ 15371ft
- MAXIMUM ELEVATION: 5036m/16732 ft
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