
Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain tour
Discover the breathtaking beauty of Rainbow Mountain Palcoyo on a guided tour from Cusco. Enjoy a scenic hike through vibrant landscapes, explore the unique stone forest, and experience a less crowded alternative to the classic Rainbow Mountain trek.
Highlights
- Easy access: A short, less demanding hike, suitable for all types of travelers.
- Stunning landscapes: Vibrant colored mountains and unique geological formations.
- Stone forest: An additional attraction that enhances the visual experience.
- Less crowded: Perfect for those seeking a more peaceful and authentic experience.
- Connection with nature: Enjoy the beauty of the Andes in its purest form, away from the tourist crowds.
Included
- Prior information one day before the trip to Palcoyo in our office in Cusco.
- Door to door pick up and drop off at the hotel.
- Roundtrip from Cusco to Palcoyo
- Certified professional guide (English or Spanish).
- First aid kit.
Not Included
- Travel insurance
- Tips for our staff
- Other expenses mentioned in the program.
What to pack
Explore and experience a unique adventure away from the crowds
Book now and discover breathtaking landscapes!
Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain tour Itinerary
Cusco - Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain - Cusco
- We will pick you up from your hotel in Cusco between 4:30 am and 5:00 am, after which we will begin our magical journey through the South Valley on our way to Combapata. Along the route, you will have the opportunity to observe local wildlife and take in the stunning landscapes. Upon arriving at our destination, the community of Palcoyo, we will embark on a gentle uphill hike of approximately 50 minutes, granting us access to privileged views of this section of the Andes, with three colorful mountains visible from the highest point. We will spend around two hours at this breathtaking spot.
- During this time, your guide will provide insightful explanations, and you will have the chance to take unforgettable photos as you explore the beauty of Palcoyo Mountain. Afterward, we will return to our vehicle and drive for about an hour to reach the Checacupe Bridge, a suspension bridge built by the Quechua people to connect the Inca Empire. Following this visit, we will enjoy lunch and take a brief rest before continuing our journey back to Cusco, arriving around 6:15 pm, where we will conclude the tour near the Plaza de Armas.
Frecuent asked questions about Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain tour
Is Palcoyo Mountain worth it?
Yes, Palcoyo Mountain is definitely worth visiting if you’re looking for a less crowded alternative to the more popular Rainbow Mountain. With its vibrant colored mountains, unique geological formations, and peaceful atmosphere, it offers stunning views without the large crowds, making it an excellent choice for nature lovers and those seeking a more relaxed experience.
Is Palcoyo Mountain hard?
The hike to Palcoyo Mountain is considered easy to moderate. Unlike the more strenuous trek to Rainbow Mountain, the Palcoyo hike is shorter and less steep, making it accessible to a wide range of fitness levels, including families and casual hikers.
How do I visit Palcoyo?
You can visit Palcoyo by joining a guided tour from Cusco. Most tours include hotel pickup, transportation, and a guide. The journey to Palcoyo takes about 3.5 hours by car from Cusco, followed by a relatively short hike to reach the viewpoint of the colorful mountains.
Do you need oxygen for Palcoyo Rainbow Mountain?
While oxygen is generally not required for most visitors, Palcoyo is located at high altitudes (around 4,900 meters/16,000 feet), and some individuals may experience mild symptoms of altitude sickness. It’s always a good idea to bring medication for altitude or consult with your guide. Many tours are equipped with oxygen tanks for emergencies.
All elements of these itineraries can be tailored to your interests and travel style.

Noreen S2025-02-13 Best tour, expérience and guide ever We were a groupe of 3 doing the tour and got on very well. The guide Johans had an amazing knowledge. We tasted Wild fruits during the walks. He taught us things about plants, birds, animals, insects and so much more, that I would of never known without him. The activities such as rafting, zip Line, hot wather springs, and mountain biking were insane and so much fun. The places we stayed in were very comfortable and clean. The meals we had were just fantastic. The views during the hike were breath taking. That was for sure one of the best experience of my Life. Thank you Johans. Lewis W2025-02-13 Machu Picchu experience We experienced Machu Picchu with Samuel our guide and it was perfect. The day was extremely well organised and Samuel ensured that getting to and from Machu Picchu was no problem. The experience was incredible, with perfect weather for seeing Machu Picchu. Samuel was the perfect guide with expert and detailed knowledge which ensured the whole circuit was covered and all questions answered. Samuel made sure we had the complete experience and took pictures from the best spots along the circuit. We would 100% recommend SAP and Samuel for a great experience at Machu Picchu Manhe S2025-02-11 Awesome experience! Wonderful guide! Samuel is very knowledgeable in the story telling, we get to learn a lot about the history and Inka Culture. very precise and accurate with timing. Very caring, patient and easygoing too! He also helped our families take many beautiful shots. Just perfecto! Lewis W2025-02-11 Incredible experience! We originally booked to do the Salkantey trek but this was cancelled due to landslides. SAP gave us the jungle trek as an alternative and thanks to our amazing guide Johans we had an incredible time. The activities are really well organised and lots of fun. We particularly enjoyed the hikes where Johans provided expert and detailed knowledge to our group of the local flora and fauna, particularly with the different species of birds. We felt very lucky to have him as our guide as he went above and beyond to make it an incredible experience! we would 100% recommend the tour and particularly with Johans especially if you have a keen interest in wildlife.Lewis and Alex Calle K2025-02-07 Fantastic I promise you, don’t miss out on this. Everybody needs to do this once during their lifetime and it’s no one better than Sap to show you the way. We felt so safe and saw beautiful things that makes a grown up cry. Machu pichu and Sap, Thank you! Ben P2025-02-07 Amazing Trip to Machu Picchu Perfect Tour! Everything went perfect, nice food, beautiful landscapes and incredible ending with Machu Picchu! Very good prices and super friendly guides! I fully recommend the company por si a2025-01-29 Great route, great experience Very well organized and an amazing experience although you would have to polish a couple of details regarding the initial talk and the pickup in the hydroelectric Raymond B2024-11-11 David was an amazing guide What an adventure, it was awesome to spend the past few days not worrying about the planning specifics since it was all taken care of by our guide David. Bring your own toilet paper/wet wipes as not all stops have this available in the restroom.Bring insect repellent and sunscreen as well.... And a rain poncho, for sale $10 Soles at the first stop or buy one in cusco before departure. Isa Carrillo2024-10-03 Delighted with the tour Very nice experience, recommended to a thousand, all very organized and comply with everything they say on the tour, the Guide Johans very attentive and explained everything and also was with us at all times James D2024-09-20 Absolutely incredible experience! 10 out of 10 recommend I did the Choquequirao trek through SAP adventures and I recommend them with the highest rating possible. After another company cancelled on me last minute, SAP adventures was able to get me on the trek for the next day. The Choquequirao trek was my favorite experience in Peru. Everything was top tier including the guide Renzo, the accommodations, the food, the group and of course the magical Inca ruins. I am very grateful for the experience and I highly recommend it.
Muhammad Shaheen Kajee2023-03-07 Did the Inka Jungle trek with SAP adventures. Amazing experience. Professional. Good value for money. Our guide, Yang was particularly great. Erling Brækhus Haugsand2023-01-03 Great customer service, we booked with them but had to cancel due to the unrest in the country. They refunded all our money with any questions Freja Ena Sundahl Olsen2022-12-19 Very professional and helpful Anne Paulsen2022-12-14 We booked our trip band paid in advance. Unfortunately strikes and closed roads prevented us from going. The company gave us full refund with no debate or hard feelings. I can recommend this honest and good will-company. Sina Hurlebusch2022-11-14 Told us a different price then we payed in the end. Just make sure theres no miscommunications Marin Maršić2022-11-04 Even though I didn't book anything with them, they were really helpful and shared some useful information. Chi Phan2022-08-23 SAP probably provides the best value-for--money tours in Cusco. I booked the Inca Jungle and Sacred Valley tours with them. They are extremely responsive on whassap, at whatever time - this cannot be taken for granted with tour agents in Peru. On the Sacred Valley tour we had a good guy that provided a bilingual tour. The lunch buffet was fantastic, especially if you are vegetarian. Lidman both booked and guided me on the Inca Jungle trip. He made sure to take into account my needs with food and anything else. I was impressed with the level of protection provided for the biking part. For other activities they worked with partners that also provided fantastic services (I had done the same activities elsewhere and could compare). Food on the trip is standard at the different stops whatever agency you go with. The accommodation I had was much better than expected - simple but clean. The team gave me the best advice of queuing for the complete ticket the day before because I had not purchase the entry to Machu Picchu in advance - the queue was short and I got an early-morning ticket fine. They also sorted out a guide for Machu Picchu for me on the spot and coordinated the train ticket as well as bus pick-up without any hiccup. Overall a great experience that I’d recommend! I RZO2022-05-20 I went here since they were close to my hostel. John and his wife provided me with great customer service and answered all of my questions. They went above and beyond trying to book a trip to Machu Picchu that I eventually decided to not do. I did book two great day trips with them which were very fun! Louis Louis2022-04-27 Nous avons fait l’inca jungle trek avec guillermo et c’était top, il nous a présenté la culture inca avec une grande passion mais aussi les diverses plantes que l’ont a pu découvrir sur notre chemin.



