Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain
Palccoyo
An alternative to Vinicunca with three colorful mountain ridges in view. The walk is short, the slope gentle and there are fewer visitors.
Palccoyo lies in the Chequecupe area about 100 km southeast of Cusco. The drive takes about 3.5 hours, and the altitude is about 4,900 m. From here you can see three colorful striped ridges as well as unusual stone forests, with scenery similar to Vinicunca. Compared with Vinicunca, the parking area is closer to the viewpoints. The round trip on foot is about 3 km and takes 1–1.5 hours. The slope is gentle and there are noticeably fewer visitors, making it a good choice for those with limited stamina or concerns about altitude sickness. Altitude sickness, cold and sun protection still need to be considered. Most people join an early-morning day tour, and a community entrance fee is required.
Opening hours
Daytime (day tours depart about 04:00)
Nearby sights
- Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca)
- Church of San Pedro Apóstol, Andahuaylillas
- Pikillaqta
- Tipón
- Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco
- Qorikancha
- San Blas
- Museo Machu Picchu – Casa Concha