Peru is a destination of many wonders. The first thing you think of when you imagine Peru is probably: Machu Picchu. Now, think of any environment you would want to see; rainforests, deserts, colonial cities, ancient wonders, beaches! You name it, Peru has it. During my travels around the South American country, I came across the marvel that is Rainbow Mountain. It is a stunning multi-coloured mountain range located in the Andes region of Peru. The main mountain stands at approximately 5200m above sea level. You’ve probably seen photos/videos of it plastered all over social media. Allow me to tell you what the hike was like.

Tip: Acclimatise in Cusco for a couple of days to get used to the altitude. Drink a lot of coca tea. Alternatively, there are a lot of other coca products to help you cope with the altitude.

The Trail:

The trail to Rainbow Mountain itself isn’t challenging at all. What makes this hike really difficult is the altitude. The mountaintop sits at an altitude of 5200 m, the air is much thinner up here so it is difficult to breathe.

Fun fact: At this altitude, the air pressure is almost half that of sea level (~ 54% of oxygen is available compared to sea level). Have a little play on this site if you’re interested.

All the groups leave Cusco at approximately the same time (0400hr/04:00 am). When you arrive at the starting point, there would be a fair amount of people arriving/waiting. The path is thoroughly marked by the number of people walking it. The guide will ask if you want to ride a horse, insisting that you can’t get any along the trail. This is in fact false. They are everywhere! Alternatively, the guides provide basic walking poles to assist you in getting up. Trust me, it does help!

From the starting point to the top, there is an elevation gain of approximately 600m. If you’re not used to hiking uphill, it may prove difficult. The guides give you a certain amount of time to get to the viewpoint. Provided you hike at an average pace, you don’t need to worry about your timing. Even in a group, you can walk as quickly or slowly as you’d like. Turns out nobody really walks in their tour groups. I certainly didn’t.

What to expect: massive crowds at the viewpoint. While it is a stunning view, don’t forget to look around you. The surrounding mountains are breathtaking as well and a lot fewer people will be in your photo. There are also locals wearing their traditional clothes with designed up llamas for you to take photos with. Remember to tip them!

Red Valley:

There is more to the area than hiking to Rainbow Mountain. Instead of hiking the same path you did back, some tour agencies take you through a different route and down Red Valley. This is a longer alternative but not many people do it. If you’re looking for something that is not as touristy and interested in breathtaking red scenery, Red Valley would be for you.

Tip: The hike is predominantly downhill, I would advise watching your knees if they are prone to injury. Walking poles and strapping my knee up helped a lot.

The redness in the valleys is due to the soil’s richness in iron. It gives a deep red hue, which is otherworldly if you’re not seen it before. Along the trail, there are little communities and a lot of llamas and alpacas roaming. Don’t forget to bring some snacks and a lot of water! Enjoy the scenery on the way down. There are little places with holes in the ground, so definitely do not forget any toilet paper and hand sanitisers.

My honest opinion:

In my humble opinion, it is a stunning place to hike but a little overrated. Definitely one for the ‘gram. I personally had never seen mountains this red or this colourful before. It is quite amazing to sit there in awe. BUT, (as always) there were a couple of things I didn’t quite like about the hike.

1. The guide

I’m not the tallest person (I’m 5′ 3″) so it’s easy enough for people to jump to conclusions about my hiking capabilities. What I’m not okay with are overly judgemental guides. To be fair, at the end of the hike, he did say that he was impressed that I didn’t have any issues during the hike.

Prior to setting off, the guide told me that I would definitely need a horse to get to the top. It’s your choice whether you want to hire a horse but I’m trying to practice ecotourism. Think of the poor horses. I personally found the guide quite forceful with trying to get hikers to get on the horses. While I understand it’s challenging because of altitude, I just disliked his attitude. Obviously, this was just my experience with my tour guide but it didn’t really sit right with me.

2. How red is red?

Right. I’ve seen photos where the colours just POP. I won’t lie to you and say I haven’t edited my photos (they are edited slightly). The top image is the unedited version and the bottom is the slightly edited version. Although let’s be honest here, my edits aren’t amazing… Bring down your expectations slightly if you’re hoping to see the reddest mountains.

3. It is crowded

Like most tourist attractions, it will be crowded. This should be expected. If your guides are telling you that you’ll be the only group at the top, I would be wary especially if you’re leaving Cusco at 4 am.

4. The weather

I was blessed to have stunning weather the entire time I was in the country. That being said, I have met people who hiked Vinicunca when it was less than ideal (raining/snowing) and they did not have a good time. This definitely comes down to the time of year you’re in Peru and honestly if the weather gods are on your side. From what I’ve been told (and photos they have shown me), the views will be less than stellar and it won’t be as enjoyable. Of course, this is like with every other hike! I hiked Rainbow Mountain in September and found it quite lovely.

Just pray to the weather gods for good weather! 🙂

5. Getting there/Picking a tour

There are honestly so many tour agencies in Cusco that I’ve lost count. From memory, most places will charge you between 80 – 100 sols (approximately USD$30) for the entire tour. I found they all offer essentially the same services: transport, breakfast, a guide. Horses do cost additional. How I found my tour was by walking around Cusco and talking to every other vendor, discussing price and if I liked their attitude/sales pitch. I will say, there weren’t as many tours that offered Red Valley as an addition. If you’re interested in seeing that part of the tour, ASK if it’s included and ask for the route on a map.

If you’re interested in seeing Rainbow Mountain for yourself, I would definitely suggest that you do. It is a great day out in the Peruvian mountains. However, I do caution you not to have expectations of RED mountains with little crowds like in all the photos. It’s not how they always look like. In addition, hiking at altitude is challenging so proceed with caution. Of course, you can ride the horses but remember that the animals will go back down and carry another person up moments later. This will be repeated for the entire day.

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