Rainbow Mountain | By Pitumarca Face.

In a short time this natural attraction has become one of the most visited and recommended in Cusco, almost always for the last day of stay, in order to have a better adaptation and avoid altitude sickness.

At the moment the only access available to this mountain is through the communities of Pitumarca, below are a little more details and itinerary about this route. Cusco (3.400 meters above sea level or 11.115 ft) 4:00 A.M.(Recommended Time) After leaving at the agreed time we will head south of the city towards the district of Pitumarca, which belongs to one of the 13 provinces of Cusco called Acomayo.

Traveling a distance of approximately 2 hours and a few minutes over a distance of 104 km (64.5 miles), along the way we will cross several towns and beautiful natural passages as well as historical and archaeological sites. As the tour begins very early, we will generally be able to respect your rest and you can take the opportunity to recover lost hours of sleep or you might ask a simple question and we will be happy to answer your curiosity.

. Pitumarca (3.570 m. or 11.712 ft.)

6:00 A.M Once we arrive at the town of Pitumarca we still have around 45 minutes left in the transport with 29 km (or 18 mi.) still ahead, we will abandon gradually the gentle and paved highway and we will see how the rural areas will appear through our windows on a the wide variety of terrains, this section has the best scenes of landscapes and natural beauty of rivers, crops, valleys and deep canyons, where we can see farmers, llama and alpaca ranchers, so be attentive when a herd of llamas crosses the unpaved trail, and prepare your hearts and trust our expert and veteran driver when we have to share the road and give way when we are crossing part of the Ananiso canyon mountain range (See on Google Maps) that is why it is important to leave at dawn to avoid this type of maneuvers as much as possible, in addition to avoiding the Most of the large groups take time to leave their hotels due to the number of hotels they stop at to pick them up.

We will be asked to pay a small tax in some villages, which seems fair considering that they are the ones keeping the road relatively passable which is visited according to pre-pandemic figures for up to 5k a day, make sure you have some local change on hand (S/ 25.00 per person)

During this busy journey, jumping over irregular terrain, we will be able to find some local rural entrepreneurs in the community, offering public hygienic services at a cost of 1 sol (It is recommended to bring local currencies) that include toilet paper with appropriate restrooms although they do not count. with covers or toilet seats they have a luxurious location and view.

Here is When We Get This Party started

Parking lot (4.514m or 14.800 feet) - Vinicunca Summit (4962m or 16280 feet)

7:00 A.M After about 3 hours inside the mini van it was time for the adventure, as soon as we set foot in the place we will feel the extreme climate of being at an elevation of just over half of the summit of Everest Mountain.

This will be the last opportunity to use the restrooms, after getting ready we have a walking distance of about 5 km (3 miles) that could take us between 3 to 4 hours hiking, which is complicated by the positive gain of 500 m or 1480 feet. the slope to climb and considering how our body responds to this height.

In our opinion, the ascent and breathing are particularly difficult for new hikers who have never been or walked at this elevation above sea level and even for some hikers who usually do it at sea level, the rules at this altitude are game changing.

Highly recommended

Renting horses at least on the ascent could save energy for the last journey, which is a little steeper, and it is money that goes directly to the local residents who really make an effort going up and down several times a day. We can find muleteers very close to the parking lot, there are also ATVs for rent and also for some adventurous, pit bikes that carry passengers in the back seat in a time about 5 to 10 minutes.

The horses will be parked and it will not take long for them to be occupied depending on the number of travelers we find, so it is recommended to decide beforehand if they will walk or use this service. It is possible to walk a little and find by chance one or two muleteers returning if there are travelers. who left before us, sometimes the price is reduced according to the distance in front, the arrieros or muleteers pulled the horses and lead the trail all the way, Budget for Horseback riding

-The cost of horse rental one way is around 60 to 80 Soles (Approx.) per person.

The round trip cost between 80 to 100 Soles (Approx.) per person.

-ATV Quad bikes round trip between 100 to 120 Soles approx per person.

-Linear motorcycles one way (Pit bike) between 50 to 70 soles and way back between 30 to 50 Soles.

-Prices vary depending on the schedule and demand due to the number of interested travelers and distance.

-The locals only accept cash in national currency, many only speak Quechua, the original language before Spanish, so we can help them communicate and reach a good agreement in the place..

Whether we choose to walk or ride, it is very possible that we will feel a sense of fulfillment and that it was really worth it, when we reach one of the peaks and observe the beauty of not only the colorful mountain but its surroundings and the Nevado Ausangate that stands imposing,

If even so everything is covered in clouds, it is because we arrived very early and with a little patience remembering that after the rain comes the sun, helped with warm layers and perhaps purchasing hot drinks or alpaca chicharrón from some vendors right there, who They get up very early to bring their products, without realizing it we will witness how the blanket of clouds or mist opens and shows us in a more mysterious way the beauty of the landscape and the impressive Mountain, known by the locals with the name of Vinicunca (from the Quechua “wini”, which means stones, and “kunka”, which means neck, referring to the particular shape of its summit.) or better known as Rainbow Mountain. If you still have strength left or you saved your battery by using the horses to climb when you reach the mountain of colors, most groups and people could leave walking for 15 to 30 minutes more, climbing a little further up the mountain to have a more impressive view of the mineral composition. of the seven colors and all its stunning red mountain range leaving your jaw on the ground and with your mouth open.

Climate in the Mountain of Colors:

The Cusco region has a very unpredictable and variable climate due to the number of altitudinal levels, valleys, mountain ranges and variables such as wind or temperature, while it may be raining in a valley it may be sunny and cloudless in the nearest valley, this happens. Even within the province of Cusco and its districts, while it is raining in a district like the Historic Center, another nearby can see a rainbow or even be lightly drizzling (Drizzling) and sunny at the same time.

From November to the penultimate week of April it is rainy with between 2 to 3 hours of rain in the morning or at night for a few days a week, in the mornings it is very cold with very low temperatures at night between 3 to 7 Celsius (and during the day when it is sunny and clear between 14 - 20 C and during the sunny season between May to October between 17 to 22 C, the mornings and nights being colder but without rain, reaching -5 to -7

So if it is clear and sunny the heat and radiation is very strong so the use of sunscreen is necessary however, when it is rainy or cloudy sometimes it can even snow or hail even in very rainy seasons between December to February thunder falls in thunderstorms at that altitude.

It is recommended to be ready for four seasons of the year and if you choose the rainy season months, try to be warm and wear waterproof clothing, even if sometimes there are hot days after a rainy day, it is always recommended to bring a coat, scarves and warm hats to the wind and cold.

Return from Vinicunca to Cusco.

Whether we have the horses waiting for us or we have decided to enjoy the return walking the 5 km, since the descent is much easier for the lungs and the body due to the gradual incline of the path that is not so heavy on the legs and knees. We will be able to observe the surrounding mountains more carefully, making it much easier to take photographs without realizing that between 45 minutes to 1 hour of walking we will have arrived at the parking lot where our driver will be waiting for us, very excited to have us back safe and sound.

Lunch break (Not Included)

After boarding the vehicle, it is possible that the exercise, the height and the effort will awaken our appetite. If the snacks are not enough, do not hesitate to ask for a market to buy fruit or a recommendation from the restaurant offerings that have been created in the urban areas a few minutes from Pitumarca, when we are back on the highway, where we can find buffet services with inputs typical of the agriculture of this area such as tarwi (Lupinus Mutabilis) or Andean Lupine, a species of seed from the family of beans with high protein value, as well as varieties of native potatoes, salads, pastas, rice and meats.

Rates

-Cost of Buffet Lunch is between 30 to 50 soles per person, including only hot drinks.

-most places charge 5% if you pay with a credit card.

By continuing we will be able to have better views of the places we visited earlier live archeological sites, lagoons, towns, and if you wish we could stop for a few minutes to visit the popular bakeries and their artisan ovens from the colonial era in the Oropesa district, which has the best and most creative bread in all of Cusco. .

When leaving Oropesa we will be only 1 hour away from Cusco and depending on traffic, it will take 10 to 20 more minutes to the agreed place.

Recommendations:

-Be adapted to the altitude by staying at least two days in Cusco.
-Carry local currency in bills and coins.
-Carry at least 500 ml of water in a container and avoid plastic if possible.
-Canes are recommended if you are not an expert walker, to help with balance when descending, they can be rented or purchased before or on site.
-Be prepared for the cold, rain and hot sun.
- wear appropriate footwear for this terrain, muddy in some sections if it is raining or has rained and sandy and rocky in sections if it is very hot and sunny in the dry season.
- Bring the best mental attitude remembering that the best climate is the one inside our head.