Cusco

Culture & history

Experience the incredible beauty of Rainbow Mountain on a guided hiking tour. You get a chance to see alpacas, llamas, and vicuñas while soaking in the stunning mountain views during the journey. Savor a local lunch before heading back to your accommodation in Cusco.  Your professional tour guide will pick you up from your accommodation in Cusco between 4:00 AM and 4:30 AM. After a 2-hour drive, you will arrive in Cusipata where you will stop for breakfast and buy water and snacks for the trek. Following breakfast, you'll travel one more hour to the hike starting point, at 4,850 meters. From there you will start your 3.5-kilometer trek to Rainbow Mountain over both flat and uphill terrain. During your hike, you will enjoy amazing views and encounters with wild alpacas, llamas, and vicuñas. Once you reach the top at 5,010 meters, you can make use of some free time to take a break, and if the weather is good, you will be able to enjoy views over Rainbow Mountain. You'll go downhill to the starting spot for another hour. Then, take transportation back to Cusipata where a local lunch will be waiting for you. Once you finish your buffet lunch you will travel back to Cusco, where you will arrive between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM at Plaza de Armas.

Your professional tour guide will pick you up at your homestay, hostel or hotel in Cusco between 4:00 AM and 4:30 AM. After a 2-hour drive, you will arrive in Mollepata where we will stop for breakfast and pick up water and snacks for the trek. After breakfast, travel 1 more hour to Soraypampa. Once you arrive at this high mountain plateau, admire the beautiful mountains Apu Salkantay (6,230 meters above sea level) and Humantay (5,250 meters above sea level) above sea level. The tour itself reaches an altitude of 4,200 meters. After a short time preparing your day pack you will start the 2-hour trek to Humantay Lake. The way up to Humantay Lake is steep however your group is small and your guide will let you take your time to enjoy the trek.  Enjoy the views of Humantay Lake and enjoy an optional small climb above the lake to the right or left where you can enjoy a panoramic view.  Next, you will have the easy part of your trek. Go downhill to Soraypampa for another hour. Then you will take your private transportation back to Mollepata where a local lunch will be waiting for you. Once you finish your buffet lunch you will go back to Cusco arriving between 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM at the drop-off near Plaza de Armas.

Itinerary: The trip to the mountain of 7 colors by atv begins with pickup from your hotel in Cusco. Pick up from the hotel at an indicated time one day before the trip Travel destination Cusco - Pitumarca duration 2 hours by car Breakfast at a local restaurant in Kusipata (after breakfast we continue the trip by car) Pitumarca - Qosqotapa duration 1h.20m by car Qosqopata is the end of the car (from this point our atv adventure begins Qosqopata - Mountain of the 7 colors (vinicunca) 30 minute trip on atv quad bikes Duration of the trip on the atv quad bikes is 30 minutes one way until arriving at the mountain of the 7 colors. - Return trip 25 minutes The walking time from the end of the atvs to the baga part of the colorful mountain is to walk for 5 minutes to have some souvenir photos. To have the best cover photos and memories it is necessary to walk for 7 minutes towards the mountain hill where you can see the red valley. ✔️Important: The 8.30 am shift does not include hotel pick-up and breakfast, keep in mind.

Start the adventure by picking up your accommodation within the historic center of the city of Cusco, traveling by tourist bus to the train station in Ollantaytambo (approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes). Boarding the train to Aguas Calientes (approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes), arrival at the train station in Aguas Calientes (also known as Machu Picchu Pueblo). Assistance from the agency to take the bus to the entrance gate of Machu Picchu (approximately 25 minutes), Guided tour of Machu Picchu (approximately 2 hours), after the guided tour, assistance to take the bus back to the town from Aguas Calientes (approximately 25 minutes), free time to have lunch on your own in one of the typical restaurants in the area, at the previously indicated time, you must be at the Aguas Calientes train station to board the train to destination to Ollantaytambo station (approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes), when you arrive at Ollantaytambo station, the bus will be waiting to take you back to your accommodation in Cusco (approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes).

Get your adrenaline pumping as you ride quad bikes through the Sacred Valley of the Incas. Visit the Incan archeological site of Moray and discover the Maras Salt Mines on a trip from Cusco. Depart Cusco and head to Cruzpata where you'll receive instructions on how to drive your quad bike safely. Start your adventure riding through the Sacred Valley while taking in beautiful views of snow-capped mountains. Drive your quad bikes to the Moray archeological site and enjoy a quick visit with your guide. after drive again your atv from Moray Until the basecamp. Park the quads and take the van to visit the the Salt mines of Maras. Hop back on our Minivan to Cusco.

Meet with your group at Plaza de Armas in the historical center of Cusco. Travel first to Chinchero, a small rustic town with a long tradition of textile weaving. See various textiles woven with traditional Incan techniques.  Next, you will visit Moray and see the agricultural terraces built along the hillsides. These terraces were built by the Incas to grow an abundance of crops on less-than-ideal mountain terrain. Right next to this area, at Moras, there are over 5000 salt ponds which were used by the Incas for salt extraction. This helped preserve their foods for long periods. After learning about Incan agricultural techniques, make your way to Urubamba, the capital of the Sacred Valley, for some lunch. After lunch, make your way to two historical towns, Ollantaytambo and Pisaq. At Ollantaytambo, you will climb over 200 steps to reach the top of the ancient terraced fortress that overlooks the town. This was an important defensive location during Incan times. At Pisaq, you can discover the local market selling all sorts of souvenirs and local crafts, before returning to Cusco.

Start with pickup from your hotel in Cusco between 3:00 AM and 3:30 AM. Travel for approximately 1.5 hours to Qollasuyo. Pass through the district of Cusipata with a stop for a 30-minute breakfast. From there, continue onwards with the journey for 1 hour until reaching Fulawasipata. Here, take a pause for a quick brief on how the journey will be carried out. Begin the walk at the foot of the Ausangate mountain range. This will be followed by an ascent of approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes to the highest point of the Rainbow Mountain. During this journey, you will have the opportunity to see the different types of South American camelids, a relative of the camel. Upon reaching the red hill, take in the beautiful scenery. Finally, continue the journey with a 1-hour descent into the flat terrain and back to the starting point of the hike. Return to Cusipata to enjoy a buffet lunch.  Following lunch, return to Cusco, arriving at approximately 4:30 PM at Plaza Regocijo/Kusipata, centrally located and close to all hotels.

Witness Rainbow Mountain in all its glory, take some photos and explore the area on a day trip from Cusco with a guide. Set out on an adventure in the early morning with a hotel pickup. Head up the mountain, cross small villages, immerse yourself in the local culture, and have lunch after your hike. Begin your full-day tour in Cusco city, where you will be picked up between 4:00 AM and 4:30 AM. You will then drive in a comfortable van for 3 hours to the town of Cusipata, where you will have breakfast in a local tourist restaurant. Following breakfast, we will drive for an hour to arrive to the base camp and heading to the starting point of your hike. There are approximately 2 kilometers of flat land uphill, leading to the majestic "Mountain of Colors". The hike will take about 1.5 hours, depending on your level of fitness. Along the way, enjoy panoramic views of the valleys, wild llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas, as well as of the Andes and the nearby glaciers.  Once here, if the weather is good, get the first views of Rainbow Mountain. At the top, take a well-deserved break, which will also be your chance to catch your breath and enjoy the stunning views. As an optional short activity, let's hike a bit more to get a amazing view of the Red Valley, don't miss this great adventure. After taking beautiful photos, begin your descent, where you will enjoy a delicious lunch upon your return. You will then take private transportation back to Cusco, where you will arrive at approximately 5:00 PM.

The first stop on this full-day tour from Cusco is the Mirador of Taray for spectacular views of the Andes and the Sacred Valley. Continue to the town of Pisac, the site of a popular market.. Visit the archaeological site and see the agricultural terraces, Inca cemeteries and royal buildings. Continue to Urubamba and enjoy a buffet lunch at a restaurant. Head to Ollantaytambo, built to guard the entrance to Machu Picchu, and to protect the Incas from possible invasions. Visit the picturesque village of Chinchero on the way back to Cusco, and see the remains of the royal estate of Tupac Inca Yupanqui. See also how locals dye alpaca wool with natural plants of the region.

Benefit from pick-up at your Cusco hotel between 03:30 AM and 04:00 AM, and then journey to Mollepata village in the lush valley of the Apurimac River. After breakfast in Mollepata, continue towards Soraypampa 3,900 meters above sea level. Trek for approximately 1.5 hours to Humantay Lake, 4,200 meters (13,779 feet) above sea level and get wonderful views of the turquoise waters at the base of Humantay Glacier. Immerse yourself in a landscape sacred to the Incas, and get the chance to rent a horse to ride to the lake. Explore the turquoise glacial waters of Humantay Lake , leisure for photography exploring the surrounding area before going back to Mollepata for a buffet lunch. Then, journey back to Cusco at 06:00 PM.