ActivityPitumarca, Cusco, Peru
Rainbow Mountain Without the Crowds
Vinicunca at dawn, and the Red Valley that most people miss
Average rating 4.5 out of 5
4.52 reviews
Vinicunca's stripes are real, but so are the queues. Our early start and the loop through the Red Valley make it one of the best day hikes from Cusco.
Stripes at five thousand metres
Until around 2015 Vinicunca was covered by snow most of the year and almost nobody outside the local Quechua communities had heard of it. As the ice retreated, the mineral bands of red, ochre, lilac and green appeared, a photograph went viral, and today thousands of people a day make the trip from Cusco.
It is a serious outing. The summit viewpoint is at 5,036 m, higher than anything on the Inca Trail, and day-trippers who flew into Cusco the day before often struggle. Do it at the end of your stay, when you are acclimatised.
We leave Cusco at 3:30 to be walking by 6:30, ahead of the big buses, and we approach from the quieter Chillihuani side, which shortens the climb. After the summit we drop into the Red Valley, an empty amphitheatre of rust-coloured ridges where you will probably share the view with nobody but alpacas. Horses are available from the communities if anyone needs one, and the fee goes directly to the families.
Altitude
About this story
Mateo QuispeAuthor
Andes TrailsPublisher
Reviews
Write a reviewAverage rating 4.5 out of 5
2 reviews- ICIsabela Costa5 out of 5 stars6 Oct
Honest about how hard the climbs are and generous with practical detail. The packing list was spot on.
- GMGrace Mwangi4 out of 5 stars25 Aug
Really good, though the weather meant we swapped two days. Bring more layers than you think.
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