If you’re checking out Peru for a vacation, you’ve probably seen pictures of Vinicunca, or Rainbow Mountain, the otherworldly kaleidoscopic mountainside just a few hours outside Cusco. But where is Palcoyo Mountain, a lesser-known (but equally beautiful) alternative to Vinicunca?
Where is Palcoyo Mountain?
This place is about two hours southeast of Cusco by car, followed by a short, easy hike (about one hour on easy terrain). It can be tackled easily in a day trip from Cusco. The mountain is at pretty high altitude (4,900m/~16,000ft), but coming from Cusco, you’ll be decently acclimated already.
Why choose the alternative Rainbow Mountain trek?
There are a handful of reasons why you might choose this mountain over the more famous Vinicunca Mountain. First of all, both mountains are equally striking in their unusual beauty. In fact, there aren’t even just these two “Rainbow Mountains” in Peru. It’s an interesting phenomenon whereby the natural erosion from wind and water exposes various layers of sediment, thereby showing off different colors. So Vinicunca isn’t a “better Rainbow Mountain,” it just happens to be the more famous one.
The mountain’s altitude is also lower than Vinicunca, which may allay any concerns you have about altitude sickness. At 5,200 meters, or ~17,000 feet, Vinicunca is about 1,000 feet higher than Palcoyo.
Palcoyo offers a more leisurely option than Vinicunca, with less hiking and lower altitude
Perhaps the most significant difference is the length and intensity of the hike to the top of the mountain. Vinicunca is a three-hour hike, and fairly difficult — it’s not ideal for inexperienced hikers unless you do it with horse support, which we highly recommend. This tour, on the other hand, is a mere one-hour hike, and rated “easy” rather than “difficult.” You don’t need any hiking experience to handle the hike to the top of Palcoyo.
Lastly, due to Palcoyo’s undue lack of popularity in comparison with Vinicunca, you’re likely to find fewer tourists, so you can have a more relaxing, peaceful experience, and feel like you’re in a more natural, isolated spot to enjoy your variegated panoramic views.
