The Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain in a day from Cusco
8 Ratings
- Live Guide
- Instant Confirmation
- Day Trip
- Pickup Service
- E-Ticket
- 14.5 hr
The visual spectacle offered by this site has attracted numerous travelers since 2016. Vinicunca or the Mountain of Seven Colors, is a beautiful destination that is part of the Vilcanota Mountain Range. It is part of the Peruvian Andes and is located at 5,200 meters above sea level, in the district of Pitumarca. It is an arid hill that is characterized by its slopes and summits that are dyed by strips of intense fuchsia, turquoise, lavender and gold. Greenish tones indicate the presence of iron, magnesium, and copper oxide; yellows highlight sulfur; the whites are created thanks to quartz sand and limestone, and the reds are due to clay and argillites (mica and quartz rocks).
Itinerary Details
Operated by: Sakura Expedition
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Montana de Siete Colores
DAILY DEPARTURES: 4:00 am to 4:30 pm DURATION: One day HOME: Cusco PLACE TO VISIT: Cusipata - vinincunca FINISH: Cusco PHYSICAL STATE: level 3 ALTITUDE: 5100 m.s.n.m CATEGORY: Natural BEST TIME TO VISIT: May-Nov RECOMMENDATION: We recommend being at least 2 days in Cusco for acclimatization purposes. Remember that, although the walk is about 2 hours one way and 2 hours back if you are not well acclimatized you may have difficulties during the journey. BECAUSE THE COLORS OF THE MOUNTAIN This program starts very early with the departure from Cusco. Our mobility will pick us up at the hotel according to the scheduled time and then we will go to the district of Cusi pata which is at a distance of approximately 77 kilometers. By bus for 2 hours our breakfast will be in the community of Cusi pata for a time of 30 minutes and then continue for approximately 1 hour in our mobility to the community of PHULAWASIPATA. From this point we will start our trek to the 7 Color Mountain - Vinicunca, the road will take us about 1 hour with 45 minutes to 2 hours of ascent until 5,100 meters. Already at the top our Guiad for a brief information of this beautiful natural formation. According to some geologists of the Geological Society of Peru, the Vinicunca mountain, like many other mountains in the great Andes Mountains, was formed by the movement of the tectonic plates that raised the marine sediments to become impressive mountains. On the other hand, the color presented by Vinicunca is the result of the oxidation of some minerals due to erosion, humidity and other geological factors. At some point in our history, the mountain was covered with blocks of ice: it was snowy. However, due to global warming and climate change, the ice disappeared and left in place this magical landscape that demonstrates the beauty and ecological fragility of planet Earth. The coloring of the 7-color hill, according to the studies of the Deconcentrated Directorate of Culture of Cusco, is due to the following mineralogical composition: The pink color is the red clay, fangolites (mud) and arilites (sand). The Blanquecino is by quartz sandstone and marls, rich in calcium carbonate. Red is composed of clays (iron) and clays belonging to the upper tertiary. The green is due to the compound of phyllites and clays rich in magnesium ferro. The earthy brown is a product of fanglomerate composed of rock with magnesium belonging to the Quaternary era. And the mustard yellow color is due to the presence of calcareous sandstones rich in sulphured minerals. Along the way we will be able to appreciate some South American camelids, settlers with their typical costumes and the change in the coloration of the mountains until we reach Vinicunca where we can enjoy the landscape of the entire Vilcanota mountain chain. After receiving our information and time to visit the mountain and take our photos we will take the same way back to our mobility and later return for 1 hour to the CUSIPATA district of PAUCARPATA community to have our lunch in our restaurant. 2:00 pm to We will have lunch. 2:00 pm We begin the return to the city of Cusco. 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm arrival at the square
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Montana de Siete Colores
DAILY DEPARTURES: 4:00 am to 4:30 pm DURATION: One day HOME: Cusco PLACE TO VISIT: Cusipata - vinincunca FINISH: Cusco PHYSICAL STATE: level 3 ALTITUDE: 5100 m.s.n.m CATEGORY: Natural BEST TIME TO VISIT: May-Nov RECOMMENDATION: We recommend being at least 2 days in Cusco for acclimatization purposes. Remember that, although the walk is about 2 hours one way and 2 hours back if you are not well acclimatized you may have difficulties during the journey. BECAUSE THE COLORS OF THE MOUNTAIN This program starts very early with the departure from Cusco. Our mobility will pick us up at the hotel according to the scheduled time and then we will go to the district of Cusi pata which is at a distance of approximately 77 kilometers. By bus for 2 hours our breakfast will be in the community of Cusi pata for a time of 30 minutes and then continue for approximately 1 hour in our mobility to the community of PHULAWASIPATA. From this point we will start our trek to the 7 Color Mountain - Vinicunca, the road will take us about 1 hour with 45 minutes to 2 hours of ascent until 5,100 meters. Already at the top our Guiad for a brief information of this beautiful natural formation. According to some geologists of the Geological Society of Peru, the Vinicunca mountain, like many other mountains in the great Andes Mountains, was formed by the movement of the tectonic plates that raised the marine sediments to become impressive mountains. On the other hand, the color presented by Vinicunca is the result of the oxidation of some minerals due to erosion, humidity and other geological factors. At some point in our history, the mountain was covered with blocks of ice: it was snowy. However, due to global warming and climate change, the ice disappeared and left in place this magical landscape that demonstrates the beauty and ecological fragility of planet Earth. The coloring of the 7-color hill, according to the studies of the Deconcentrated Directorate of Culture of Cusco, is due to the following mineralogical composition: The pink color is the red clay, fangolites (mud) and arilites (sand). The Blanquecino is by quartz sandstone and marls, rich in calcium carbonate. Red is composed of clays (iron) and clays belonging to the upper tertiary. The green is due to the compound of phyllites and clays rich in magnesium ferro. The earthy brown is a product of fanglomerate composed of rock with magnesium belonging to the Quaternary era. And the mustard yellow color is due to the presence of calcareous sandstones rich in sulphured minerals. Along the way we will be able to appreciate some South American camelids, settlers with their typical costumes and the change in the coloration of the mountains until we reach Vinicunca where we can enjoy the landscape of the entire Vilcanota mountain chain. After receiving our information and time to visit the mountain and take our photos we will take the same way back to our mobility and later return for 1 hour to the CUSIPATA district of PAUCARPATA community to have our lunch in our restaurant. 2:00 pm to We will have lunch. 2:00 pm We begin the return to the city of Cusco. 4:30 pm to 5:00 pm arrival at the square
Duration: 1 hour
