Vinicunca or Palccoyo? – Which Rainbow Mountain to Visit in Peru

If you’re visiting Cusco in Peru, there’s a high chance you’ll want to add a trip to the ‘Rainbow Mountain’ to your itinerary. After all, thousands of photos have been shared across the internet, and who wouldn’t want to see such a beautiful landscape? However, you may or may not be aware that there are actually two different Rainbow Mountains you can visit as day trips from Cusco. The most famous one is called Vinicunca and the lesser known one is called Palccoyo.

Since we had the luxury of spending an entire month in Cusco, we decided to visit both Vinicunca and Palccoyo Rainbow Mountains. In this blog post we’ve condensed all of our knowledge and personal experience to give you a great comparison between the two places. The comparisons include everything from altitude and elevation to the hiking trails and level of difficulty. We also compared Vinicunca and Palccoyo based on views, crowds and tour options.

Therefore, this blog post is perfect for anyone who is short on time, who might not even have heard about the ‘alternative Rainbow Mountain’ and wants to learn about what to expect from a visit to these two stunning places.

Please note that we visited Vinicunca as part of a 2-day Ausangate Trek, to challenge our bodies and for a much more unique experience. However, we visited Palccoyo as part of a day trip.

If you’d like to see our Rainbow Mountain adventures then check out the Peru Playlist on our YouTube channel.

Learn About the Rainbow Mountains: Vinicunca and Palccoyo

Possibly the second most popular day trip from Cusco, after Machu Picchu, is the Rainbow Mountain. The mountain is also known as Vinicunca, Winikunka, Montaña de Siete Colores, and Montaña de Colores.

Did you know? Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain wasn’t even visible until about 2015. This is because it was covered in a thick layer of snow and ice. Then, due to climate change, the snow melted and revealed the colourful mountain beneath.

The subduction of the Nazca and South American plates which created the Andes mountains also produced volcanism and varied mineralogy. Over time the sedimentary deposits and environmental conditions formed a series of colourful layers such as red, orange, turquoise, blue and green.

Since Vinicunca isn’t just an average looking mountain, it very quickly became known as the ‘Rainbow Mountain’ and started attracting tourists from all over the world.

A few years later, the snow and ice also melted from Palccoyo (or Palcoyo) revealing that there’s more than one Rainbow Mountain in the area. Soon people started to refer to Palccoyo as ‘the Alternative Rainbow Mountain’, providing a less crowded option.

Rainbow Mountain Comparison: Which One Should You Visit

Below we’ve detailed the main differences between Palccoyo and Vinicunca, to help you make the decision as to which one to visit.

Whichever you decide to visit in the end, just know that both Rainbow Mountains and their surrounding areas will make you feel like you’re on a different planet.

Vinicunca or Palccoyo: Altitude and Elevation Gain

	Vinicunca	Palccoyo
Altitude	5,200 m (17,000 ft)	4,900 m (16,000 ft)
Elevation Gain	~360 m (1,180 ft)	~160 m (525 ft)

The first thing we’ll compare is the altitude and elevation gain. Vinicunca Mountain is located about 5,200m (17,000ft) above sea level whereas Palccoyo sits around 4,900m (16,000 ft). For comparison, Machu Picchu is only about 2,430 m (8,000ft) and Cusco is 3,400 m (11,000 ft) above sea level.

In both places you’ll be hiking at pretty high altitudes. For reference, Everest Base Camp is located 5,364 m (17,598 ft) above sea level.

Now, it’s probably good to know that you’ll only go up to about 5,000 m (16,400 ft) at Vinicunca. So, you’ll be around the same altitude at both Vinicunca and Palccoyo. The main difference really is the elevation gain. At Vinicunca you’ll be gaining around 360 m (1,180 ft) of elevation whereas at Palccoyo it’s only about 160 m (525 ft).

It might not seem like a huge difference, but an extra two hundred metres is a lot when it comes to hiking in high altitude. For this reason, we suggest that unless you’re properly acclimatised, visit both mountains with caution. See how you feel in Cusco first before booking your day trip to either mountain.

Vinicunca or Palccoyo: The Hiking Trail Length

	Vinicunca	Palccoyo
Length of Trail	The trail is roughly a 7 km roundtrip It takes about 3 to 4 hours to complete	The trail is roughly a 3.5-4 km roundtrip It takes about 2 hours to complete

Let’s compare the length of the hiking trails you’ll have to complete. Both trails are point-to-point trails, meaning that you’ll be hiking up to a viewpoint, then returning the same way to the car park.

The Vinicunca trail is a 7 km long roundtrip. Palccoyo on the other hand is only about 3.5-4 km long. It takes a good 3 to 4 hours to complete the Vinicunca trail but only about 2 hours to do Palccoyo.

For this reason, we recommend thinking about how much you enjoy hiking. You’ll have to tackle double the elevation at Vinicunca too, so if you’re not into hiking or have been showing signs of altitude sickness when you arrived in Cusco, then consider choosing Palccoyo instead.

Click here to view the Palccoyo hiking trail.

Click here to view the Vinicunca hiking trail.

Vinicunca or Palccoyo: Level of Difficulty

	Vinicunca	Palccoyo
Level of Difficulty	Moderate to difficult Steeper trail and greater elevation gain You’re hiking for longer (3-4hrs)	Moderate Less steep and less elevation gain Less time hiking (2hrs)

Another difference between Palccoyo and Vinicunca Rainbow Mountains you should consider is the level of difficulty of the hike.

Based on the categories discussed above, Vinicunca Rainbow Mountains hiking trail is considered moderate to difficult. This is due to the fact that the trail is steeper, you’ll be gaining around 360m of elevation and you’ll be hiking for much longer. Going uphill for almost 2 hours can be a lot for those not used to hiking and altitude.

Palccoyo Rainbow Mountains hiking trail on the other hand is considered a moderate hike. You’ll only gain 160m of elevation, and the path is more gently inclined than at Vinicunca. Plus, the entire roundtrip can be completed within 2 hours, which is the same time you would need to hike one way at the original Rainbow Mountain.

Top Tip. If you’ve just completed the Inca Trail or Salkantay Trek, then you’ll most likely be fine hiking up to Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain. In case you’re about to go on any of these treks, either mountain will be a great way to train for it. For reference, the highest point along the Salkantay Trek is ‘only’ about 4,600 m (15,000 ft) and on the Inca Trail it’s 4,200 m (13,700 ft).

Vinicunca or Palccoyo: Views

	Vinicunca	Palccoyo
Views	One Rainbow Mountain View of Ausangate Mountain Optional Red Valley hike	Three Rainbow Mountains Beautiful Views over the Andes Stone Forest with jagged rocks

Okay, let’s talk about the views and what you can see at both Rainbow Mountains because we believe that can be an important decision making factor.

Generally speaking, both destinations will greet you with stunning views of the mountains themselves and the surrounding Andes mountain range too. However, each will also offer something slightly different.

Vinicunca, for example, only has one Rainbow Mountain. However, if you hike up just a bit further, you’ll also get to enjoy some unforgettable views of Ausangate Mountain which is the highest in the area. In addition, there are tours offering a short hike into the Red Valley, which will definitely add another extraordinary experience to your day trip.

If you visit Palccoyo, you won’t just see one but three different rainbow mountains. Yes, you read that right. There are three different rainbow mountains along the much shorter hiking trail. In addition, you can also climb up to the Stone Forest which is an area of impressive jagged rocks that really makes the landscape more interesting.

Vinicunca or Palccoyo: Crowds / Popularity

	Vinicunca	Palccoyo
Crowds / Popularity	Very Popular Crowded (over-tourism issues)	Less Popular Less Crowded

One of the most important comparisons is between popularity and crowds.

Despite the fact that Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain is a relatively new tourist attraction, it’s quickly become very popular. Unfortunately, this means that it has started to experience signs of over-tourism. This has been causing many disputes between the local communities and even more environmental impacts due to the thousands of daily visitors.

Apparently up until 2018 you had to do a more difficult hike to reach the viewpoint. However, they’ve now built a road that cuts the hike in half. This of course just encourages more people to book a trip.

For this reason we would like you to be mindful of visiting Vinicunca if you want to reduce the impact of over-tourism on local communities and the environment. If you’re a big hiker like us, you can always consider visiting Vinicunca as part of the multi-day Ausangate Trek. And if you visit as a day trip just make sure to respect nature and limit your impact as much as possible, aka Leave No Trace!

Palccoyo, on the other hand, is definitely less visited and crowded. The reduced elevation gain and level of difficulty also makes it a slightly safer option for people. There have been many reports of unfortunate deaths at Vinicunca due to it being at such high altitude in an unpredictable mountain environment. Once again, Everest Base Camp is not much higher in altitude and people take days of hiking and acclimatising to get there.

Vinicunca or Palccoyo: Tour Options and Cost

Finally, let’s compare all the different options you have to visit these sites.

We normally like to avoid tours and visit places on our own. In this case however, unless you have your own vehicle, we don’t recommend trying to visit Vinicunca or Palccoyo Rainbow Mountains independently. It’s easier and possibly cheaper to do it as part of a tour.

You can visit Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain either by a day tour or as a multi-day trek.

• Organised Day trip: Most people would join a day tour leaving from Cusco to visit the Rainbow Mountain. You can pre-book your trip online or find a tour once in Cusco.
• Multi-day trek: You can visit Vinicunca as part of the Ausangate Trek. We did a 2-day trek that took us through the Ausangate Pass to Rainbow Mountain. It was one of the hardest but most rewarding hikes we did in Peru. If you’re a big hiker and want something much more remote, then this is really the best way to visit Rainbow Mountain.

The best way to visit Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain is by a day tour. You can pre-book your trip online or find a tour once in Cusco.

Day tours normally cost around the same depending on what’s included in your package. A multi-day trek will cost you a lot more of course, but it’s totally worth it if you love trekking.

Useful Information Before You Visit the Rainbow Mountains

There are a few things to bear in mind before you book Vinicunca or Palccoyo.

No matter which tour you pick for Vinicunca, most of them will leave between 3AM and 4AM from Cusco. This is because the hike is twice as long as Palccoyo, so you really need to leave early. The tours for Palccoyo normally leave a bit later around 7AM. If you’re not an early bird then this could be a decision making factor.

Bear in mind that you’ll be in a minibus for a long time, since it takes a good 3.5 hours to reach either site. If you suffer from motion sickness then you should take some medication and come prepared. In our opinion Vinicunca is a bit better in this regard, as you’ll be able to spend a bit longer outside and won’t feel like you’re in the car all day.

Speaking of medication, make sure to have some altitude sickness pills with you and read more about what additional things you can do to prevent it.

Make sure to always check what’s included in your tour such as breakfast, lunch and entry fees. Normally, you have to pay extra for entry to the Rainbow Mountains so make sure to bring some cash.

Dress appropriately. It’s going to be cold up at 5,000m even on a sunny day. Bring warm clothes and proper hiking shoes or boots. We had a person leaving Cusco in a t-shirt for Palccoyo! He had to buy a jumper at the breakfast spot.

You’ll probably see many locals with their dressed-up llamas and alpacas offering to take photos with them. It’s not free of course, so make sure to bring enough money for tips.

If you visit Vinicunca, you’ll also have the chance to get a ‘passport stamp’ for a few soles. If you want a stamp, please don’t stamp your original passport as technically this makes it invalid. Bring a travel journal or notebook instead!

Which One to Visit: Vinicunca or Palccoyo?

I guess it’s time to decide which Rainbow Mountain you’re going to visit: Vinicunca, Palccoyo or even both?

As a reminder, we’ve put all the most important comparison factors together in the above photo. Think about what the most important one for you is:

Do you want to challenge your body because you love hiking? Then Vinicunca is the one for you. Do you just want to see the original Rainbow Mountain that’s all over social media with your own eyes? If so, then go for Vinicunca.

If you don’t like super early mornings or long hikes then it’s probably best to go for Palccoyo. Do you want to see something that’s not all over the internet just yet and help with over-tourism issues? Then definitely pick Palccoyo.

Final Thoughts on Visiting Vinicunca or Palccoyo Rainbow Mountains

We enjoyed both experiences for different reasons. Whilst we’d seen so many photos of Vinicunca online, being there was a fantastic experience where you could really appreciate the scale of this beautiful mountain. What made our visit a bit more unique is that you never really see a ton of photos from the surrounding area. So seeing those as well definitely elevated our overall experience.

Whilst we got to the site just before everyone else thanks to completing the 2-day Ausangate Trek, it was starting to fill up with visitors very quickly by the time we left. We can only imagine what the viewpoint would’ve looked like just an hour later.

Since Palccoyo is a relatively new attraction, the smaller tour groups and fewer people at the site definitely made the experience better. The hiking trail is shorter and easier, and the tour guide was always around telling you different things about the area and taking some really good photos.

Have you ever visited Vinicunca or Palccoyo? What was your experience? Which one did you like better? If not, which one would you visit? Let us know in the comments below.