Booking choice: The Palccoyo day trip, 11 hours. Book this Tour details
When people say Rainbow Mountain they mean Vinicunca, the slope on the postcards. It is not the only striped mountain near Cusco. Palccoyo, across the Vilcanota valley, has three of them, and tour operators sell it as the easier, quieter alternative. A third, Pallay Punchu, has started to appear on itineraries too.
Which one suits you depends on how you handle the altitude, how much you care about the classic view, and how much company you want at the top.
The quick answer
Pick Vinicunca for the famous view and the Red Valley, if you are acclimatised and fine with a steep last slope among crowds. Pick Palccoyo for a shorter, gentler walk, three striped ridges and a stone forest, with far fewer people. Both are long days from Cusco and both are high: Palccoyo's trail runs at roughly 4,700 to 4,900 m.
Which rainbow mountain is best?
Vinicunca, if you want the classic view and can handle the climb. Palccoyo, if you want an easier walk and space to yourself.
Vinicunca has the one image everyone knows: a single slope striped red, mustard, green and lavender, with the Red Valley next door. It is busy, and its viewpoint is close to 5,000 m. Palccoyo spreads its colour across three smaller ridges and adds a field of rock spires. The walk is shorter, the climb gentler, and the crowds thin.
If this is your one day for it and you are fit, go to Vinicunca. If you are worried about the altitude, travelling with older relatives, or simply hate crowds, Palccoyo is the better day.
Three striped ridges, a stone forest and a gentler walk than Vinicunca: the Palccoyo day trip.
Book thisPalccoyo vs Vinicunca: how do they compare?
Palccoyo is lower, shorter and quieter. Vinicunca is higher, steeper and famous, with the Red Valley as an add-on.
Side by side, from the listings and the sources linked in this guide:
| Vinicunca | Palccoyo | |
|---|---|---|
| Top of the walk | About 5,000 m (summit 5,036 m) | About 4,700 to 4,900 m |
| Walk | About 3.5 km up, 1.5 to 2 h (classic listing) | About 2 h guided trek in total (listing) |
| Last stretch | Steep slope to the viewpoint | Gentler climb; steeper path to the stone forest |
| Drive from Cusco | About 3 h each way | About 3.5 h each way (listing) |
| Crowds | Busy, especially mid-morning | Far fewer visitors |
| Extras | Red Valley (own fee) | Stone forest |
| Ways up | Hike, horse or ATV | Guided trek (listing) |
| Tours here | Classic, premium and seven more | Palccoyo day trip |
Where is Palccoyo?
In the Checacupe district of Canchis province, about 145 km south-east of Cusco by road, on the other side of the Vilcanota valley from Vinicunca.
The tour listing gives about 3.5 hours in the van, past rural villages, with breakfast on the way. TreXperience (June 2026) puts the trailhead at a community car park around 4,700 m, reached by a final half hour up the road. On a clear day the snow peaks of the Vilcanota range, Ausangate among them, show on the horizon.
Is Palccoyo easier than Vinicunca?
Yes. The walk is shorter and climbs far less, though you are still at about 4,700 m and above, so acclimatise first.
TreXperience gives about 3 km round trip and roughly 200 m of climbing. The Palccoyo day trip listing says about 2 hours of guided trekking and mentions up to 1,000 steps on the route. The two sources do not describe it the same way, so expect a steady, gentle walk with some stepped sections, not a stroll.
The difference from Vinicunca is the last slope. There is no steep 5,000 m finish. The altitude rules still apply: read the altitude guide before you go.
A shorter, gentler walk past three striped ridges and a stone forest, with breakfast and lunch included.
Book this Tour detailsAre the colours at Palccoyo as good as at Vinicunca?
Different, not worse. Vinicunca gives one big striped slope; Palccoyo gives three smaller ones you see from several viewpoints along the walk.
Vinicunca's colours come from layers of clay, sandstone and mineral-rich rock, described on Wikipedia from the Cusco office of cultural landscapes: red from iron-rich claystone, green from phyllites, mustard from calcareous sandstone. Palccoyo shows similar banding on a smaller scale. If the photo you have in mind is the famous one, only Vinicunca gives it.
What is the stone forest at Palccoyo?
A field of rock spires shaped by wind, rain and ice, above the main viewpoints at close to 5,000 m. The path to it is steeper.
TreXperience describes the stone forest as limestone formations reached by walking a little higher past the striped ridges, and suggests skipping it if you feel unwell. It is the part of the day with the fewest people. Treat it as optional: the ridges are the reason to go.
What about Pallay Punchu, the newer rainbow mountain?
Pallay Punchu is in the Layo district of Canas province, above 4,700 m. Peru's state news agency named it among the world's six most striking rainbow mountains in May 2026.
According to Andina, Pallay Punchu rises above 4,700 m in Layo district. One operator, TreXperience, describes a 3 km walk of 1 to 2 hours with a view over the Langui Layo lagoon, a 4:00 am pickup and a long drive, and calls it quieter and more remote than Vinicunca.
There is no Pallay Punchu tour on this site yet, and fewer operators run it. If you have done Vinicunca and want something wilder, it is worth a look.
Can you do both Vinicunca and Palccoyo?
Yes, on separate days. Do Palccoyo first: it is lower and gentler, and it gives your body a taste of 4,700 m before Vinicunca.
Each is a full day from Cusco, starting before dawn, so leave a rest day between them. Doing Palccoyo first works as a dress rehearsal for the altitude. For the classic day, the classic day trip adds the Red Valley as an option, and the no-hiking ATV tour cuts the walking to about five minutes if your legs are done.
The famous slope and the Red Valley on one day, with breakfast and lunch: the classic day trip.
Book thisFrequently asked questions
Is Palccoyo worth it?
Yes, if you want striped mountains without the crowd or the steep 5,000 m finish. If you have your heart set on the famous view, go to Vinicunca.
Is the entrance fee included on the Palccoyo tour?
The listing shows the entry fee under what is included but also marks it as cash, and lists an optional Checacupe entry as cash. Ask the operator which fees you pay on the day.
Is Palccoyo better for older travellers?
It is the gentler walk, so it suits more people. The altitude is still high, and the Palccoyo listing excludes people with heart or breathing problems and mobility impairments.
Is the Red Valley near Palccoyo?
No. The Red Valley is next to Vinicunca and is an optional add-on on Vinicunca tours, with its own fee.
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Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on the tours below. Check whether the entrance fee is included before you go.
Palccoyo: Three Rainbow Mountains
A gentler walk past three striped ridges and a stone forest
Rainbow Mountain & Red Valley Day Trip
- Hotel pickup in the historic centre (depends on option)
- Transport and a bilingual guide
- Breakfast and buffet lunch, vegetarian options
Rainbow Mountain by ATV, No Hiking
A 20-minute quad ride and about five minutes on foot
