Booking choice: The classic Rainbow Mountain day trip, 12 hours. Book this Tour details
The temperature swing on a Rainbow Mountain day is the main problem. Cusco's average June low is about 2 °C, and the trailhead is far higher. By late morning the sun at altitude is fierce, and on the ridge the wind cuts through a single fleece in minutes.
Dress in layers you can peel off and put back without stopping for long. Here is the list, piece by piece, and what the tours lend you.
The quick answer
Wear three layers: a base layer, a fleece or light down jacket, and a windproof or waterproof shell. Add hiking shoes or trail runners with real grip, gloves, a warm hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen. Carry about a litre of water and cash in small notes. Leave drones, large bags and anything heavy in Cusco.
What should you wear to Rainbow Mountain?
Three layers: a base layer that wicks sweat, a warm mid layer, and a windproof shell. Add a warm hat and gloves for the start and the top.
- Base layer: a synthetic or merino long-sleeve top. Cotton stays wet once you sweat on the climb, and then it chills you.
- Mid layer: a fleece or a light down jacket. You will take it off on the way up and want it back at the top.
- Shell: a windproof jacket, waterproof in the rainy season.
- Legs: hiking trousers or leggings. Thermal leggings underneath for the early start in June and July.
- Head and hands: a warm hat, a sun hat or cap, light gloves and a buff for wind and dust.
Average temperatures for Cusco come from Wikipedia's climate table; the trail is well over a thousand metres higher, so expect colder.
Breakfast and lunch in Cusipata and a walking stick from the guide: the classic day trip.
Book thisDo I need hiking shoes for Rainbow Mountain?
Not boots, but shoes with real grip. Trail runners or light hiking shoes work in the dry season; waterproof boots are better in the rain or snow.
The path is packed dirt and loose gravel, with a steep final slope that is slippery on the way down. Smooth city trainers slide. In the dry months from May to October, trail running shoes or light hiking shoes with a lugged sole are enough. From November to April the trail gets muddy, and in the coldest weeks snow can fall on the ridge. That is when waterproof boots with ankle support earn their weight.
Wear socks you have walked in before. Blisters at 5,000 m are miserable.
Do you need hiking poles for Rainbow Mountain?
They help, mostly on the descent. Several tours lend a pole or walking stick, so check before you pack your own.
Poles take load off your knees on the steep part going down and give you something to lean on when you stop for breath. Here is what each listing says it provides:
| Tour | Poles in the listing |
|---|---|
| Classic day trip | Wooden walking stick |
| Tour with entry included | One trekking pole |
| Late-start group | Hiking poles |
| Red Valley ATV | Walking sticks |
| Private day | Trekking poles |
| Premium small group | Not listed; bring your own |
One pole is fine for most people. Bring a pair if your knees complain on stairs.
What else should you pack in your day bag?
About a litre of water, snacks, sunscreen, sunglasses, gloves, a rain layer, toilet paper, your passport and cash in small notes.
- Water: about a litre. The classic tour lists water as an extra, and there is little to buy on the trail.
- Snacks: nuts, chocolate, dried fruit. Appetite drops at height; small bites are easier than a meal.
- Cash in soles: for the entrance fee if it is not in your booking, the Red Valley fee, toilets and horses.
- Passport: bring it to pay the entrance fee at the community gate.
- Toilet paper and hand gel: trail toilets are basic.
- Phone and power bank: cold drains batteries fast.
- Personal medication: including anything a doctor prescribed for the altitude.
Hotel pickup, breakfast and lunch, emergency oxygen and a walking stick for the climb. The entrance fee is paid at the trail.
Book this Tour detailsHow strong is the sun at Rainbow Mountain?
Very strong. UV rises with altitude, and at about 5,000 m you can burn fast, even on a cool or cloudy day.
The Hong Kong Observatory puts the rise in UV at about 12% for every 1,000 m of altitude. Cold air hides it. Use high-factor sunscreen on your face, ears and the back of your neck before you start walking, and again at the top. Wear sunglasses with UV protection; snow on the ridge makes the glare worse.
A cap with a neck flap or a buff pulled up works better than a wide brim in the wind.
What should you not bring to Rainbow Mountain?
Drones, large bags, valuables you do not need and anything heavy. Some tour listings ban drones and big bags outright.
- Drones: the entry-included tour and the Palccoyo day trip both say no drones. Ask your operator before packing one.
- Large bags: the same entry-included listing says no large bags. A 15 to 20 litre daypack is plenty.
- Heavy camera kit: every extra kilo counts at 5,000 m. A phone takes the classic shot.
- Cotton everything: jeans and cotton hoodies get cold and heavy once wet.
- Valuables: leave spare cards and jewellery in the hotel safe.
What should you wear in the rainy season or snow?
A proper waterproof jacket, waterproof shoes or boots, and a spare pair of socks. A poncho over your pack helps in a downpour.
The rainy months run from about November to April, and January and February are the wettest. Expect mud on the trail and the chance of hail or sleet near the top. In the cold dry months, mostly July, snow can dust the ridge overnight. Waterproof boots, gloves that still work when wet, and a dry layer in a plastic bag make a cold day bearable.
The quad tour with meals lists a rain poncho as not included, so bring your own. More on the weather in the best time to visit.
What should you wear on a horse or an ATV?
Warmer layers than for hiking, because you are sitting still in the wind. On a quad add a buff, sunglasses and gloves for the dust.
On a horse you do not warm up the way a walker does. Keep the fleece on and the gloves handy. You still walk the last steep section, so the shoe advice stands.
The Red Valley ATV tour and the no-hiking ATV tour list a helmet. The dirt roads throw up dust: a buff over your nose and mouth and wraparound sunglasses help. Closed shoes are a must on the footrests.
Ride a quad through the Red Valley, then walk the last 40 minutes: the Red Valley ATV tour.
Book thisFrequently asked questions
Can I wear jeans to Rainbow Mountain?
You can, but they are a poor choice. Cotton gets cold and heavy if it rains or you sweat. Hiking trousers or leggings are lighter and warmer.
Do I need gloves at Rainbow Mountain?
Yes. The early morning and the top are cold, and the wind on the ridge chills your hands fast. Light gloves are enough in the dry season.
Do I need a rain jacket in the dry season?
A windproof shell is enough most days from May to October. Carry a waterproof one from November to April.
How big should my bag be?
A small daypack of about 15 to 20 litres. One tour listing says no large bags, and you carry everything yourself at 5,000 m.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on the tours below. Check whether the entrance fee is included before you go.
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 Tour, Optional Red Valley
A plain group day with the entrance fee in the booking
Rainbow Mountain & Red Valley by ATV
- Hotel pickup at 4:00 or 5:00 am
- Single or double ATV and a helmet
- Bilingual guide, breakfast and lunch
