Rainbow Mountain tour that is worth seeing even on cloudy days
I booked a day trip from Cusco to Rainbow Mountain.
💰Price per person: US $22 (round trip bus, hotel pick-up, breakfast, lunch, 1 walking stick)
Remainbow mountain entrance fee 25 soles is separate
Additional options
- Additional fee if climbing by motorbike or horse
- Red valley entrance fee 30 soles Decide whether to continue after climbing Rainbow
Tours are safer and more reasonable than public transportation or going on your own. It took a little over 4 hours in total by bus from Cusco. The departure time was 4:30, so I chose a tour that would pick me up at the hotel. (Because the meeting place was far away)
Schedule for the day
4:50 Pick up at hotel
6:50 Arrive at breakfast venue (buffet with a wide variety of items)
7:30 Depart from breakfast venue
9:50 Arrive at bus waiting area
10:00 Start climbing (additional fee for motorbikes and horses here)
11:30 Arrive at summit (photo shoot, very cold due to strong wind)
12:30 Start descending
1:00 Arrive at bus waiting area
3:00 Lunch (buffet)
5:00 Arrive at Cusco
Compared to other tours I participated in
This time I requested a tour from Machu Pichu Jungle, and compared to other tours from other companies, I felt that this was a reliable company.
When I applied online, I received confirmation of the pick-up location, a copy of my passport, etc., and when I replied, I received the confirmed information in a PDF file.
I received confirmation of the time and pickup location again via Whatsapp the day before and the morning of the day, so I was able to wait at the hotel with peace of mind and board the bus almost on time. The breakfast and lunch venues were smooth and we were able to sit down and eat without having to wait, and there was a wide variety to choose from. Also, although it may vary depending on the guide, our guide spoke simple English clearly and carefully, which made it very easy to follow. Many tours give 90% of the explanation in Spanish, and then finish the English explanation in about 10% of the time.
Unfortunately, the cloudy sky at Rainbow Mountain made the photos dark, but when I think of the scenery created by nature, it was a spectacular sight and I was moved by the view I saw for the first time.
The highest point is 5,036m above sea level, but the actual starting point is already about 4,600m, so it's not that much of a climb. We were physically strong and reached the top without any problems, but if you are not confident in your physical strength, you can pay an additional fee to ride a motorbike or horse to a place close to the last hill.
Many people climbed on their own, so I think it will be fine if you acclimatize to the high altitude for a while in Cusco and then climb slowly. Also, I recommend the restaurants at breakfast and lunch for the toilets. You will need some coins at the bus waiting area and on the mountain.
It depends on the weather, but I recommend bringing a knit hat, gloves, warm clothes (that you can put on and take off), sunglasses, sunscreen, camera, water, cash, altitude sickness medicine, motion sickness medicine, etc. in a small backpack.
I saw some people wearing face covers to protect against the cold.
The actual walking distance is not that long, and if you have a good breakfast, you don't feel the need for snacks, but it's a good idea to bring something light if necessary. Although I didn't check the prices, you can also buy light meals, hot food, snacks, drinks, and beer near the summit.
There were also a few souvenirs lined up at the bus waiting area. It's a long course that takes a whole day, but everyone was tired and slept during the bus ride.
#RainbowMountain
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