While the Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain boils with approximately 3,000,000 tourists every day, just 20 kilometers to the south is the Rainbow Mountain Palcoyo resting in complete solitude. Of ocher and red colors, with green, blue and white stripes, the dazzling range of colors Palcoyo is visited by a few travelers a day. Getting to it only requires a smooth 1-hour walk with no unevenness, making it a less demanding and more pleasant alternative to the Vinincunca rainbow mountain.
The rainbow mountain Palcoyo is very similar to the famous Vinicunca 7-color mountain or better known as the rainbow mountain. This is the main reason why thousands of travelers do not know which of the 2 to visit on tours in Cusco. Now to help in this decision, which is very important, we will describe the reasons why Palcoyo should be included in your list of tours.
Palcoyo mountain
Summary
Detailed information about Palcoyo Mountain
- Driving distance from Cusco: (76 Miles / 125 KM)
- Driving time: 3 and a half hours one way and another 3 and a half hours back.
- Entrance price: 15 soles
- Elevation of the beginning of the Trek: 4700 meters / 15400 feet.
- Difficulty: Easy to moderate.
- Trail: Dirt trail at first, then a cobbled trail that winds up the side of the mountain to the last overlook. It is mostly flat with a gradual ascent. Then to the top, the stone forest site is a switchback path for about 200 meters to the 20 minute walk.
- Walking distance: 4 km round trip.
- Horse rental: Does not exist.
- Walking time: Walking to the last viewpoint (with some breaks along the way) is approx. 45 minutes. After all, the return to the bus station takes 30 minutes.
- Photo sessions: From time to time, locals appear on the road, walking with an alpaca offering a photo session. In return, they just want a tip.
- Maximum elevation: 4900 meters / 16040 feet.
- Tour duration: 10 hours.
- Elevation difference during the hike: 200 metres/645 feet.
When was the rainbow mountain Palcoyo discovered?
When the number of visitors to the Vinincunca mountain of 7 colors increased exponentially in 2017, it was when the inhabitants of Palcoyo (an Andean community) realized that they also had an attraction that resembled the mountain of 7 colors. They had the rainbow mountain Palcoyo, which only they and very few people from Cusco knew about.
The residents of Palcoyo organized themselves, they understood the benefits that the tourist activity brought. They began to promote and open the way to those rainbow mountains, which are three in total and still have a forest of stones as a bonus that completes the beauty of the landscape. This is how Palcoyo became known during the year 2018. Each time the rainbow mountain Palcoyo is gaining more visitors and is presented as a good alternative to the very crowded rainbow mountain of Vinincunca.
Where is the Palcoyo mountain?
The rainbow mountain Palcoyo is located about 20 kilometers further south of the famous Mountain of 7 colors. In the same eastern mountain range of the Andes, in the District of Pitumarca province of Canchis, more than 110 km.
Can children and older adults go?
A Palcoyo rainbow mountain tour is ideal for all members of a family. This place meets the expectations of children and is an easy walk for older adults. You have to know that the distance of the walk is less compared to the similar Rainbow Mountain and therefore less demanding as well. After walking only 30 minutes, you will already have the privilege of observing the three colorful mountains of Palcoyo.
What colors make up the Palcoyo mountain?
The colors that make up the rainbow mountain Palcoyo are:
- Fucia pink, mixture of red clay, osfango and rheana.
- Whitish, quartz sand and limestone.
- Purple or lavender, mixture of clay and calcium carbonate and silicates.
- Red, argillites and clay.
- Greenish, clays rich in ferromagnesian, (mixture of iron and magnesium and copper oxide).
- Yellowish, brown, mustard, gold Calcareous sulphide sandstones combined with sulphur.
How was the mountain of Palcoyo formed?
During the stratospheric formation of the earth in the Mesozoic about 250 million years ago, the minerals falling under their own weight, formed layers on top of each other and later when the Andes emerged due to the collision of the South American and Nazca tectonic plates, between 60 to 80 million years ago, these accumulated layers became mountains and slopes, exposed to the weather and from there, with the passage of time, the oxidized and sulphurous minerals gave unique color tones to this rainbow mountain Palcoyo.
When does it snow on the mountain of Palcoyo?
Knowing this is essential, since the behavior of the climate in the area where the rainbow mountain Palcoyo is located is very changeable. The snow seasons are generally in the rainy season that is considered between November and April but pay attention to this. The climate is usually extremely changeable above 4,000 meters, which is why an extemporaneous and unexpected snowfall could occur during the dry season.
Not everything is bad when it rains or snows in Palcoyo, keep reading and you will know.
Palcoyo and the Red River
Now let’s see what can happen while it rains and snows on the rainbow mountain Palcoyo. Basically the water begins to bathe the slopes and red hills of those mountains and when they come together in the lower part they give life to a red river. Anyone who enters the mountains of Palcoyo when seeing the red river will always stop and take a moment to contemplate all that natural beauty.
This coloration in the river lasts according to the amount of rain, that is, the more it rains and the more water collects on the slopes. the reddish coloration may last longer than with only moderate rainfall. Then the river entering the entire Salqa valley, which means indomitable valley, joins the large river of the same name. When mixed with a large amount of water, it tends to lose that red color that it shows when it is just a small river in the mountains.
Red river
How to get to Palcoyo?
There are 2 ways to reach the rainbow mountain Palcoyo. Most visitors prefer to hire a travel agency that offers one day tours in Cusco. On the other hand, there are also those who dare to venture out on their own. If you are going to do it with a travel agency, first you have to find out very well about the type of service they provide and also take the reviews on trip advisor and other platforms as a reference to avoid any dissatisfaction that may be caused by poor service. .
It is important to take some time before and find out about the company that you are going to hire. Generally they tend to have everything included (pickups, lunch and tickets, first aid kit, oxygen tank, transportation and hiking guide, etc). The tour to the rainbow mountain palcoyo usually starts at 5 in the morning and ends at 4 in the afternoon. Prices vary between agencies and types of services, so it would be good to quote between two or more agencies to find out about the costs and the service that makes a big difference between a tour and an experience.
Book here your tour with an authorized travel agency.
How can I get to the rainbow mountain Palcoyo on my own?
Although you can rent a private car from Cusco, you can also take the interprovincial vans that make the Cusco – Sicuani route. In the terrestrial terminal of Cusco, you can buy your ticket. Specifying your stop in the town of Combapata, this will take you a couple of hours and the ticket costs about 7 soles.
Being already in Combapata you have to ask for a car or taxi, which can take you to the Palcoyo mountain. Finding one to rent can take time because there is not always someone going out on their own but with some luck you will find it immediately. You have to negotiate the cost of the rental both there and back, that is very important because from the mountain it is very difficult to find a car to return. This last section is by dirt cart and takes at least 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Do not forget to pay your entrance to the rainbow mountain Palcoyo, it is paid at a control booth 10 minutes before the start of the walk. Right there you will also find hygienic services, however you pay 1 sol per person, you can also buy soft drinks, beer, water, fruits and some sweets.
After the hike to the colorful mountain of Palcoyo you must return to Combapata by the same path and finally to return to Cusco in the same way, just wait at the whereabouts and embark on the vans that travel to Cusco, some are full and others are almost empty depending on the time and no reserved ticket is needed you can pay instantly. In any case, good luck on this your next ride, friend.
What else can I do in the Palcoyo mountain?
The advantage of the rainbow mountain Palcoyo is that very rarely you will see more than 40 people in its entire immense geographical region. Palcoyo is made up of three colorful mountains that are located from south to north. All visitors from the beginning of the walk go up a path in the same direction until they reach the viewpoint of the third mountain. From that point there is the possibility of continuing walking towards the striking sharp rock peaks, known as the stone forest, and if not, just return along the same path.
If what you want is to reach the stone forest, which is the highest point on this route, 4900 meters above sea level. You must follow the path that leads to it. The walk is partially easy, only to get to the stone forest requires more effort, but it is not far, everything is possible. From the top you can see the three mountains together and you have a 360° view of the entire Vilcanota knot.
If the day is clear, in the distance the snow-capped mountain Ausangate will appear (it is a high mountain in the Cusco region). So the experience of being in a calm and serene place will be very comforting for your soul and your memories. What you will find is the presence of local people dressed in Andean costumes and accompanied by one or two alpacas. If someone dares to appear in a photograph with you or your loved ones, you can ask for a small tip in exchange.
Palcoyo stone forest
You might also like
Leave A Reply