Rainbow Mountain & Red Valley Trek 2D/1N

The days start early with Action Treks Peru, and we will pick you up from your Cusco hotel at 4:00am before taking a 3 hour drive to the trailhead (Pampa Alcataury). Don’t worry, our vans are comfortable and we will provide blankets in case you want to continue sleeping! As we make final preparations to our trekking gear your incredible chef will be preparing a delicious, nutritious breakfast to give you all the energy you need for the trekking ahead. Over breakfast your guide will spend some time talking through the day’s itinerary along with any safety tips. We begin our adventure from the lush, green valley floor, surrounded by views of the stunning mount Ausangate. You will also pass numerous Llama farms and remote Andean villages, observing first-hand the simplicity of the lifestyle of the villagers. We take a steep 2 hour ascent to the first pass of the trek; Puccacocha (4,930 m / 16,170 ft.). Sitting just above the crystal blue Puccacocha Lake the views from the pass are spectacular. With the majestic Ausangate Mountain directly in front of you, you will witness first-hand this beautiful, active glacier crashing into the lake below. After enjoying the views at the pass we take a 2 hour undulating trail to Anantapata where we will stop for lunch. Prepare to be amazed at the culinary wonders your chef can create in a small tent on the side of a mountain, as you refuel for the remainder of the day’s hike. After lunch and a rest we continue hiking for another 3 hours until we arrive at the highest point of our trek, Minasniyuc pass (5,025 m / 16,486 ft.) Have your cameras at the ready, as from here we will have our first views of the Vinicunca ‘Rainbow’ mountain in the distance. We now make a short descent for 40 minutes to our camp for the night at Lake Surine Cocha. Where your support team will have setup camp before we arrive, and after settling in we will enjoy a sumptuous dinner surrounded by this unique landscape in the heart of the Andes. The temperatures at night can be very cold, so make sure you bring layers of clothing and that your sleeping bag is up to it! Your reward will be an unforgettable night sky full of constellations and shooting stars. Your team will be keeping you warm with supplies of hot cocoa tea or coffee before you retire to your tent for a well-earned night’s sleep.

• Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner/Snacks
• Lowest Elevation: 4,380 m / 14,370 ft.
• Highest Elevation: 5,025 m / 16,486 ft.
• Distance to walk: 14 km / 8.6 miles
• Approximate walking time: 8 to 9 hours
• Level of Difficulty: Challenging

You will be woken early with a gentle tap on your tent, and a steaming hot cup of coca tea or coffee. Then, fully refreshed after a hearty breakfast, we set off for our ascent to Rainbow Mountain and the lesser known (but equally spectacular!) Red Valley. The day begins with a short but steep 45 minute ascent to the Rainbow Mountain lookout point. Here, you will have time to explore on your own, take photos and soak in the spectacular views, not only of Rainbow Mountain, but also of Ausangate and the other Andean peaks that dominate the area. We then begin our hike to the spectacular Red Valley. As mentioned, this is a lesser known, lesser travelled area and you will be amazed not only by the beauty, but also by the tranquility. It is a short 25 minute trail to reach the Red Valley lookout point from where we will have views right across the valley. Finally we take a 4 hour descent passing more Llama farms and villages. We may even spot some vicuñas which are the only non-domesticated animals seen in Peru since pre Inca times. Our hike ends at Labramany (4,250 m / 13,943 ft.) where we will enjoy a final delicious lunch before our bus journey back to Cusco, arriving at your hotel in the early evening.

• Meals: Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner/Snacks
• Lowest Elevation: 4,250 m / 13,943 ft
• Highest Elevation: 5,020 m / 16,466 ft
• Distance to walk: 14 km / 8.6 miles
• Approximate walking time: 4 to 6 hours (5 hours up)
• Level of Difficulty: Moderate

Note: This itinerary is subject to change without prior notice according to weather conditions, strikes, roadblocks, or other events which are beyond our control. At Action Treks Peru we will always do our best to follow the itinerary as closely as possible.