Peru · RAINBOW MOUNTAIN AND HUMANTAY LAKE
Vinicunca tops out at 5,036m and Humantay at 4,200m, so both are day threes and day fours, not day ones. The 15 below differ on pickup time, how much walking is left after the road ends, and whether breakfast and a horse are included.
Review of Cusco’s Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley day trip, with early access, high-altitude hiking, local meals, costs, and practical tips.
“Kevin (our guide) and Washington (our driver) were excellent! Kevin was very patient with our group, making the experience very safe. The food was good too!”
Review of Cusco’s budget Rainbow Mountain tour, with transport, meals, altitude advice, optional Red Valley, costs, and honest tips.
“If you are a solo traveler find a different group. You are basically paying for the transportation and a sub par lunch and breakfast. You could figure out the hike on your own easily enough if you are a trekker or hiker. The guide doesn't provide any information or details about rainbow mountain, they literally just tell you where to go and make sure you get up and back.”
Review of the $22 Humantay Lake tour from Cusco, with a steep high-altitude hike, Salkantay views, breakfast, and buffet lunch.
“An amazing experience! The hike to Humantay Lagoon was absolutely worth it — the scenery was stunning. Everything was very well organized and felt safe, suitable for all fitness levels. Many thanks to our wonderful guide for being so supportive, informative, and friendly throughout the day. Truly a memorable adventure!”
Review of Cusco’s Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley day trip, with early access, meals, guides, altitude advice, costs, and practical tips.
“This day was amazing and it was worth the early morning but don’t think you can sleep on that bus because one the roads are just not good but also the seats are quite upright. There is an option to do the second hike which is absolutely incredible but we’ve been at 3,500 thousand feet for the past two weeks and this was about 5000 and I had the absolute worst sickness afterwards so just be prepared. Joel and driver eduardo were amazing and really hospitable. Breakfast and lunch was at the same place and lunch was definitely better than breakfast but I honestly can’t recommend this Tour enough if…”
Review of Cusco’s Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley day trip, with early pickup, meals, transport, altitude advice, costs, and practical tips.
“The views along the way were unbeatable! Challenging hike, but very rewarding. We ended up using horses for half the ride uphill. It could be fast paced at times especially for inexperienced hikers.”
Review of the Humantay Lake day trip from Cusco, covering the hike, altitude, meals, transport, guides, price, safety, and practical tips.
“The tour and the tour guide were amazing. I had a tough time dealing with the altitude. The guide continuously communicated with me to insure that I was doing ok, and to see if I needed help with anything.”
Review of Rainbow Mountain from Cusco: a high-altitude trek with transport, meals, guide support, mountain views, and practical planning advice.
“Ernesto made me feel welcome from the beginning. He was concerned for me during the trek and checked in with me several times. I appreciated his concern and professionalism. Our driver William was kind and very skilled. He was the first to greet me when I made it down the mountain!”
Ride an ATV to Peru’s Rainbow Mountain from Cusco, with breakfast, lunch, bilingual guides, and a demanding high-altitude finish.
“our guide Cesar was excellent. He gave us so much information about the cusco city and rainbow mountain. he was on top of our safety and made sure we knew how to drive atv. overall a wonderful experience at 17000ft.”
Review of a private Rainbow Mountain tour from Cusco with coca ceremony, meals, guide, transport, hiking advice, costs, and practical tips.
“It was a long ride to go there but it was worth it. Our tour guide, Edwin, was a good guy and stayed with us all the time during the difficult climb of this mountain. The driver was good but he drove much too fast in my opinion, a specially on the narrow roads which made me feel very uncomfortable.”
Review of Cusco’s Rainbow Mountain afternoon tour, with a relaxed 8 AM start, small groups, lunch, oxygen, and crowd-free views.
“8 am departure meant we had a good nights sleel and decent breakfast. Guide John was helpful, and took care of us really well. He also explained a lot of things Lunch spot was great Hike requires above average fitness, i recommend taking a horse”
Review of a private Humantay Lake hike from Cusco, with meals, transport, mountain views, a sacred Apus offering, and practical tips.
“Our trip to Humantay was cancelled last minute, as a landslide had blocked the access road, but we were quickly offered a tour of the Seven Lakes instead, which was an incredible alternative, by the helpful, efficient tour operator staff. Our guide, Edwar, was extremely knowledgeable and made us feel that we could go at our own pace, which at high altitude, was much appreciated. And our driver, Wilfredo, took good care on the winding roads up to the hike, which you cannot take for granted, as we have found out on other tours in Peru! Highly recommend this company, thank you.”
Review of Cusco’s Rainbow Mountain day trip, with hiking, horse rentals, meals, altitude advice, guide quality, price, and practical tips.
“Both the guide and the driver were very friendly. The guide ran back and forth to help everyone in need. Indeed, it's not an easy trip for the guests due to the high elevation. But the guide made sure everyone was well. Really helpful!”
Review the Humantay Lake trek from Cusco, with transport, breakfast, lunch, altitude advice, costs, horses, and practical hiking tips.
“The lake and guide was great but driver not so much. The bus was very cold. I had a thermal shirt, plus a winter coat and insulated boots and still cold. I asked for them to turn up the heat but the guide explained the driver doesn't like it too hot. Well la-de-da I thought I was the paying customer! Then his driving was dangerous. Fast corners, on the line with semi trucks coming. He would do tight passes and once lammed on the brakes and I looked and there was police car sitting but didn't pull him over. On the curvy gravel road he was always catching up to…”
Review of Cusco’s Rainbow Mountain day trip, with Andean meals, transport, altitude advice, Red Valley option, costs, and practical tips.
“It went smoothly. Jonathan was a great guide, he helped me take pictures even though we were running slightly late and waited for me at the red valley to do so. Normally guides don’t do this kind of thing but he went out of his way to make sure everyone’s expectations were met, including my own since I was slow to take many pictures of the Rainbow Mountain and the Red Valley. Whether you suck at climbing at altitude or are slow to take pictures, he’ll make sure you feel comfortable and leave the tour feeling that way. Jonathan was fluent in Spanish and had a decent level of English…”
Review of the Humantay Lake day trip from Cusco, covering the hike, meals, transport, costs, guides, altitude, and practical tips.
“Washington an amazing experience, all the way, if y youre not used to high altitudes probably youre gonna feel it so that 'dl recomend you at least have a prior tour Day in Cusco to get use to high altitudes, neverheless, the landscape and the Mountain worth it.”
Coast, canyon, altiplano and jungle, and the best of each.
