Rainbow Mountain Group Tour: A Full Day Excursion Review

The sought after Rainbow Mountain, locally known as Vinicunca, well, it’s an image plastered all over travel blogs, social media, so really capturing the imaginations of adventurers everywhere. Reaching that summit, supposedly seeing those vibrant stripes with your own eyes, sounds magical. A full day excursion on a group tour seems, like, the standard way to go for experiencing it, and that makes you wonder, “What’s it actually like?”. Actually, I figured I would write about my own recent trot to give you the rundown – from the brutal early start to, like, those views, so whether or not it really meets the hype.

The Early Wake-Up Call (and I Really Mean Early)

Okay, the day begins before sunrise. Many tours I know pick you up from your Cusco lodging somewhere close to 3:00 AM. Yeah, seriously, it’s early. Now, you’re maybe thinking, “Three in the morning?! That’s rough!”. Absolutely! Prepare for a groggy beginning. It’s, in some ways, like, one of those moments where you second-guess every life choice that brought you to this point. I grabbed a quick bite—some bread and coca tea – very kindly provided by my hotel, really hoping it would make up for me missing sleep, and jumped in the van. So, it’s not a glamourous start, but that’s sort of part of the whole adventure, isn’t it?

It really feels very long once you’re crammed into a minivan with fellow, also-very-sleepy travelers. I recall there’s a winding drive through the pitch-black Andean countryside. Expect roughly 3 hours in transit on that bus until you actually get to, I believe, the trailhead. Is that worth it to see the hills that exist there? Who knows.

The Grueling Hike: Altitude is No Joke!

Okay, so listen to me because, after that van ride, get ready for a pretty demanding hike. Usually the trailhead, well, that sits pretty high, perhaps around 14,000 feet (4,300 meters). Vinicunca, too, is higher than the start, which means you are immediately dealing with thinner air. Many are from sea level, that too means that you will feel your lungs burn more than what you are expecting.

The incline could be considered rather steep, too. Arguably, the trail gains, very, very roughly, another 1,600 feet (500 meters) more or less in elevation over, maybe, a few miles. So that translates to a slow climb where each step requires conscious effort. Now, those pictures online? They usually do not convey that gasping for air between the pictures you see.

The initial section looks like that which could be deceptive – a seemingly gentle slope. But that gets harder the higher you go. Is that true? It gets steeper, rockier and the air definitely becomes noticeably thinner. It’s very important, too, pace yourself. That means taking many, little breaks is just, you know, good. Listen to what your body tells you. Really now, don’t be a hero. In a way, pushing yourself too hard early on, could be what stops you from actually reaching the rainbow hills, more or less. It is just so that way often.

A little something to keep in your head – you often could find locals offering horses for rent to, perhaps, lighten your load and this, basically, is especially appealing. Arguably this is helpful to folks struggling quite a bit, even though you probably want to hike it yourself, like your typical travel blogger.

The whole hike? That may take you anywhere between, say, 2-4 hours total. More or less it is that way if you’re reasonably acclimated and generally physically fit. Honestly if you don’t exercise… plan for more.

The View From the Top: Worth the Sweat?

The moment you reach the summit really feels very rewarding and that means you get to finally see it. More or less it’s one of those moments. Now, the much-talked-about Vinicunca is in front of you with all those colorful layers. Actually seeing it, it is really unlike anything else. Those stripes of, like, red, yellow, green and, more or less, they stand out powerfully against, you know, the Andean backdrop, to be honest.

You can find out what those colors really are, like. That has to do with different mineral deposits in the soil. So there’s, too, a nice geology lesson, and you didn’t expect that, did you?

I want to note – your photographs, it’s almost, that really never do it true justice. That expansive feeling and being surrounded, virtually, with all these peaks, you just cannot get that over social media, right?

Keep one little thing in mind – that, like, the summit is frequently extremely crowded. Also, that kind of impacts your enjoyment a bit, frankly. Lots and lots of other tours arrive round about the same time and that kinda translates to elbowing other people for space for photos. Arguably it is still breathtaking and that is despite the masses. The visit is well worth a little discomfort.

Weather Considerations: Pack Accordingly!

Alright, I want to be pretty serious here – when hiking, it’s very, very essential to think about weather. At altitude it will turn rather unpredictable in mere moments.

Sunny skies can quickly turn very dramatic which also bring with them rain, hail and wind, is that so? Definitely. Because of those extreme conditions, it really necessitates packing a lot of layers. You may be freezing in the morning only so that you are stripping clothes off an hour later when you get going.

A decent windproof and waterproof jacket is a smart idea too it’s almost what keeps you warm and actually stops you from getting really wet if conditions become awful. Also that can include a hat, gloves, sunblock – all of those, yeah. It is, more or less, like this “be ready for everything” situation.

The Descent and Return: Tired Legs and Reflection

Arguably most people do not talk very much about this but the descent? Like your typical person would say it’s actually really rough going too. I can say it places a totally different set of stresses on what you are doing to yourself than, you know, the ascent.

It can often become pretty steep going downhill so watch those ankles when stepping there on loose gravel too. Your knees could very well be throbbing.

I want to be blunt – once that trek comes to its conclusion it will become a rather very long ride once again all the way back to Cusco. I want to bet you feel absolutely physically drained. Use that moment to look over all your photographs and maybe rehash moments out there as a remembrance. Remember it with people there. After your memory making, the physical effort will disappear… almost.

Is a Rainbow Mountain Group Tour Right for You?

Listen – if you’re pondering heading there by group tour – is it even right at all for your needs? Well, weigh these considerations:

• Your fitness level: Seriously, assess if you have any ailments. Hiking over high elevation will take effort and should be avoided if you already have breathing conditions.
• Acclimatization: Are you at altitude? If no, be there awhile. So take it in those days beforehand actually easing in with altitude inside Cusco so that your own experience climbing up actually stays fun.
• Budget: Group tours are generally extremely more cost-effective rather than getting something arranged yourself. However they might feel less flexible compared. That tends to be really your deciding factor too.
• Your “vibe.” I, for one, love these. I’ve met people along the way on different continents that ended up being good friends. Other folks avoid others at all costs. Think to yourself how willing you will be around someone else or not.

Even given the early hours, difficult climb and potential crowd problems up there, to me? It seems the full-day trip up Vinicunca using group tour is extremely special and must still get completed.

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