The trip to Palccoyo was an amazing experience and we had the time of our lives. Traveling to and from the site is a bit arduous due to poor road conditions; however, the driver did a fantastic job and we felt safe. The guide was very knowledgeable about the area and went above and beyond in providing service and ensuring we enjoyed our visit. We were well pleased and would do it again.

We took our rental car Kia Piccanto all the way to the start of the trail. It was a long drive from Cuzco but totally worth it. No people, beautiful views.

Palccoyo mountain was amazing. This is the back side of Rainbow Mountain. It's in the same range but is a series of lower peaks all of which have the rainbow stripes. It is managed by the local community and all of the proceeds go to the local economy. It's at 16,000 feet, which is 1,000 feet lower than Rainbow Mountain. The drive there is spectacular, with shepherds herding flocks of alpacas and farmers growing potatoes. We also saw the red river, which is red from the runoff minerals from the mountains.

Today, we experienced the surreal natural phenomenon of Rainbow Mountains (Palccoyo), located about a half-day drive from Cusco. The minerals in the soil and rock layers of the area are arranged so uniquely that the mountains boast the most gorgeous stripes of red, pink, yellow, and green. And no, as far as we know, the gods didn't have gender identity in mind during creation... Palccoyo is not for the faint-hearted. The air in Cusco already feels thin at 3400 meters, but the hike in the area starts at 4800 meters and reaches an altitude of 5 kilometers! You walk v-e-r-y slowly to avoid ending up needing an oxygen tank.

You have to leave well before dawn. The drive to the bottom of hike is not something to look forward to. The walk to these mountains are fun, about an hour. Take care of informs and no kids please, unless you have at least two guides per kids.

We were in a small group tour of ten people who went to Palccoyo Mountain. None of us wanted a steep and difficult hike like the one at Rainbow Mountain. So, we opted for this alternative destination. We got the same gorgeous views without the massive crowds, and without walking too much. The total hike is about 50 minutes each way, but we took an hour while going up, because we had to catch our breaths several times because of the 17,500-foot altitude, plus stop to stare incredulously at the colorful scenes. Coming back down was an easier downhill walk and took us about 25 minutes. The tour was wonderful, albeit a little tiring. We were picked up at 4 A.M., and it took us about three hours to reach Palccoyo due to the ascending roads and due to the fact that we were also driving on small roads right through small villages. Breakfast and Lunch were included in the tour. The Guide, as well as the driver were fantastic. This tour was a much better option compared to Rainbow Mountain. Although, we were at a higher altitude here (17500 feet compared to 15000 feet at Rainbow), the climb was more gradual, and once we reached the third viewpoint, we were able to look down upon all three Rainbow Mountains. That was an unforgettable and superb sight. No words can describe what we were feeling as we stared down at all that natural beauty. The added bonus was the cute Llamas waiting with their keeper at the pinnacle. And, of course, we had to get a bunch of photos with them. Luckily for us, we were the only ones at this destination, so we were able to take our time admiring those gorgeous views around us. The guide did not rush us either, because she did not need to. Highly recommend this alternative tour. If you do not want a tough hike, and do not like crowds, this is the place to go to. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to this magical place. The awesome scenery is indescribable, and no photos do justice to what your eyes are actually seeing. Do this at least once in your lifetime. The colorful mountains are simply unbelievable.

What a great experience! Palccoyo mountain is way less crowded than the other rainbow mountain and the views are spectacular. Due to no other bookings we had a private tour with our guide Annibal and driver Moyses. The 3 hour drive to the mountain is cut in half by a very nice breakfast and dinner. The last 1.5 hour drive you will get treated to nice views of the mountain region and lots of Alpaca's. During the trek we were in very safe hands with our guide Annibal. He brougt oxygen, walking sticks and even a blood oxygen meter should someone feel sick. This gives you a very safe feeling should something go wrong. Luckily all we did was enjoy ourselves and the amazing views! Would very much recommend to everyone!

Had no idea there was a less crowded rainbow mountain Even the drive to the site was amazing. Got to see people working their land The mountains were beautiful

We had a fantastic day! Our guide was fun, and supportive. It was only day two in Cusco for us, so he was worried about how we would feel with the altitude. Luckily we did fine. The walk is easy, and the views are incredible everywhere you look! The drive is long, but gorgeous, and when you get off the main road, onto the single lane, dirt road that climbs the mountain, you really appreciate the drivers skill. We saw many Peruvian families outside working their homesteads. It was all amazing.I would highly recommend this tour if you don’t mind a long, but never boring, drive for an incredible view. This is a relatively easy way to get check a super high elevation off your list, and see a rare and stunning rainbow mountain.

We took the one day group tour to Palccoyo mountain. Julien was our tour guide. The tour was very vell organised. Even though it was a group tour we were only 4 people, what made this trip atually feel "private". Palccoyo was a breathtaking experience - in both senses, the view as well as the hight - be prepared for the altitude.

I can't say enough how great the day was! My tour guide, Brian was kind and very helpful. I didn't feel rushed at all. The breakfast and lunch was delicious and plenty! So far, the highlight of my trip! At the top was overwhelmingly beautiful!

Amazing tour, views, guide and driver!!! Go for it! I am glad i chose Palccoyo, the views are amazing, there is less problem with altitude and there are almoat no tourists! the drive drive there is also great .

It is hard to find the words to describe the awesome and wondrous natural beauty of all we saw on this tour. The drive from Cusco to Palccoyo was amazing, then the mile long hike to the top of Palccoyo (stopping to catch our breath in the 15,000 ft altitude) was spectacular. Willie, our tour guide, started our day with infectious cheer and proudly taught us about the highland people and the sights throughout the day. We chose this tour instead of the bigger Rainbow mountain because it was less physically taxing. There were few other people there at the time, nice to avoid the crowds. Book it! You'll be happy for the experience and raw natural beauty of the day.

Palccoyo Rainbow Mountain offers a more accessible experience than the more widely known vinicunca. There are two challenges to exploring this incredible location. The first is the 90 minute ride on a frequently treacherous dirt road until you finally get to the parking lot. Make sure you are going with a company and driver that you trust. The second challenge is the relatively short walk from the parking area to the higher/highest observation points. While the distance is modest, probably less than a 1 mile round-trip, the elevation can make it extremely taxing. The solution to this: walk slowly. The scenery, the views and the landscape are singular.

We did Palccoyo Mountain in lieu of the traditional Rainbow Mountain as part of our 5-Day Cusco tour. Our guide Joaquin and our driver Fausto picked us up for an early start, which was great because we were able to beat the large crowds by an hour lead. Joaquin is a great guide. He explained the geological formations that we saw as well as the wildlife in the area. He took many fantastic pictures of us. On the way back to Cusco, Joaquin made a pit stop to show us the the recreation of an Inca rope bridge. Overall, a great experience and beautiful hike.