Mountain of the Seven Colors of Palccoyo: weather, hours and tips
What is the weather like in the Mountain of the Seven Colors in Palccoyo?
Palccoyo Mountain has a cold climate due to its proximity to the snowy Ausangate. The temperature can drop below 0ºC. That is why, at some times of the year, the slopes are covered in snow.
What to see in the Palccoyo mountain?
In addition to being a natural attraction of incomparable beauty, the Mountain of the Seven Colors is the natural habitat of various types of animals such as llamas, alpacas, vizcachas, condors and more.
On the route that connects Cerro Colorado there is a forest of stones formed naturally millions of years ago. From there you can closely appreciate the beauty of the snowy Ausangate, the largest in Cusco.
What is the entry time?
Due to the cold weather, visits to the Seven Colors Mountain in Palccoyo are only in the morning and part of the afternoon. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. at 3 p.m.
When is the best time to visit the mountain?
The best time to visit the Mountain of the Seven Colors in Palccoyo is during the dry season (April to October). In those months, rains occur much less frequently, making the excursion easy.
Tips for traveling to the Mountain of the Seven Colors of Palccoyo
It is recommended to acclimatize to the climate of Cusco before visiting the Palccoyo Mountain. Otherwise, the visitor may suffer from the so-called altitude sickness.
This mountain is a tourist attraction that receives few visitors every day. It is recommended to follow the indicated route and avoid looking for a different path.
It is advisable to find out how the weather is in Palccoyo before booking a tour to the Mountain of the 7 Colors. The cold can cause the entire venue to be covered in snow and ruin the tour.
The trekking route up to this mountain is not as challenging as Vinicunca. That is why the Palccoyo is a great option for people who do not feel capable of doing the difficult trek to the 7 Colors Mountain.
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This mountain range is the cousin of the already famous Vinicunca but with better accessibility. Its more than nine thousand natural hectares have a rainbow-like color, which gives it a cheerful and mystical atmosphere. In addition, on your tour you will appreciate a forest of stones, ideal for nature lovers.
This attraction is relatively new and many people in the region did not know it, since it was previously covered by snow, which did not allow to see its coloration; However, due to global warming, the snow has disappeared and it is now possible to appreciate the range of colors in Palcoyo.
An hour and a half south east of Cusco, this natural beauty offers the possibility to see the evolutionary process of the road system in time through three bridges located at the same point, such as the Inca, Colonial and Republican. It also offers a colonial Temple with fine works of wood carving, gold leaf and houses paintings of the Cusco school.
Ausangate is the fifth highest mountain in Peru, with its 6384 meters high, located in the Pitumarca district, Canchis province, Cusco region, in southern Peru; Ausangate is considered the most important mountain in the Andean worldview.
The “Apu” Ausangate is for the Andean culture, life giver and guardian of one of the most varied ecosystems in the world; Its name means “copper” in Quechua. When you are on this mountain, remember that it is sacred to local people; In fact, many of the nearby Andean communities still have pilgrimage dates to the top of the mountain. As the community of Chillca; of shepherds of llamas and alpacas, which have inherited Inca and pre-Inca cultural traditions. It is possible to share the daily life of the shepherds and work with the llamas.
Climate change has discovered the multicolored beauty of these mountains located in the Vilcanota, Vinicunca or Winicunca mountain range, also called Seven Color Mountain, Rainbow Mountain or Mountain of Colors (the inhabitants call it Cerro Colorado) is a mountain of Peru with a altitude of 5,200 meters above sea level and owes its incredible coloration to the richness of minerals that houses its soil, the Winikunka mountains are behind the imposing snowy Ausangate.
A walk through these parts constitutes a very special experience, combining the fact of being at such levels with the enjoyment of an outdoor activity and the contemplation of a visual wonder.
Leaving the city of Cusco, you drive along the Longitudinal race of the Peruvian Sierra del Sur in the direction of the town of Checacupe where you take the fork towards the town of Pitumarca, and from this town you travel the journey through a carrosable trail passing through several rural communities such as Ocefina, Japura, Hanchipacha, until arriving at the community of Pampa Chiri, where the road ends and the 5km walk begins approximately until the Vinincunca pass. where you can see the Natural Formation in the shape of a Rainbow, considered the Mountain of Colors.
5 Days is an amazing and less-known trek surrounding the snow-capped Sacred Mountain Apu in Quechua of Ausangate (6.372m/20900ft) that takes you over mountain passes, awesome mountain scenery, remote Andean villages, hot springs, turquoise lakes and the new natural wonder the rainbow mountain.
– PRIVATE SERVICE:
• $480 p/p (Min. 2 pax)
• $460 p/p (Min. 3 pax)
• $440 p/p (Min. 4 pax)
• $420 p/p (Min. 5 pax)
– SHARED SERVICE (RETURN ONLY):
• $470 p/p (Min. 2 pax)
• $450 p/p (Min. 3 pax)
• $440 p/p (Min. 4 pax)
• $430 p/p (Min. 5 pax)
DAY 1: CUSCO- QUESIUNO- JAMPA
Pick-up times in Lodgings:
• Private Transportation: 06:00 A.M.
• Shared Transportation: 03:00 A.M – 4:00 A.M.
Our pickups start from 06:00 a.m. (private transport) or 03:00 to 04:00 (shared), depending on the service contracted from their respective lodgings, to direct us to Urcos, bordering the Vilcanota river to reach our destination that will be the community of Quesiuno (3 hours by car) where we will receive our breakfast in the camp, after that we will travel about 20 min. more by car to start our journey through a part of the Andes, observing the wonderful Apu Ausangate on your side, after a 3 hour walk, we will go to our base camp, located in the hampa community, where they will receive your dinner and small information for the next day.
DAY 2: CCAMPA- 7 LAGOONS- PACCHANTA
In the morning (06:00 am) we will start preparing for our breakfast at 07:00 am, after that we will start our hike to the 7 lagoons of Ausangate (4 hours approx.), Where you can observe the existing biodiversity in the place and in addition to those appreciate these beautiful turquoise lagoons, we will do one for about 1 to 2 hours to receive lunch and then we start our trekking to the town of “PACCHANTA” (2 hrs.). The community of “PACCHANTA” is located on the slopes of the snowy “Ausangate”, at 4200 masl. Its inhabitants, who are dedicated to the raising of alpacas and the cultivation of native tubers, are all expert weavers. With the fiber of the alpaca they make their clothing and use their meat as a source of protein. Native potatoes, fresh or traditionally converted into chuño and moraya, provide the carbohydrates they need to fight against cold and physical exertion.
Here is where we will set up our camp and then you can enjoy some refreshing and replenishing thermal baths located in the same community. Dinner, rest and small information for the next day.
DAY 3: PACCHANTA – UPIS – YANACOCHA LAGOON
In the morning (06:00 a.m.) we will begin to prepare for our breakfast at 07:00 a.m., to begin our journey in the middle of mountains and colors towards the town of Upis (2 hrs and a half), where we will receive our lunch. During the journey we can see different types of turquoise lagoons in the middle of these wonderful mountains, such as: “Azul cocha, Puccacocha and Ccomercocha”, after 3 hours walking and enjoying the scenery, we will arrive at a beautiful lagoon called Yanacocha, in which our camp will be located. Dinner, rest and small information for the next day.
DAY 4: YANACOCHA LAGOON – ANANTA
Our fourth day will start early (06:00 a.m.), to prepare for our nutritious breakfast at 07:00 a.m., and start saying goodbye to this wonderful lagoon. We will walk approximately 5 hours to reach the town of Ananta, where you will have the afternoon free to share and explore the surroundings of this beautiful landscape, since our camp will be in this same place. Dinner, rest and small information for the next day.
DAY 5: ANANTA – RAINBOW MOUNTAIN – CUSCO
Very early in the morning (05:00 AM) we will get up and prepare for our nutritious breakfast (06:00 AM) and begin our adventure towards the wonderful “RAINBOW MOUNTAIN“, step of 5,029 meters above sea level, where you can see beautiful landscapes , lagoons where South American camelids (alpacas, llamas and vicuñas) and other species of mammals such as pumas, Andean birds, condor etc. live. The place called Montaña VININCUNCA, is where you can see the wonderful colorado hill with the sunrise shows its best impressive valley and colored hills of magical colors that only exists in this place in Peru. Around you can see mountains like Apu Sarinini and “Montaña Ausangate”, with a height of 6,372 m.s.n.m. being one of the highest in Cusco. In the Inca mythology of this mountain and the nearby lakes – among which Sivinacocha stands out, from where the masculine energy that fertilizes the sacred earth mother Pachamama is born. We will be visiting the Mountain of Colors approximately 30 minutes, in which our guide will give us a small explanation of their surroundings and take some pictures of this wonderful landscape. After this wonderful experience, we will begin our descent (2 hrs and 30 min approximately) to the town of quesiuno, observing the wonderful landscape it offers us and the small towns that are there and live in this wonderful valley, upon arrival we will receive our exquisite lunch buffet, which consists of typical Peruvian food, then pack and return to Cusco around 19:00 hrs. approximately.
The Sacred Valley for the Incas
With the river feeding the valley, its fertile lands were one of the main centers of food production during the time of the Incas; Some places, such as Moray, were used as agricultural laboratories, to experiment with species of plants brought from across the empire. The Incas cultivated potatoes, white corn, coca, fruits and vegetables, on terraces like those that can be seen in many valley villages specially designed for this purpose. Today the valley produces lucuma, peach, avocado, and one of the best corn grains in the world.
But it was more than just an important agricultural center; The Urubamba River Valley, “Willcamayu” for the Incas, was one of the most important elements in the religious cosmology of the Incas. They believed that the flow of the Urubamba was closely linked to constellations and mountains, they also believed that it was the counterpart of the milky way on earth.
Where is the Sacred Valley of the Incas?
The Urubamba river valley or “Sacred Valley of the Incas”, is located 15 km northeast of the city of Cusco, is reached by a paved road. A trip by car to one of the nearest villages will take around 40 minutes. From there you can move to the other villages in the valley.
What is the weather like in the valley?
The Sacred Valley of the Incas is 2,800 m.s.n.m., 600 meters below Cusco, and enjoys one of the best climates in this region, daytime temperatures vary between 19 ° and 24 ° C. This privileged climate made the Incas take it as their main center of agricultural production, experimentation and research. Nowadays, travelers use the valley to acclimatize themselves, before starting their tours through Cusco and Machu Picchu, and without a doubt one of the best ways to avoid altitude sickness.
What to see in the Sacred Valley of the Incas?
Known by the Incas as Willcamayu, the beautiful valley extends from the town of Pisac to Ollantaytambo, along the Urubamba river. The ancient Inca settlements in these cities are presented as checkpoints, before entering the “Inca Trail” that leads to the sacred city of the Incas, Machu Picchu; They are simply amazing, and one of the best before what you will see in wonder.
Pisac
The town of Pisac is located 33 kilometers from the city of Cusco and is presented as the door to the Sacred Valley. It is world famous for its craft market and its impressive archaeological remains, located on a mountain above the town. This town was a kind of capital of the region in the time of the Incas, very important for its excellent location and its fertile lands. The Inca and colonial constructions that are exhibited in its territory, are admirable for its great bill and for the platforms that surround the mountains and polished stone structures, assembled to perfection. On the other hand, the people of Pisac has become the spiritual center of the Sacred Valley, in it you can have all kinds of experiences and spiritual retreats, in addition to meeting people from all over the world interested in this.
Urubamba
Urubamba is one of the most important cities in the valley today, it is a city that was born during the colony and is considered the world capital of corn. This is possible because it is watered by numerous rivers that are born in the peaks of the glacial mountains; This whole territory was highly appreciated by the Incas due to the fertility of their lands and the great qualities for cultivation. It is one of the best places to relax in the valley, you will see many foreigners, but beware, they are not tourists, they are people who left their countries and decided to stay in this cozy town.
Ollantaytambo
Ollantaytambo, also known as Ollanta, is located 97 km northwest of the city of Cusco; approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes by car. It was during the time of the Incas a fortified city, with temples, urban, agricultural and defense walls. It is known that the Inca city of Ollantaytambo served as an administrative checkpoint. After the Spanish invasion, it became one of the favorite places of the viceroys. It is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in Peru and South America; In addition, many people consider that after Machu Picchu, the town and the ruins of Ollantaytambo contain the most impressive Inca stone work in Peru; However, it is not the only amazing thing about this place. Only a few years ago, global positioning systems allowed us to discover that Ollantaytambo is aligned with other ancient constructions throughout the world; the pyramids of Gíza, the Easter islands, the Nazca lines, are just some of them; In addition, the most important archaeological remains around the world are aligned around this line. We recommend you visit the Inca city of Ollantaytambo, otherwise, you will be missing out on something very big.
Chinchero
On a normal tour of the Sacred Valley of the Incas, the town of Chinchero will be the one you will visit after touring most of the valley, back to Cusco; It is located 28 km from the city of Cusco at 3,772 m.a.s.l. and it has important archaeological sites, a beautiful 17th-century colonial church with canvases of the “Cuzqueña School”, and a typical market where bartering can still take place.
Pick-up times in Lodgings:
• Private Transportation: 06:00 A.M.
• Shared Transportation: 03:00 A.M – 4:00 A.M.
Our pickups start from 06:00 a.m. (private transport) or 03:00 to 04:00 (shared), depending on the service contracted from their respective lodgings, to direct us to Urcos, bordering the Vilcanota river to reach our destination that will be the community of Quesiuno (3 hours by car) where we will receive our breakfast in the camp, after that we will travel about 20 min. more by car to start our journey through a part of the Andes, observing the wonderful Apu Ausangate on your side, after a 3 hour walk, we will go to our base camp, located in the hampa community, where they will receive your dinner and small information for the next day.
DAY 2: CCAMPA- 7 LAGOONS- PACCHANTA
In the morning (06:00 am) we will start preparing for our breakfast at 07:00 am, after that we will start our hike to the 7 lagoons of Ausangate (4 hours approx.), Where you can observe the existing biodiversity in the place and in addition to those appreciate these beautiful turquoise lagoons, we will do one for about 1 to 2 hours to receive lunch and then we start our trekking to the town of “PACCHANTA” (2 hrs.). The community of “PACCHANTA” is located on the slopes of the snowy “Ausangate”, at 4200 masl. Its inhabitants, who are dedicated to the raising of alpacas and the cultivation of native tubers, are all expert weavers. With the fiber of the alpaca they make their clothing and use their meat as a source of protein. Native potatoes, fresh or traditionally converted into chuño and moraya, provide the carbohydrates they need to fight against cold and physical exertion.
Here is where we will set up our camp and then you can enjoy some refreshing and replenishing thermal baths located in the same community. Dinner, rest and small information for the next day.
DAY 3: PACCHANTA – UPIS – YANACOCHA LAGOON
In the morning (06:00 a.m.) we will begin to prepare for our breakfast at 07:00 a.m., to begin our journey in the middle of mountains and colors towards the town of Upis (2 hrs and a half), where we will receive our lunch. During the journey we can see different types of turquoise lagoons in the middle of these wonderful mountains, such as: “Azul cocha, Puccacocha and Ccomercocha”, after 3 hours walking and enjoying the scenery, we will arrive at a beautiful lagoon called Yanacocha, in which our camp will be located. Dinner, rest and small information for the next day.
DAY 4: YANACOCHA LAGOON – ANANTA
Our fourth day will start early (06:00 a.m.), to prepare for our nutritious breakfast at 07:00 a.m., and start saying goodbye to this wonderful lagoon. We will walk approximately 5 hours to reach the town of Ananta, where you will have the afternoon free to share and explore the surroundings of this beautiful landscape, since our camp will be in this same place. Dinner, rest and small information for the next day.
DAY 5: ANANTA – RAINBOW MOUNTAIN – CUSCO
Very early in the morning (05:00 AM) we will get up and prepare for our nutritious breakfast (06:00 AM) and begin our adventure towards the wonderful “RAINBOW MOUNTAIN”, step of 5,029 meters above sea level, where you can see beautiful landscapes , lagoons where South American camelids (alpacas, llamas and vicuñas) and other species of mammals such as pumas, Andean birds, condor etc. live. The place called Montaña VININCUNCA, is where you can see the wonderful colorado hill with the sunrise shows its best impressive valley and colored hills of magical colors that only exists in this place in Peru. Around you can see mountains like Apu Sarinini and “Montaña Ausangate”, with a height of 6,372 m.s.n.m. being one of the highest in Cusco. In the Inca mythology of this mountain and the nearby lakes – among which Sivinacocha stands out, from where the masculine energy that fertilizes the sacred earth mother Pachamama is born. We will be visiting the Mountain of Colors approximately 30 minutes, in which our guide will give us a small explanation of their surroundings and take some pictures of this wonderful landscape. After this wonderful experience, we will begin our descent (2 hrs and 30 min approximately) to the town of quesiuno, observing the wonderful landscape it offers us and the small towns that are there and live in this wonderful valley, upon arrival we will receive our exquisite lunch buffet, which consists of typical Peruvian food, then pack and return to Cusco around 19:00 hrs. approximately.
Ausangate Mountain is a mountain located about 100 kilometers southeast of the city of Cusco, its maximum altitude is 6,384 meters above sea level.
In the Inca mythology of this mountain and the nearby lakes -between which Sibinacocha stands out- the masculine energy that fertilizes Mother Earth Pachamama is born; After a long journey, the waters are lost in the unknown lands of the Amazon to return, to fill the lakes and glaciers every night converted into the river of stars or Willkamayu known in the West as the Milky Way The Community of Chillca consisting of shepherds of llamas and alpacas is known as the guardian of these pristine places, from where you can make mountain walks in a trekking called “Camino del Apu Ausangate”.
Ausangate is the representative mountain of the Cusqueños Andes. It is situated in the Vilcanota mountain range with large lagoons with a bright green / blue color. Walking the Ausangate mountain is an indescribable adventure, and it is impossible not to be impressed by the enormous beauty of the eternal snow. The Ausangate route is one of the attractions of Cusco.
Every year, on the north side of the Ausangate, the festival of Quyllur Rit’i (Quechua: “star snow”) is celebrated before the feast of Corpus Christi, during which thousands of Quechua pilgrims go to the Lord of Quyllur Rit’i in the church from Sinakara.
To make the excursion you should contact a specialized tourism agency.
TYPE OF TOUR: Hike. PLACES TO VISIT: 07 Lagoons, Ausangate. DURATION OF THE TOUR: 01 Day. AVAILABILITY: All Year. MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 5000mt. DIFFICULTY: Moderate.
The billion colors of Ausangate is in this magnificent walk of Ausangate Lagoons, it is a beautiful day tour, where you can see several turquoise-colored lagoons, belonging to the Cordillera de Vilcanota and also be near the Ausangate mountains and the Qayangates. To reward the tour, you have the opportunity to enjoy the wonder of the Andes, the relaxing thermal waters with a beautiful view of the mountains and the daily life of the Pacchanta community.
Day 1: Cusco – Tinke (3950 m.) – Pacchanta (4200 m.) – Lagoons (4850 m.) – Cusco
At 4.00 in the morning, we pick you up from the hotel and go out to the town of Pacchanta. We’ll get to Tinke and we’ll take a break. The Tinke tour takes approximately 45 minutes to reach Pacchanta where a delicious breakfast will be waiting for us. From this place we will begin to walk riding towards the beautiful lagoons of Ausangate.
ITINERARY OF TOUR
We will have a five-hour hike visiting the lagoons of Azulcocha, Otorongo, Pucacocha, Alqacocha and Q’omercocha, we can also appreciate the Ausangate mountains (6834 m.), Mariposa (5842 m.), Jampa (5500 m.), Pucapunta ( 5740 m), Caracol (5625 m.), Tinke (5300 m.) And the whole Qayangate Mountain Range, we will also see birds, alpacas, llamas, many vizcachas and with luck until the Andean Condor. After making a circuit we will return to Pacchanta to enjoy the hot springs. We will end the day in the relaxing hot springs of Ausangate. Ideal to relax the muscles of the body. After a buffet lunch We will go to Cusco. We arrived at the city of Cusco at seven o’clock at night. End of our services.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Maximum altitude: 4,850 meters / 15912 feet
Minimum altitude: 4,300 meters / 14107 feet
Travel time: 3.5 hours one way (car) + 5 hours (ride) + 3.5 hours return (car)
Approximate walking distance: 15 km (ride)
Schedule I pick up in Lodgings:
• Private Transportation: 03:00 A.M.
• Shared Transportation: 04:30 A.M – 05:00 A.M
Our adventure begins around 04:30 AM – 05:00 AM (Depending on the service you hired there), picking it up at your respective lodging, to go from Cusco to the town of “Hanchillpacha” (2 hrs. And 30 min. Approx.), Where our restaurant is located, in which you can enjoy our nutritious and energizing breakfast before starting the tour, after this we will get on the car to enter about 25 min. Approximately, and start preparing for the adventure.
We will arrive at the control point and begin our walk, it will be approximately 6 kilometers approximately (2 hrs and 30 min.) To visit the wonderful “Mountain of colors”, we will be there approximately 30 minutes, for a brief explanation and to take photographs, to Then return by the same route and get on our transport, which will take us back to our restaurant to enjoy a delicious buffet lunch, which consists of typical Peruvian food.
We will be returning to cusco (Private and Shared Service), between 17:30 hrs. at 7:00 p.m., leaving them in the case of private service at your hotel and if it is a shared service in the Plaza Regocijos.
AMERIKA TOURS PERU 