Cusco, Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountain, 5 Days
The citadel first, then Vinicunca once you have acclimatised
- 5 days
- 5,200 m max
- Moderate
- Cusco airport to Cusco airport
Five days from the airport and back. A guided city tour, the full Sacred Valley, the train to Machu Picchu with a guide, and then Rainbow Mountain on day four — by which point you have had four nights at altitude and can actually enjoy it.
Rainbow Mountain has become the second thing everybody wants to see in Cusco, and it is also the thing most often sold badly — as a day trip bolted onto the front of a trip, when visitors have been in Peru for forty-eight hours and have no business standing at 5,200 m.
This itinerary puts it last. The city on day one, the Sacred Valley on day two, Machu Picchu on day three, and only then, on day four, the drive out to Vinicunca and the walk up to the striped ridge. Four nights of acclimatising first.
It makes a real difference. The mountain is not technically difficult — it is a steady uphill on a wide path — but at that height the air does the work, and arriving with lungs that have adjusted is the whole trick.
What you'll see
Rainbow Mountain in the right order
Vinicunca is around 5,200 m, higher than anything on the Inca Trail. This itinerary puts it on day four, after four nights of acclimatising, which is the difference between a good day and a miserable one.
Everything else already arranged
Airport transfers, four hotels, both trains, both citadel buses, every entrance fee and all the guiding, in one booking.
Cusco and the Sacred Valley
Qoricancha, Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo, Puka Pukara and Tambomachay on day one; an alpaca farm, the Taray viewpoint, Pisac, Moray, the Maras salt pans and Ollantaytambo on day two.
A night below the citadel
You sleep in Machu Picchu Pueblo and go up on an early bus, rather than doing the whole thing from Cusco in a day.
Small groups
Twelve on average, with licensed local guides.
Circuit 2 requested by default
The most complete route through the citadel, with the best available alternative and an explanation if it has gone.
Cusco, Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountain, 5 Days: day by day
Times are what we actually aim for, not a best case. Traffic into Cusco and the train timetable move them by a little.
Day 1
Arrive in Cusco, and the city tour
Met at the airport and taken to your hotel, with the morning free to let the altitude settle. In the afternoon, the historic centre, Qoricancha, Sacsayhuamán, Q'enqo, Puka Pukara, Tambomachay and the viewpoints above the city.
- Meals
- None included
- Night
- 3-star hotel in Cusco
Day 2
The Sacred Valley, then the train
An alpaca farm, the Taray viewpoint, the Pisac ruins and market, the Moray terraces, the Maras salt pans and Ollantaytambo, then the Expedition train down to Aguas Calientes for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Night
- 3-star hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo
Day 3
Machu Picchu, then back to Cusco
The bus up for the guided visit of the citadel, then back down for the Expedition train to Ollantaytambo and a private transfer to your hotel in Cusco.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Night
- 3-star hotel in Cusco
Day 4
Rainbow Mountain
An early start and a scenic drive, breakfast at a local restaurant, then the steady high-altitude walk up to Vinicunca and its striped ridges. Lunch on the way back, and Cusco by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast and lunch
- Night
- 3-star hotel in Cusco
Day 5
Home
Breakfast at the hotel, then a transfer to the airport or the bus station according to your schedule.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Night
- Not included — you fly out
What the price covers
Transfers and hotels
- Airport pickup on arrival and a transfer to the airport or bus station on day five
- Three nights in a 3-star hotel in Cusco
- One night in a 3-star hotel in Machu Picchu Pueblo
- Free luggage storage in Cusco
The guided days
- Cusco city tour with a professional guide
- Sacred Valley tour with Pisac, Moray, the Maras salt pans and Ollantaytambo
- Rainbow Mountain tour from Cusco
- Guided visit of Machu Picchu
- Every entrance fee for the sites named in the itinerary
- Licensed local guides throughout
Trains, buses and the citadel
- Return Expedition train between Ollantaytambo and Aguas Calientes
- Return bus between Aguas Calientes and the citadel
- Machu Picchu entrance, with Circuit 2 requested by default
Meals
- Four breakfasts
- Two lunches, including breakfast and lunch at a local restaurant on the Rainbow Mountain day
Not included
- Flights to and from Cusco
- Any meal not named in the itinerary
- Huayna Picchu and Machu Picchu Mountain
- Train upgrades to the Vistadome or the Observatory service
- Hotel upgrades
- Travel insurance
- Tips, which are genuinely optional
Cusco, Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountain, 5 Days: prices and options
Add-ons
- +£45
Vistadome train, one leg
Panoramic glass roof instead of the standard Expedition carriage.
- +£60
Huayna Picchu
About two hours there and back on day three. Book well ahead.
- +£60
Machu Picchu Mountain
About three hours there and back, on a broader path.
What to bring
Papers and money
- Your original passport — checked at the citadel gate and on the train
- Cash in soles for the Pisac market, the mountain and tips
- Your medication and any personal first aid
For Rainbow Mountain
- Walking boots or trail shoes with grip
- A warm hat, gloves and a windproof layer — it is below freezing at dawn up there
- A refillable water bottle and some snacks
- Sun cream, because the UV at 5,000 m is extreme
For the rest
- A small daypack, 25 litres at most for inside the sanctuary
- Comfortable walking shoes, already worn in
- Clothes you can layer
- A rain poncho
- An overnight bag for the night in Aguas Calientes
Sun and skin
- High-factor sun cream and lip balm
- Sunglasses with UV protection and a sun hat
- Insect repellent for Aguas Calientes
Questions we get asked
How hard is Rainbow Mountain?
Not technically hard, but it is the highest thing most visitors to Peru ever do — around 5,200 m at the summit, which is within striking distance of Everest base camp on the Nepal side. The walk itself is a steady uphill on a wide track. What makes it difficult is the air. Go slowly, drink more than you want to, and accept that you will be breathing hard.
Why is Rainbow Mountain on day four?
Because it is the right answer and a lot of itineraries get it wrong. By day four you have had four nights at 3,400 m or above and your body has adjusted. Doing Vinicunca on day one or two, which is how it is often sold, is how people end up turning back halfway or spending the afternoon being unwell.
Can I ride a horse up?
On the mountain itself, yes — local families hire horses for the ascent and it is arranged and paid on the spot. It is not included in the price and we would not pretend to know the rate in advance, but it is a well-established option and plenty of people use it.
What if the weather is bad on the mountain?
Vinicunca's colours need light, and in heavy cloud or snow they are muted. The tour still runs; the colours are the gamble. Between December and March you are more likely to see snow on the ridge, which some people prefer and others find disappointing.
How much walking is in the rest of the trip?
Very little. Days one, two and three are site visits and travel, graded easy, with steps at the citadel. Rainbow Mountain is the only real exertion of the week.
Which circuit will I get at Machu Picchu?
We ask for Circuit 2, the most complete route, and get it most of the time. If it has gone we take the best remaining route, usually Circuit 1 or 3, and tell you which before you fly.
Do I need to book flights separately?
Yes — this starts and ends at Cusco airport. Try to land in the morning so that day one works properly.
When should I book?
Three to four months ahead for the May to September window, driven by the Machu Picchu ticket.
Ask us about Cusco, Machu Picchu & Rainbow Mountain, 5 Days
Tell us your dates and we'll come back with availability, the circuit we'd recommend, and a firm price. No deposit to ask, and we answer within one working day.