Pallay Punchu: the peaceful alternative to Rainbow Mountain in Peru (complete route and tips)

Peru is known for its colorful mountains, the most famous (and most visited) of which is Vinicunca Rainbow Mountain. About a 4-hour drive from Cusco lies another spectacular natural phenomenon: Pallay Punchu. This mountain is just as impressive, but hardly ever visited. No tour buses, few tourists, and a landscape that seems almost otherworldly.

What makes Pallay Punchu special?

The mountain is located in the Cusco region and is striking because of the colors that literally cut through the landscape in layers. Red, yellow, green, and purple alternate in patterns that seem almost unreal from a distance. The peaceful nature of the hike makes the experience even more special. Whereas Rainbow Mountain is often crowded with groups of people, Pallay Punchu still feels pure and unspoiled. This is precisely what makes it a destination for travelers who like to look beyond the well-known highlights. It does require a little more organization to get there, though.

How do you get to Pallay Punchu?

There are several ways to plan your trip to Pallay Punchu:

• As an organized day tour from Cusco. You leave early in the morning because of the long travel time (about 4 hours one way).

• A self-organized tour from Cusco with an optional overnight stay in the town of Sicuani. After that, you can choose to travel back to Cusco or continue on to Puno. We chose the latter option because Sicuani is conveniently located halfway between Cusco and Puno.

Curious about how to plan your return trip from Sicuani to Cusco, Puno, or other destinations? We provide more information about this at the bottom of this blog.

To get to Sicuani, you can take a bus, collectivo, or taxi from Cusco. The buses/colectivos run until around 7:00 p.m. Since our return trip from the day hike to Ausangate took longer than expected, this was no longer an option for us. We therefore arranged a taxi through our hotel, which took us directly to Sicuani. The taxi ride cost 270 soles (about €67.50) and took about 3 hours in total. The advantage of this taxi ride was that we were dropped off directly at our hotel.

The next morning, we boarded a collectivo heading for the village of Layo. The collectivo stop is located here. There are no fixed departure times; the collectivo leaves as soon as it is full. So you may have to wait a while. The ride costs 6 soles per person, takes about an hour, and passes through increasingly rugged landscapes and the gigantic Laguna Langui. Layo is located on the lake and has a quiet, village feel, with small houses and grazing alpacas along the road. The collectivo stops at the central square, from where we took a private taxi to the starting point of the hiking trail. The driver asked for 50 soles, but after some negotiation, we paid 30 soles. The ride takes about 15 minutes, as we asked to be dropped off halfway up the road so we could walk part of the way ourselves. You can also ask the taxi to drive all the way to the “parking lot” at the top of the road.

The climb to the viewpoint

Distance: 11.2 km

Maximum altitude: 4,795

Ascent: 475 meters

Descent: 850 meters

From our starting point, the trail climbs about 475 meters. That doesn't sound extreme, but because the summit is over 4,800 meters high, the climb feels tough. We took regular breaks, not only to catch our breath but also to look at the surroundings, which became more and more spectacular. Red-colored mountains, sharp rock peaks, and a landscape that changed with every turn. The higher we climbed, the more dramatic it became: more intense colors, deeper valleys, and whimsical shapes.

Just before the summit, the path splits in two directions. The left path makes a longer arc upwards, while the right path is shorter and leads directly to the first viewpoint. We chose the right route. The view that awaited us there was probably the most beautiful we have seen in Peru so far. On one side, we looked deep into the valley, on the other side we saw red-colored mountain peaks, and right in front of us, the rainbow colors of Pallay Punchu in all their glory.

From the second peak, you can continue climbing up the ridge, but when we saw dark clouds and increasing wind, we decided to turn back. The weather can change quickly in the Andes, and you don't want to be standing on a narrow mountain path when that happens.

The route back to Sicuani

There are two options for returning to Sicuani:

The first option is to take the same route back. In this case, you can arrange with the taxi driver who took you up to pick you up at a certain time and take you back to Layo. From Layo, you can then take the collectivo from the central square back to Sicuani.

The other option, and the one we chose, is to descend the mountain on the other side towards Occobamba. You will descend about 850 meters, which you will feel in your knees and thighs. But the surroundings make up for it: rugged mountains, valleys full of grass, and occasionally a herd of llamas or alpacas.

In Occobamba, you arrive at a major road that you can see from afar. There are no bus shelters or fixed bus schedules along this road, so you always have to wait and see when a bus or collectivo will come by. We were lucky and after about ten minutes a local bus came by that we could board. The ride back to Sicuani costs 4 soles per person and takes about forty minutes.

Back to Cusco or on to Puno from Sicuani

There is one central bus station in Sicuani. Buses depart from here to Cusco, Puno, and Arequipa.

If you want to continue your journey or return by bus on the same day, we strongly recommend that you visit the bus station before going to Pallay Punchu to check the departure times of your bus. You may also want to reserve a seat.

We made the mistake of not doing this and found out that our bus to Puno would not be leaving at 8:00 p.m. but at 1:30 a.m. Due to our travel schedule, we decided to arrange a taxi through the hotel again. We ended up paying 300 soles (about €75) for the 3-hour ride.

Practical tips for this hike

Dress warmly and in layers. The temperature can change quickly, and strong winds can make it feel cold. Bring plenty of water and food, as there are no facilities along the way. Wear sturdy hiking boots. Start early in the morning so that you can be back down in time if the weather changes. Finally, don't rely on fixed transport schedules and leave some flexibility in your planning.

Is Pallay Punchu worth a visit?

For those who enjoy hiking, love nature, and prefer to travel off the beaten track, Pallay Punchu is undoubtedly a destination to include in your itinerary through Peru. The view is magical, the surroundings feel raw and pure, and you have the opportunity to experience this impressive landscape in peace and quiet. While Rainbow Mountain has become a tourist hotspot, Pallay Punchu shows how special the Andes can still feel when you seek out silence. Even with our relatively expensive travel costs, we found this trip definitely worthwhile. But if you learn from our experiences, this trip can also be a lot more affordable. Have you visited Pallay Punchu? We would love to hear about your experiences or tips!