Pallay Punchu Peru: Full Day Tour from Cusco

The highest point of Pallay Punchu is about 4,790 m (15,720 ft), so the altitude matters more than the distance you walk. Spend at least 2 nights in Cusco or the Sacred Valley before the tour, drink plenty of water and avoid alcohol the night before.

On the trail, walk slowly and steadily. The path is short, and acclimatized travelers usually reach the ridge without trouble. Our guides carry oxygen and a first aid kit. More tips in our guide to altitude on Cusco’s colored mountains.

Pallay Punchu lies about 190 km south of Cusco, in the district of Layo, province of Canas. The drive takes about 4 hours: first to Sicuani, where we stop for breakfast, then on to Layo along the shore of Langui-Layo lagoon. The last stretch is a dirt road, with no asphalt.

That is why the pickup is between 3:30 and 4:00 a.m. Traveling on your own is possible but slow: a bus to Sicuani, another to Layo, and then a hike of about 4 hours round trip from the village. On our tour the vehicle takes you close to the trail, so the walk is short.

Cusco has three colored mountains you can visit in a day. Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) is the famous one, with a 1.5 hour hike up to 5,036 m and thousands of visitors. Palcoyo is closer, with an easy walk and three colored ridges. Pallay Punchu is the farthest and still a little known destination: on most days you share it with very few people.

If you are looking for a quiet place without crowds, we would choose Pallay Punchu, even before Palcoyo. You also get the panoramic view of Langui-Layo lagoon and the option to visit Raqchi on the way back.

The stripes of Pallay Punchu come from minerals in the rock, and they change with the light and the weather. From our experience, the colors look their best after a light drizzle or a rainy night, when the damp rock makes the red, ochre and green tones stand out, especially once the sun comes out.

On any sunny day the mountain looks good. April to October brings the clearest skies and the best road conditions; in the rainy season the colors can be even more vivid, but expect quick changes in the weather.

From the ridge of Pallay Punchu you see Langui-Layo lagoon spread out below you, a panoramic view that contrasts with the reddish tones of the mountain. For many travelers it is the moment of the day.

On the way back you can stop at Raqchi and its Temple of Wiracocha, which we consider the most undervalued place in Cusco: massive Inca walls, rows of round storehouses and very few visitors. The entrance is about S/ 20, paid in cash.

There are no toilets on the trail, only at the community checkpoint, so use them before you start walking. There is mobile phone signal in the area.

Bring cash in Peruvian soles: about S/ 10 for the Pallay Punchu entrance, about S/ 20 for Raqchi if you visit it, and S/ 80 to 120 if you want a horse, which is negotiated on site. Cards are not accepted at the checkpoints.

In Quechua, “pallay” is the art of weaving geometric patterns and “punchu” means poncho. The name describes the mountain’s colored stripes, which look like the design of a hand woven Andean poncho.

Pallay Punchu is in the district of Layo, province of Canas, about 190 km south of Cusco. It rises above Langui-Layo lagoon, in a high Andean area that still sees very few visitors. The drive from Cusco takes about 4 hours each way.

The highest point of the mountain is about 4,790 m (15,720 ft). On our tour the vehicle takes you close to the trail, so the walk itself is short. The altitude is the real challenge, which is why you should arrive in Cusco acclimatized.

Choose Pallay Punchu if you want a quiet colored mountain, and Rainbow Mountain (Vinicunca) if you want the famous one. Vinicunca gets thousands of visitors a day and the hike takes about 1.5 hours up to 5,036 m. At Pallay Punchu the walk is short, there are few people, and you add the view over Langui-Layo lagoon and an optional stop at Raqchi. The price is the longer drive. See our Rainbow Mountain tour.

If you are looking for a calm place without crowds, we would choose Pallay Punchu even before Palcoyo. Both have short walks, but Pallay Punchu is still a little known destination, and the panoramic view of Langui-Layo lagoon is something Palcoyo does not have. Palcoyo is closer to Cusco, so the day is shorter. See our Palcoyo tour.

The walk is short: about 1 to 1.5 hours, including the stops at the viewpoints. The vehicle leaves you near the trail, and you walk up a moderately steep path to the ridge, where you have free time for photos and the lagoon view.

The trail is short and easy, the only real difficulty is the altitude. Walk slowly, drink water and make sure you have spent a couple of days in Cusco first. Travelers who are acclimatized usually find it much easier than Rainbow Mountain.

The easiest way is a full day tour, since the mountain is about 190 km from Cusco. The road goes south to Sicuani, then on to Layo around Langui-Layo lagoon; the last stretch is a dirt road. On your own you would take a bus to Sicuani, another one to Layo, and then hike about 4 hours round trip from the village.

About 13 to 14 hours: pickup between 3:30 and 4:00 a.m., back in Cusco between 5:00 and 5:30 p.m. Most of the day is spent on the road, with breakfast in Sicuani, lunch on the way back and an optional stop at Raqchi.

The entrance fee is about S/ 10 per person, paid in cash at the community checkpoint. It is not included in the tour price. If you visit Raqchi on the way back, bring about S/ 20 more in cash.

Yes, horses cost between S/ 80 and S/ 120, negotiated on site. Honestly, it is rarely worth it, because the walk is short. What matters is arriving acclimatized.

There are toilets only at the community checkpoint, not on the trail. Use them before you start walking. There is mobile phone signal in the area.

Yes, and the colors look their best after a light drizzle or a rainy night. The damp rock makes the red, ochre and green stripes stand out, especially when the sun comes out afterwards. On any sunny day the mountain looks good.

April to October, the dry season, is the most reliable time. Skies are clearer and the dirt road is in better condition. In the rainy season the colors can be very vivid after rain, but the weather changes quickly.

Yes, Raqchi is on the way back and is an optional stop. The Temple of Wiracocha is, for us, the most undervalued place in Cusco: huge Inca walls, round storehouses and very few visitors. The entrance is about S/ 20, paid in cash.

Yes, spend at least 2 nights in Cusco (3,399 m) or the Sacred Valley before this tour. The mountain reaches about 4,790 m, so arriving acclimatized makes the day much more enjoyable. Our guides carry oxygen and a first aid kit.