You are new to altitude
The quad does the climb through the Red Valley. You walk 40 minutes instead of three hours, with oxygen in the support vehicle and a guide who watches how you are doing.
Vinicunca by quad · two departures a day · Cusco → Red Valley → 5,036 m
Rainbow Mountain without the 4 a.m. alarm.
Most tours to Vinicunca leave Cusco before dawn and ask you to hike three hours at altitude. This one gives you a choice: the classic 04:30 start for the clearest skies, or a 06:30 start that arrives as the crowds are leaving. Either way you ride a quad through the Red Valley and walk only the last 40 minutes.
04:30 / 06:30Two pickups, same price
40 minOn foot, the rest by quad
5,036 mVinicunca viewpoint
1 or 2Riders per quad
Licensed operatorGERCETUR Cusco N° 221-2024 · RUC 20600007204
Two departures daily04:30 classic · 06:30 late
Small groupsMax. 10 quads per guide
Cusco officeAv. Tullumayo 111-B, Wanchaq
Is this the right Rainbow Mountain tour for you?
Vinicunca is worth the effort, but the standard tour is a long day on foot at 5,000 m. The quad version was built for three kinds of travellers.
You hate pre-dawn starts
Pick the 06:30 departure. You still get the full route and the viewpoint; you just see it at midday, when the morning groups are already heading down.
You want the Red Valley too
On the bus tour the Red Valley is an optional paid detour. Here you ride straight through it. Two landscapes, one ticket.
Two departures, same route, same price
Pick in the booking box. We run both every day; the late one is the only tour to Vinicunca you can book without setting an alarm for 04:00.
Early departure
04:30
For the clearest skies and the first light on the stripes. You reach the viewpoint around 09:30 and are back in Cusco by 17:00.
- Best photos: morning sun, few clouds
- Coldest start, bring a warm jacket
- Back in time for dinner in Cusco
Late departure
06:30
For a human wake-up time. You reach the viewpoint around 11:30, as the big groups leave, and are back in Cusco around 19:00.
- Fewer people at the top than mid-morning
- Warmer riding on the quad
- More cloud risk after midday, especially Dec–Mar
The day, hour by hour
Times for the classic 04:30 departure. For the late departure add two hours to every step.
Pickup in Cusco
Shared minivan from hotels in the historic centre; other neighbourhoods are picked up on the way out. Two hours to Cusipata.
Breakfast in Cusipata
Hot breakfast at a local restaurant: bread, eggs, fruit, coffee or coca tea. Restrooms and a last check of layers.
Gear, briefing and practice
Helmet, gloves and goggles. The guide explains the automatic quad and the rules of the track, then a few practice laps on flat ground.
Ride through the Red Valley
About an hour on the vehicle track, with photo stops at the red hills. The guide rides ahead; a support vehicle follows.
Walk to the Vinicunca viewpoint
Quads are parked at the upper base. The last 30–40 minutes are on foot at your own pace, or on horseback paid locally. About 40 minutes at the top.
Return ride and lunch
Back down on the quads to the base, then lunch in Cusipata.
Back to Cusco
Drop-off at your hotel or at Plaza Regocijo around 17:00 (19:00 for the late departure).
- Total duration~12 hours
- Riding time~1 h each way
- Walk to the viewpoint30–40 min, optional horse
- Base altitude3,600 m (Cusipata)
- Highest point5,036 m
- QuadsAutomatic 200 cc, 1 or 2 riders
- Group sizeUp to 10 quads per guide
- DifficultyModerate — altitude, not skill
What is included
- Round-trip transport from Cusco in a shared minivan
- Bilingual guide (English and Spanish)
- Automatic quad bike, fuel included
- Helmet, gloves and goggles
- Breakfast and lunch in Cusipata
- Entrance fee to the Vinicunca community area
- First-aid kit and oxygen in the support vehicle
Not included
- Horse for the final walk (paid at the base, approx. S/ 80–100)
- Walking poles (rental at the base)
- Snacks and drinks beyond the meals
- Tips for guide and driver
- Travel insurance
Bring with you
Warm jacket and windbreaker, sunglasses, sunscreen, closed shoes, 1 L of water, original passport and cash in soles. For the early departure, an extra layer: it is below freezing at 04:30.
Prices per person
Group tour, price per person, the same for both departures. It depends only on whether you ride alone or share the quad. Prices in US dollars, updated November 2026.
| Option | Price |
|---|
Children under 18 travel as passengers behind an adult or the guide. Private departures with your own guide, vehicle and start time are available on request.
Why book with us
You choose the hour
Two departures every day. Nobody else makes you pick between seeing Vinicunca and sleeping past four.
Less walking at 5,000 m
40 minutes on foot instead of three hours. The quad does the climb through the Red Valley.
Honest about the weather
Clear mornings, cloudier afternoons: we tell you the trade-off so you pick the departure that fits you, not us.
Licensed and local
Operated directly by Enjoy Peru Holidays from our office in Cusco, with our own drivers and guides.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the 04:30 and the 06:30 departure?
Same route, same guide ratio, same price. The 04:30 departure reaches the viewpoint around 09:30 with the clearest skies and returns by 17:00. The 06:30 departure reaches it around 11:30, when most hiking groups are already leaving, and returns around 19:00. Afternoons carry more cloud risk, especially from December to March.
How much walking is there?
About 30 to 40 minutes uphill from where the quads stop to the viewpoint, at your own pace, or on horseback paid at the base. Motor vehicles are not allowed at the summit. The quad covers the Red Valley section, roughly an hour each way.
I have never driven a quad. Is that a problem?
No. The quads are automatic, you get a practice circuit before leaving the base and the guide rides ahead at the group's pace. If you prefer not to drive, ride as a passenger behind a friend or the guide.
Do I need a driving licence?
No. The track is on community land, not a public road. Drivers must be 18 or older; younger travellers ride as passengers.
How high is it and how do I prepare?
The viewpoint is at 5,036 m (16,522 ft). Spend at least two nights in Cusco first, drink plenty of water, eat light the night before and tell the guide if you take altitude medication. The support vehicle carries oxygen.
What if it snows or rains?
Light rain: the tour runs with ponchos provided. If the community closes access for snow or storms, we move you to the next day or refund in full.
Pick your hour, we handle the rest.
Tell us your date, departure and group. We confirm seats and price in one message.