Red Valley in Peru: Complete Travel Guide
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The Red Valley in Peru is a unique and spectacular sight that doesn’t see many tourists but is slowly increasing in popularity. It’s an incredible natural phenomenon, as the valley gets its bright red color from the iron-rich soil. Visiting the Red Valley is usually combined with a trip to Rainbow Mountain (also known as Vinicunca), which sits right next to the valley and sees many more tourists. But this doesn’t mean that you should skip Red Valley. If you’re already planning on doing Rainbow Mountain, I highly recommend also seeing the Red Valley.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know about getting to the Red Valley and how to have a successful hike. Pair this with my guide on the Rainbow Mountain, and you’ll have a great time seeing both of these beautiful natural wonders.
Where is the Red Valley in Peru?
The Red Valley is located in the district of Pitumarca, which is southeast of the city of Cusco, and lies behind the Rainbow Mountain.
What is the altitude of Red Valley?
Red Valley’s elevation is 5,000 meters above sea level. Some sources say it’s 5,053 meters, while others say 5,200 meters.
How long is the Red Valley hike?
There’s one trail that leads up to both the Red Valley and Rainbow Mountain, and then the trail splits into two. At that point, veer left to go to Red Valley or continue straight to go to Rainbow Mountain.
If you’re with a tour group, you’ll go to Rainbow Mountain first and then you have the option to visit Red Valley. If you’re doing the hike on your own, I would still recommend going up Rainbow Mountain first. That’s because Rainbow Mountain is much more popular than Red Valley, and it gets busy as more tour groups arrive.
From the base of the mountain, it takes about one to 1.5 hours to reach Red Valley, depending on how difficult or easy you find it to hike at altitude. Since you’ll most likely go to the Rainbow Mountain lookout first and then Red Valley, it’s about a 30-minute hike from the Rainbow Mountain lookout.
How do you visit Red Valley?
It’s about a three-hour drive from Cusco to Red Valley. You can visit on your own either by hiring a private driver or by taking a two-hour colectivo (shared van/car) to Checacupe and then hiring a taxi to get you the rest of the way there. Otherwise, you can go with one of the many tours that run daily to both Rainbow Mountain and Red Valley.
There are pros and cons for each option. Getting your own driver for the entire trip is comfortable, but it can be expensive depending on how many people you’re splitting the cost with. Using a colectivo and a taxi is cheaper, but it’s less comfortable and you’ll need to be confident in your ability to negotiate and communicate in Spanish with drivers. Going with a tour is the easiest option. Everything is taken care of for you, you’ll be with a knowledgeable guide in case anything goes wrong, and tours include breakfast and lunch. However, a tour can be more expensive than organizing your own transportation and all tours to Red Valley pick up between 3 AM and 4 AM.
As a solo traveler, I chose to go with a tour. I liked that it included breakfast and lunch, which meant that I didn’t have to worry about properly fueling for the challenging hike and looking for restaurants. While I’m fairly in shape, I don’t do a lot of hiking at elevation, so it was also comforting to know that I had a guide who would look after the group and make sure everyone was okay. Joining a group also meant that I would meet other travelers, which is something that I always enjoy when solo traveling.
Is there an entrance fee to Red Valley?
Yes, you’ll need to pay if you want to see the Red Valley. It costs 30 soles (about $8 USD), and only cash is accepted. You’ll pay the admission fee at the beginning of where the trail splits between the Red Valley and Rainbow Mountain.
Book your Red Valley tour
If you’ve decided to visit the Red Valley (and Rainbow Mountain) with a tour, I recommend the tour that I did with Inka Altitude. You can book your spot through GetYourGuide.
The tour is available in both English and Spanish. If you’re staying in Cusco’s historic center, you’ll get picked up some time between 3 AM and 4 AM. My pickup time was 3:45 AM, and when I boarded the van, it was mostly full.
Once everyone was picked up, our guide gave us a quick overview of what to expect for the day. Then he let us catch up on some sleep, since it would take 1.5 hours to get to the place where we would have a buffet breakfast. The breakfast was delicious and had a lot of options, including fruit, cereal, eggs, pancakes, tea, and coffee. After a quick breakfast and bathroom break, we got back on the van for a two-hour drive to the base of Red Valley and Rainbow Mountain. There’s a bathroom here, as well as closer to the top of the mountain.
You’ll hike, take a motorbike, or ride a horse up to the lookout point for Rainbow Mountain. If you want to keep on going, you can climb the stairs up to the very top of the mountain. I recommend getting your photos of Rainbow Mountain first before doing anything else, since there will only be more people making their way up as time goes on. Aside from hiking to the summit, you can also buy snacks, drinks, and photos with alpacas from the vendors at the viewpoint.
After hanging out at Rainbow Mountain for a bit, find your guide to get directions on hiking to Red Valley. From the Rainbow Mountain lookout point, it’s only about a 30-minute hike.
I enjoyed Red Valley much more than Rainbow Mountain because it isn’t as popular, and as a result, it hasn’t been commercialized yet. Unlike Rainbow Mountain, Red Valley doesn’t have any vendors or crowds. When I hiked it, there was less than 10 people on the trail. I also found Red Valley to be much more vibrant than Rainbow Mountain, which made for more impressive views.
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