Palcoyo is another rainbow mountain, aside from Winikunka (Quechua for ‘Seven-color Mountain’), which is part of Cusco’s heritage and attracts more and more tourists in search of new and dazzling tourist attractions.
This was recently highlighted not long ago by the U.S. Men’s Journal magazine, which dedicated an extensive article to said tourist attraction.
The article describes Palcoyo as a set of three colorful colossuses and as “vibrant peaks that turn out to be the perfect alternative to Winikunka,” a more popular rainbow mountain.
“The Palcoyo trailhead is located about 15 miles farther from downtown Cusco than Winikunka, and it takes about three and a half hours to get there—longer if you get caught in an alpaca traffic jam. But once you’ve arrived, the hike up is shorter and not as steep,” it reads.
The article also explains why travelers should go to Palcoyo, highlighting the view from all directions once at the top.
“The colors are startling—bands ranging from mustard yellow to maroon, and everything in between,” it stated.
According to Pam LeBlanc, a U.S. travel writer and author of the article, if the weather clears, one can catch sight of a snow-capped peak called Ausangate in the distance.
The Peruvian Commission for Promotion of Export and Tourism (PromPeru) noted that this exceptional media coverage is the result of an invitation made by said institution to LeBlanc.
She visited Cusco in December 2022 and had the opportunity to hike Palcoyo, where she was able to witness first-hand the natural and cultural wealth of Peru.