Hiking
Classic · VinicuncaUS$ 29
Red Valley + VinicuncaUS$ 29
Quad · ATV
Vinicunca quadUS$ 70
Red Valley + quadUS$ 75
Classic · VinicuncaUS$ 29
Red Valley + VinicuncaUS$ 29
Vinicunca quadUS$ 70
Red Valley + quadUS$ 75
Twelve hours door to door: where the time goes, when you eat, how long you are on the road and what the day asks of you before you book.
In short: The full day runs about twelve hours: pickup at 04:20–04:40 in downtown Cusco, breakfast in Cusipata, a 1h30 hike to Vinicunca, buffet lunch and return around 16:30. It costs US$29 per person, entrance fee aside.
Vinicunca sits about three hours south of Cusco, in the district of Pitumarca, and the whole visit fits into one full day — which is why almost nobody sleeps out there. Our day tour leaves downtown Cusco between 04:20 and 04:40, stops for breakfast in Cusipata, climbs by road to the Phulawasipata trailhead at 4,650m, and gives you the guided walk up to the 5,090m viewpoint. Lunch is back in Cusipata and you are in Cusco again around 16:30. Everything except the entrance ticket is already inside the US$29 price.
Tourist vehicle from downtown Cusco to Cusipata and up to the trailhead, with the guide on board throughout.
Breakfast in Chirihuani before the hike and an Andean buffet lunch afterwards — both part of the price.
A certified English–Spanish guide, trekking poles for everyone and an oxygen tank in the vehicle.
| Stage | Time | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Cusco – Cusipata | About 2 hours | Tourist transport south along the Vilcanota valley |
| Breakfast in Chirihuani | Around 06:30 | Cusipata, 3,310m |
| Cusipata – Phulawasipata | About 45 min | By road to the trailhead at 4,650m |
| Hike to Vinicunca | About 1h30 | 440m of ascent to the 5,090m viewpoint |
| Descent and lunch | From 14:00 | Buffet lunch back in Cusipata |
| Return to Cusco | Arrives 16:30 | Drop-off in the city centre |
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💡 Note: travellers who prefer not to hike can reach the same viewpoint on our ATV tour, which leaves only a 3 to 5 minute walk.
See the full breakdown on our What's Included page.
The walking is rated moderate, and the difficulty is the altitude rather than the terrain. The path is wide and clear, with a steady gradient and no scrambling. What catches people out is the thin air at 5,000m: the first ten minutes feel easy, and then they don't. Going slowly from the start is the single best piece of advice we can give. See our altitude guide for how to prepare.
Not on your first day in Cusco. We recommend at least two days acclimatising in the city, or an easier day out such as the Sacred Valley, before going up to 5,090m. Travellers who arrive and go straight to Vinicunca are the ones who struggle.
On the hiking plans you can come back down through the Red Valley, a self-guided detour with its own entrance fee paid on site. It costs nothing extra on the tour itself — the price is the same US$29 — but it adds about an hour of walking at over 4,900m.
Reserve online in under two minutes — instant confirmation, secure checkout.
Complete your Peru adventure with these expert-guided full day experiences.
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