Peru Hiking Guide | Inca Trail & Rainbow Mountain

Peru is high-altitude hiking first — even a 'day trip' to Rainbow Mountain crosses 4,200 m passes. The Classic Inca Trail is the bucket-list multi-day, but permits and operator rules dominate planning.

I have complete guide clusters for both routes below; read the country overview, then dive into permits and packing before you book flights to Cusco.

Quick links: Rainbow Mountain · Classic Inca Trail · All treks · Destination page

Peru hiking at a glance

Base city	Cusco — acclimatise 2–3 days minimum
Routes covered	Classic Inca Trail, Vinicunca (Rainbow Mountain)
Permits	Inca Trail — operator + permit lottery system
Altitude	3,400–4,200 m on day hikes; higher on Inca Trail passes
Best months	Dry season roughly May–September

Treks & routes

Route	Guide	Film	Notes
Rainbow Mountain	Guide	—	Day hike — mineral stripes, very high altitude
Classic Inca Trail	Guide	—	4-day permit trek to Machu Picchu

Altitude strategy

Spend at least two nights in Cusco before Rainbow Mountain or the Inca Trail. Hydrate aggressively, eat light on arrival and watch for headache or nausea — turn back if symptoms worsen.

Practical planning

Book Inca Trail months ahead through a licensed operator. For Rainbow Mountain, compare Cusco pickup times — early starts beat afternoon clouds.

Use the Trek Finder to filter by destination, then open each trek's packing, cost and itinerary guides before you book transport.

Official resources

• Peru tourism
• Machu Picchu tickets

Related hubs

/destinations/peru/