Pallay Punchu Tour 1 day

1 Day
Moderate
4500
2 to 8 people
Van, Trekking

Overview

Discover with us the magic of a brand-new rainbow peak in Cusco! With our full-day Pallay Punchu tour you will walk to a marvelous colored mountain!
Beat the crowds since this is an alternative route that allows you enjoy the peace just with you and the mountain while admiring the best landscapes. Are you ready for a spectacular hike in Cusco?

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Discover an authentic natural route in Cusco.
  • A new colorful mountain that will captivate you.
  • Enjoy a day in nature.
  • Have privileged views and not many tourists on this alternative hike.
  • Enjoy the best local food on the way to your destination.

Trip Details

ITINERARY FOR PALLAY PUNCHO TOUR

Cusco to Pallay Poncho

Today the adventure starts early! We will pick you up from your hotel at 4:00 am and travel for almost 2 and a half hours to a small town south of Cusco called Cusipata. Here, you will have breakfast at a local restaurant and recharge your energy before starting the hike.

After that, we will continue for one and a half hours to Marangani, the town where our tour will begin. Prepare your water and snacks before walking; we assure you that the whole trip will be worth it. The first uphill section will be very scenic among the mountains, heading toward the colorful mountain. You will have the opportunity to see steep mountains, as well as local flora and fauna of the Andes region. This mountain is known for having the shape of a colorful poncho, a steep pyramid-shaped mountain. It has different colors such as magenta, yellow, green, red, among others, with the Langui Lagoon in the background, which can be seen between the mountains.

At the end of the tour, after about 1 to 2 hours around the area, along with the guide’s explanations and the best photos on your camera, you will return to the vehicle that will take you back to the same restaurant for lunch, and then you will return to Cusco around 6:00 pm.

  • Max altitude: 4730 masl / 15518 ft
  • Meals: Breakfast and lunch
  • Distance: 3 km / 1.86 mi
  • Difficulty: Moderate

What is Included for the pallay Punchu Tour?

Included

  • Pick-up at your hotel the morning of your trek
  • Private transport from Cusco to the trailhead and back to Cusco
  • English speaking, experienced and professional guide
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary (optional vegetarian food with prior request)
  • First Aid kit including emergency oxygen bottle

Not Included

  • Trekking Poles – $9 USD
  • Tips for the driver, guide and cook of SAM TRAVEL PERU

Best Price for 2026.

Enjoy this 1 day hike with expert team and in a small or private groups!

GROUP PRICES

# of PersonsPricePer Person
2 persons$150 USD pp
3 persons$140 USD pp
4 persons$120 USD pp
5 persons$99 USD pp
6 or more persons$89 USD pp

***Price per person based on the number of participants in the group.  When group is finalized, each person will pay per person based on the size of the final group.  There is no guarantee of how many may join except the limit is 10 people per group.

***Minimum is 2 participants per group to start a group.

PRIVATE GROUP PRICES (Any date)

# of PersonsPricePer Person
2 persons$170 USD pp
3  persons$150 USD pp
4 persons$130 USD pp
5 persons$110 USD pp
6 or more persons$90 USD pp

***Private group price depends on the number of people, and will be completely private with your own guide, chauffeur and private van.  No others will be added to the group.

***Minimum is 1 person but that person will pay $250 USD for the private group.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS

  • A horse can be rented for the trip from locals when you arrive for about 100 soles round trip. Your guide will help you negotiate the price.

Packing List for Pallay Puncho Tour

WHAT TO BRING FOR A DAY HIKE

  •  Copy of passport and student ID card if applicable
  • A lightweight, waterproof day pack
  •  Sturdy hiking boots
  •  Warm clothes and hiking pants, not jeans
  •  Layers of clothes for variable temperatures
  •  Camera with charged batteries
  •  Sun protection: sunscreen, sunhat, sunglasses
  •  Thermals, wool socks, gloves, scarf, wool hat
  •  Insect repellent
  •  Water proof clothing and or a rain poncho
  •  Water bottles (reusable, not disposable)
  •  Personal medical kit
  •  Extra money for souvenirs, drinks, tips
  •  Walking sticks (rentable)
  •  Favorite snacks
  • Hand sanitizer
  •  Toilet paper

Pallay Punchu Tour 1 day
machu picchu tours

Join SAM Travel Peru for an Unforgettable Travel Experience In Peru

  • 100% Locally Owned and Operated
  • Years of Experience in all Areas of Peru
  • Knowledgeable Staff ready to Help You
  • Individually Curated Tours and Treks
  • Especially Designed Tours and Treks
  • The Highest Quality Personal Service
  • Fantastic Value for Money with Many Added Extras
Your adventure. Our expertise.

Why Travel with SAM travel Peru?

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  • 100% value for money
  • Small Groups with a maximum of 8 people
  • Delicious and nutritious meals
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  • Years of Professional Inca Trail Experience
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Anna R Mar 2026 • Friends

Fantastic 4 Day Salkantay Trek

I did the 4 day Salkantay trek with Joaquin (Guide), Matias (Chef) and Zenobio (Assistant Chef) and had the best time! The crew were so friendly and caring. It was well organised and they let us know what we would be doing each day. I struggled with the altitude and got a headache on day 2 so the crew gave me some oxygen to help. I felt very cared for. Joaquin was so knowledgable and gave us lots of information on the history of Machu Picchu. Matias and Zenobio’s cooking was incredible and much needed after long days of hiking. We had such a great time and I would highly recommend Sam Travels to anyone who is planning a trip to Peru!

Georgia Hayes Mar 2026 • Friends

Great experience with Sam Travel Peru!

I had a fantastic experience with Sam Travel Peru on the Salkantay Trek. Our guide Joaquin was great. He took great care of us throughout the journey, ensuring all our needs were met while also sharing fascinating historical insights that really added the experience. Chef Matias exceeded all expectations with his food. It was really delicious with generous portions. His assistant, Zenobio, was equally fantastic. The whole team had a great sense of humour, which made the experience even more enjoyable. When I started feeling unwell due to the altitude, they were incredibly attentive, making sure I was comfortable and providing any medicine I needed. I felt well looked after from start to finish. Would definitely recommend!

Danielle Nikka ... T Mar 2026

2 day Inca Trail with Sam Travel

Sam Travel has made our trip to Machu Picchu seamless. Joel Apaza was our guide and he has been extremely helpful throughout! I had stomach problems during our hike, not sure if it was food poisoning or altitude sickness, but I was extremely nauseated up to Winay Wayna which was the most strenuous part of the hike. He was very patient with us and even helped carry out daypacks with our heavy water bottles. We were stopping every 5 minutes because of my condition, but he was very gracious and still encouraging me that we can do it! We were able to reach the citadel after almost 9 hours and wouldn’t be able to do it if it wasn’t for Joel’s kindness. Definitely recommend!

dave d Mar 2026 • Couples

Two day tour of sacred valley and machu picchu

Carlos estrada was our guide for the 2 day sacred Valley and machu picchu tour .He was very knowledgeable and really courteous. As I am a man in his sixties and was in a group of twenty year old he paced the trip brilliantly .Great guy and guide

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Matt Ward 2026/01/29

We had a wonderful few days with Liz as our guide and Jair as our driver. We did a city tour of Cusco and then the Sacred Valley, culminating with an early start and Machupicchu on our final day. Liz was very patient and had incredible knowledgeable of all sites as well as telling us about all the history and importance of each site. She knew some ways to avoid packed areas and made each day special. Jair was a very skilled driver, courteous and made sure we were comfortable in the very clean car. Liz checked on us to make sure we arrived on time, smoothed the path for transport on the train and hotel stays, as well as entry to each site. Wilfredo was a good driver to take us back to Cusco and more than willing to stop so I could take photos of dairy cows. I’d highly recommend SAM tours as they had everything sorted for each amazing site, removed the stress and hassle of entry and logistics and made you feel like one of the family.

Tess Edwards 2026/01/29

We did the 3-day Cusco, Sacred Valley and Machu Picchu tour with Sam Travel, and it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. This was a real bucket-list trip for us, and with somewhere as iconic as Machu Picchu, expectations can sometimes be unrealistically high. In this case, the experience far exceeded them and was the highlight of our four weeks travelling in South America. Sam Travel is locally owned and operated, and our guide Liz Montesinos is also local. Liz has a university degree in tourism and a deep love for her history, culture and people — and that really shows. Her enthusiasm and knowledge made the three days feel meaningful rather than rushed or superficial.

Nina Shen 2025/10/29

We had an amazing experience visiting Machu Picchu with our guide, Liz Montesinos from SAM Travel Peru. She was so knowledgeable and passionate about the history and culture. Liz was also incredibly kind and patient, making sure everyone in our group was comfortable and enjoying the day. Plus, she took some of the best photos of our trip. She knows all the best spots and took truly great photos and didn’t try to make us do cheesy poses like some other guides try to. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide and would absolutely recommend her to anyone visiting Machu Picchu. She really made our 2-day trip to Sacred Valley and Machu Pichu very special!

Marcelle James 2026/02/29

We just completed our 3 day Sacred Valley and Machu tour with Sam Travel Peru (our guide was Jose). Firstly they were very easy to deal with, and able to add in airport transfers etc as needed. Jose was an excellent guide for the whole 3 days from airport pick up to the end of the tour. Jose was able to amend the itinerary as we went to suit the weather conditions and our ability to walk through all of the sites, ensuring we still got to see all of the most picturesque and important parts of each site. Jose is exceptionally knowledgeable and passionate about Peru as well as being very adaptable and positive - would absolutely recommend him.

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Cheri Buccino April 21, 2024
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Powerful! This journey tests your humanity and leaves you in awe of yourself and the beauty that Pachamama provides. April 2024 We conquered the Inca trail and it was only made possible with the help and guidance from our expert guides Jean Pierre (JP) and Jimmy. The knowledge these gentlemen shared was admired by all of our group and the envy of other trail hikers who stopped to listen. The hike has many layers of challenges including language barriers, altitude sensitivities and food specifications. The team at Sam travel exceeded the needs and went above to ensure our comforts were met. A special mention must be made to Mario, the Chef who somehow performed magic with nutritious flavourful meals to satisfy even the pickiest consumers and Francesco who was our lead porter who orchestrated the harmony that happened behind the scenes to get everything done. Nothing less than marvellous from this team. Thank you to each of the group who made our trek a remarkable experience.

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Bhavana Lalwani April 18, 2024
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Jose and Henry were great guides for our first time exploring machu pichu! They were very attentive and kept everything on a smooth schedule. Highly recommend!

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Ryan April 9, 2024
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The whole experience was amazing. Ray, our guide answered all of our questions and definitely had our best interest in mind the whole time. Timothy the cook made fantastic food and somehow found a way to prepare a birthday cake with no notice! Boni our head porter and his whole crew were kind, accommodating, and had such upbeat attitudes which really made the experience great!

Isabel Batteria April 17, 2024
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I spent two days with Sam Travel’s guide Raymier, who guided us through the one-day 12-km stretch of the Inca trail and then took us to Machu Picchu the next day. In my group, I was always the last one on the trail because I come from the coast and I’m not used to altitudes, and honestly I could also have prepared physically a little better. Raymier respected my pace, never rushed me, and supported me throughout the ardous trail. He had much knowledge to share. I speak Spanish, but ended up in an English tour, and Ray’s English was very good. He was funny, respectful, and versatile. He knew where to take all the best photos and patiently took photos of all of us. I would trust Sam Travel again especially if I was lucky enough to have Ray as a guide again.

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Sam Travel is a renowned local travel agency based in Cusco -Peru, recognized for its commitment to customer satisfaction, expert travel advice and personalized itineraries that meet the needs and preferences of each traveler.

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