Rainbow Mountain is the most popular attraction in Peru behind Machu Picchu. People flock to this viewpoint to see the vibrant colors and rolling hills. As a nature lover, this is one of the things I was looking forward to most on my trip! But when it came down to it, I skipped my tour. I had already booked and paid for my tour, and it was too late to get a refund. So why did I do it? Do I regret it?
The Rainbow Mountain Tour
If you aren’t familiar, Rainbow Mountain is a mountain range in Peru that has naturally colored stripes. It is very unique, which is usually my favorite type of place. It’s at 16,000+ ft elevation, so it is very high up, and some people suffer from altitude sickness at the top. Many people also complain that the photos on social media are highly oversaturated and edited, and the colors are not that vibrant in real life. Honestly, this did not deter me at all. I have been to many tourist attractions during my travels and have often loved places that people say are overrated. I like to make my own opinion.
My Rainbow Mountain tour fell in the middle of my 8-day trip to Peru, the day after returning from a 2-day Inca Trail trek to Machu Picchu. (My Inca Trail trek was AMAZING, and you can read more about that in my article “Everything You Need to Know About Hiking the Inca Trail.”) For the Inca Trail trek, I had to wake up at 3:30 AM the first day and 6:00 AM the second day. The Rainbow Mountain tour was going to pick us up at 4:00 AM. I found that all Peru excursions had VERY early wake-up times!
Why Did I Decide to Skip My Rainbow Mountain Tour?
After my Inca Trail Trek, I was, understandably, exhausted. We had two early mornings paired with an 8-mile hike. We arrived back at our hotel around 8 PM after dinner and started preparing for our 3:30 AM wakeup. As I was preparing for the tour, I started getting very nervous. I was there in the middle of the rainy season, and rain can really impact the Rainbow Mountain experience. I mean, look at this video that a tour guide sent me when I asked about the weather!!
There was a chance of rain on the forecast during my tour, and the thought of being soaking wet, covered in mud, and low on oxygen did not sound fun, especially after a long hike.
The thought of the elevation also started making me feel very claustrophobic. If the elevation impacts me, I can’t just walk to a different area. I am stuck up there with low oxygen. That thought did not calm my mind! The mix of the rainy season, altitude sickness, the idea of a 6-hour roundtrip bus ride, being physically exhausted, AND waking up at 3:30 did not seem appealing at all.
After a few hours of anxiously trying to decide what to do, I finally accepted that I would feel much better if I took it easy the next day. I wasn’t that interested in spending a full day in Cusco, but I found a Sacred Valley ATV tour that looked amazing, and it was only half a day so I could sleep in! (Check out the exact tour HERE!) I let my family know that I was going to stay back and headed to bed.
Do I Regret Skipping My Rainbow Mountain Tour?
In the morning, I was feeling sad about my decision. Not because I felt like I was missing out, but just because I was nervous that I would regret my decision in the future. However, after grabbing some breakfast at Jack’s Cafe and heading to my ATV tour, I felt much better!
I had a blast on the tour and experienced amazing views throughout the Sacred Valley. I saw the salt mines and stunning mountain views, and drove an ATV for the first time! The Sacred Valley was something I was originally interested in seeing during the trip but we decided against it because we only had a few days in the area. I was so glad I had this experience.
Now it’s been a few months since this trip, and I do not regret my decision at all! Although my family’s photos of the Rainbow Mountains look gorgeous, I had a great time on my tour, and more importantly, I listened to my body when I was feeling exhausted. I often find myself wanting to do everything when I travel, but that is simply not possible! It is important to push yourself to try new experiences, but it is also important to take a break when you need to.
In travel (and in life), it is important to trust yourself and feel confident in your decisions. You know yourself best, and even if you already invested in something, it is okay to change your mind. This is also a reminder that it is okay to break away from the group when traveling! I love traveling with my friends and family, but there is no way everyone is going to agree on the same things every time. It is okay to break off for a meal, a tour, or an experience!
This is actually the second time that I have canceled an excursion after paying for it. (The first time was scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef!) If something doesn’t feel right to you, just remember that you don’t have to do it. After visiting 40 countries, I can confidently say that I have no regrets about any of my trips. Every trip has been a great adventure, and I can always visit somewhere again if there is something else that I want to try. Travel is supposed to be enjoyable, don’t take it too seriously!
If you are planning on visiting Rainbow Mountains, THIS is the tour that I was supposed to go on. My family still went and had an amazing time!
Important Links:
- Everything You Need to Know About Hiking the Inca Trail
- My Sacred Valley ATV Tour
- Jack’s Cafe Cusco
- The Rainbow Mountain Tour that my family had a great time on