Rainbow Mountain in Peru (1 day hike)

From Cusco, it is a 3 hour drive to get to the Vinicunca mountains.  This was by far my favorite experience in Peru.
The hike is hard, its about 3 hours each way and goes from 12,000 to 17,000 feet in elevation.  This was my first experience with this elevation and the low oxygen levels really take a toll on your ability.  At the top of the mountain, I could only take bout 10 steps at a time before having to stop from being dizzy.  The views at the top were so incredible and so worth it.  What made this day so memorable for me was not only the views but the journey.  The hike through the mountains felt so untouched and genuine.  We were walking through these people's villages and seeing their daily life the entire way which to me made this day amazing.  I've included many photos of the things I saw along the journey, as well as the photos of the rainbow mountain - each outstandingly incredible!

How to get there?
I paid about $35 for a company in Cusco to shuttle us there and back.  They also took us to a small village on the way to eat a locally made breakfast (before) and lunch (after).  I would definitely recommend booking once you are in Cusco, as some of the companies online are charging $180 for the same exact service.  Once you are a bit into the hike, you can pay about $20 to have a horse and guide take you towards Rainbow Mountain and back, where the horse is able to.