The Alternative Rainbow Mountain Outside of Cusco lies a truly magical landscape of painted colored mountains and sweeping red valleys in the Andes. Rainbow Mountain, also known as Vinicunca, has become something of a ‘must-see’ site on the traditional tourist circuit in Cusco, but is now besieged by hundreds of daily visitors who hike at altitude for a single instagram photo. Few travelers realize that nearby there are in fact multiple rainbow mountains dotting this other-worldly landscape and that Palcoyo, an area of truly breath-taking beauty, can also be visited as a day-trip from Cusco. Known as the 'alternative rainbow mountain', Palcoyo sees far fewer visitors and requires much less up-hill hiking, making it a great way to admire Peru's natural wonders without having to jostle for the best vantage point. Palcoyo Rainbow Mountains Palcoyo is a long car journey from Cusco – three and a half hours driving one-way on mostly bumpy, unpaved roads – but the reward is vistas of the snow-capped peak of Apu Ausangate, pastoral scenes of Quechua-speaking herders tending to their llamas and alpacas grazing on the land, and impressive multi-toned mountains without the crowds. Unlike Rainbow Mountain, where backpackers leave Cusco from as early as 2.30am to beat the crowds, Palcoyo has a much more reasonable recommended start time of around 7am. With just a handful of daily visitors who visit this high-altitude scenery, it is yet to see any sign of over-tourism. And, while tourism is still its infancy, the local community have already organized basic infrastructure to welcome visitors. Colonial heritage in Checacupe Church On my way to Palcoyo I paused in the small village of Checacupe (4,326 / 14,189ft) - just as easily visited on the return journey. Checacupe is known for its spectacular colonial church. Deceivingly simple on the outside, it reveals breathtakingly