Don't do what I did. So I'm going to make this short, sweet and snappy.
 

1. It costs around £70 for the trip there and back with food and guide
2. The trip starts early so get a good night sleep the night before
3. It's a 3.2km walk from the car park to the Rainbow Mountain
4. Wear sensible shoes, but the path with well worn relatively flat, it's the altitude, not the terrain that gets you
5. You can buy snacks and drinks along the way, but bring your own to avoid plastic waste
6. Pack toilet roll - there are toilets at the halfway point
7. Be prepared for every type of weather; sunglasses, sunscreen, raincoat, scarf, gloves, hat and layer up.
8. Bring a selfie stick - the 360 views are out of this world, so you'll need the extra reach and security on the mountain edges
9. You can pay to get your passport stamped at the top...?!
10. Stay awake during transit - the views both in daylight and nighttime are incredible
11. You can pay extra to walk back through the Red Valley, it takes an extra 45 minutes, but others will be walking down the other way, so they'll only have to wait 30 minutes tops for you.
12. There's a second mountain once you get to Rainbow Mountain, you can choose whether or not to go up there. I saw photos, the views were pretty special but if hiking isn't your thing, you're not missing anything.

Read about my experience climbing to Rainbow Mountain - the sense of achievement and the energy I felt from the universe.

Originally published 30 September 2019