Why a Trip to Rainbow Mountain May Be Right For You
Most mountains are observed and appreciated because of their grandeur, but Vinicunca, or Rainbow Mountain, has other colorful characteristics that make it special and a must-visit.
When you gaze at the silent peaks coexisting with nature, a sense of serenity washes over most of us. In addition to height, location, and other characteristics used to describe mountains, color may be one of them. When gazing at Rainbow Mountain in Peru, you will most definitely see exactly why it received that name and wonder how something so out-of-this-world could even exist.
What is Rainbow Mountain?
Vinicunca, or Rainbow Mountain, can be found near Cusco, Peru, on the way to the southern mountains of the Vilcanota Mountain Range in Cusco, home of the Ausangate Mountain, (6384 m / 20,945 ft) the fifth highest mountain in Peru.
These mountains are formed from colorful sediment that give it the unique range of colors that fascinates everyone. This area has become increasingly popular among visitors, and its popularity will only continue to rise.
Nature’s artistic hand has sketched a treat for our eyes born from a palette of millions of years of constant geological transformations. GeologyIn state that: “the area has four major geological features, the Andean uplift formed by Granites, the hanging glaciers and glacial erosional valleys, the Permian formation with its singular colors: red, ochre, blue and turquoise and the Cretaceous, limestone forests.”
How do you get to Vinicunca?
Travelers will start the journey by road from Cusco, and once at the base it takes six hours on average, by foot, to reach the top.
The walk starts from the nearby village of Quesuno (4,326 m / 14,189 ft.), a typical Andean village made up of llama and alpaca herders, where the people have kept alive their most important means of survival since pre-Columbian times.
The trail to Vinicunca is a challenge worth embarking on. You will climb a steep ascent of 5 miles / 8km from Quesuno to the highest point of the Vinicunca mountains (5,020 m / 16,466 ft). Make sure that you are properly acclimated to do this hike, it is literally a breath-taking destination. The hike is strenuous (the altitude of this place is much higher than the Dead Woman’s Pass on the Inca trail). But if you take the necessary precautions- walk at your pace, hydrate and use altitude sickness prevention) there shouldn’t be any big problem.
What are our recommendations for this trip?
The best time to go is during the winter in the Southern Hemisphere (summer for the US). If you are lucky enough to be there in May/June, during the celebrations of the pilgrimage to Qoyllur Rit’i, then you will be a witness to the reverence that the Andean people pay to their mountain gods (Apus).
The Rainbow Mountain Ausangate trek is a hikers’ paradise if you are looking for a multi-day activity. No matter how or when you decide to go there, this place is surely one thing to add to your bucket list.
Bring food and water with you, although you can expect snacks to be sold by small vendors. Altitude sickness can play a role in any ascent, so make sure you acclimatize before you venture to this area. If you intend to stay the night in the area, make sure to pack warm clothes, as it can get very cold at night.
Watch this drone footage before your journey!
Once you accomplish the feat of reaching the top, take in everything. Don’t bury yourself in a camera or smartphone for more than a few moments, because most groups will only spend 30 to 40 minutes at the top. Once you start your ascent, you’ll be swept up in the unique adventure. Don’t forget to take some pictures and tell us how your trip went!
Cover photo: Flickr: Frank Plamann
from Traveling and Living in Peru https://ift.tt/3fU3Kk4
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