Rainbow Mountain with overnight cusipata river lodge

The road to Ausangate is one of the most amazing experiences you can have, enjoy the scenery, be accompanied by native birds and animals during touching the road is only a part of all that this great opportunity offers, you will find yourself, where you will receive the protection and wisdom of that which was once sacred to our culture.

What is the Rainbow Mountain?

The Rainbow Mountain, is also known as Cerro Colorado, or famous mind in English as Rainbow Mountain has become in recent years in one of the main tourist attractions of Cusco and Peru.

This is a geographical feature belongingto the Ausangate snow-capped mountain in the Vilcanota mountain range, is the fifth mountain of Peru is more than 100km away from the imperial city of Cusco and has its highest point at about 6300 masl. approx.

Its coloring is natural and this due to the large amount of sedimentary stones in erosion, what makes it so beautiful and impressive is how these stones are formed to give it the appearance of rainbow (7 colors). The colors red, purple, pink, yellow green among others.

Vinicunca (winicunca) means “mountain of colors” in Quechua (runa simi). How to Get to the Mountain of Seven Colors

The Mountain of 7 Colors is located in a small town called Pitumarca, province of Quispicanchi, Cusco.

To arrive first you must board a car from the city of Cusco, bound for Pitumarca (02 km approx), after 03 hrs of travel you must take a trail route must reach the rural community of pampa Chiri. Then you have to walk 5km to the mountain (you can also use horses). It is recommended to bring snacks, water and energizers.

Already in this part of the way you will be able to appreciate the beauties of the valley like small lagoons, streams among others, with the passing of little time, you will be able to appreciate how everything is changing, the colors of the Mountain Rainbow are appearing, generating this way a very surreal image of the zone.

Finally you will arrive at approx. 5033 masl which is the top of the Rainbow Mountain

from where you can take photos and videos.

• MAXIMUM HEIGHT: 5200 m.s.n.m
• TOTAL WALKING DISTANCE: 7 km. approx.
• DIFFICULTY LEVEL: Medium – Difficult
• BEST TIME TO VISIT: Mar-Nov

Is the Rainbow Mountain Trek Difficult?

This hike has sections with a high degree of difficulty so it is recommended to be in good physical condition.

“The walk to Seven Colors Mountain isn’t really hard.“

The tour to the Rainbow Mountain is definitely not very hard, however, the route is not easy due to the altitude.

At the beginning you will be about 4480m and then you will ascend to 5009m.

It is important that when you go on a large group tour it is very difficult to be coordinated so it is ideal to do the tour with small groups or private so you can climb at your own pace. It is very important to consider whether you are traveling with children or older adults.

If you are not used to it, the ideal thing is to buy in some pharmacy of the city of Cusco pills for the altitude sickness and take it at the beginning of the walk and the following one when you feel that you really need it.

It is very common to see travelers affected by altitude sickness, that is why Machu Picchu Peru Tours always carry a first aid kit among which are in addition to pills, oxygen bottles, alcohol and clear snacks, chocolates, energy bars, rehydrating drinks and fruits.

It is also worth noting that the villagers have been organized to provide basic services such as basic bathrooms, but very useful, for such reasons the locals make a charge of S /. 10.00 to the valley, with this money can pay expenses of the above.

At what time of year is it best to visit a Rainbow Mountain?

All travelers agree that the best time of year to visit rainbow mountaineering is in the month of August, as it is dry season and it ex excellent to visit it. Your already famous colors look pretty good.

You have to try to avoid days when it has rained (December, January and February) or times when there has been a snowfall.

The Colors of the Rainbow Mountain

Over time, sediments formed layers (with different grain sizes) that today are seen as the stripes that attract tourists so much.

The movement of the tectonic plates in the area elevated these sediments until they became mountains.

Then they acquired their bright colors because of the oxidation of their minerals, exerted by the humidity of the area, and the erosion of them, explains to BBC Mundo César Muñoz, member of the Geological Society of Peru (SGP).

Muñoz and the study of the Cultural Landscape Office detail the composition of each strip according to its color.

• Rosé or fuchsia: a mixture of red clay, mud and sand.
• Blanquecino: sandstone (quartz sand) and limestone.
• Purple or lavender: marl (a mixture of clay and calcium carbonate) and silicates.
• Red: argilites and clays.
• Green: clays rich in ferromagnesium (a mixture of iron and magnesium) and copper oxide.
• Yellowish brown, mustard or gold: limonites, calcareous sandstones rich in sulphurous minerals (combined with sulphur).

What to take to the Mountain of Colors

• Trekking shoes
• Small backpack 20L or 30L
• Rain poncho
• Dry Fit T-shirts
• 1 pair of trousers for hiking
• Warm jacket
• Coca leaves (products made from it, candies, biscuits, etc.).
• Cap, hat and gloves.
• Sunscreen, toilet paper
• Sunglasses, water bottle
• personal medications (headache, anti-inflammatory medications)
• Extra money (preferably in soles).