Vinicunca (Peru’s official name) possesses the Seven Colour Rainbow Mountain, an Instagram favorite. People say that the ever famous colorful mountain has “taken over my Instagram feed” for the past years because of the number of users who post about the Rainbow mountain.
The Seven Colour rainbow mountain boasts of one thousand five hundred visitors per day, which amounts to a third of Machu Picchu’s four thousand visitors. Machu Picchu is Cuzco’s most visited and most popular attraction.
The colorful Andean mountain is only four hours (or less) away from Cuzco if taken by car. The hill is sixteen thousand feet above sea level which requires avid visitors and fans to take a six to seven-day hike. The hike happens at Ausangate Trek, which only became famous because of the tour guides and operators that started offering day hikes when visitors wished to visit the beautiful mountain back in 2015. Another thing to take note of is that Peru’s Rainbow mountain isn’t as famous as it is today. A decade ago, people had no idea of the beauty this Instagram-worthy place has to offer.
Day hikes also meant more customers and more exposure. The images of Vinicunca spread like wildfire, especially from international tourists. The filters used became another tool to showcase the beauty of the rainbow mountain. Mineral oxidation of iron oxide and iron sulfide is the reason behind the beautiful colors.
International recognition led to locals believing that the mountain might be at risk. Thanks to Guido Quinonez, the Cuzco Tourism Director, sustainable tourism is the primary goal since the craze started. In addition to this, the Tourism board of Cuzco recently went against a Canadian mining company.
If you plan on visiting, you should remember that before you reach and see the beauty of the rainbow mountain, a four-hour hike is a challenge. Opt to visit in dry months (from April to September) for safety purposes and 100% enjoyment of the place.
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