Vinicunca is the geographical name of one of the stunning rainbow mountains in Peru. It is an incredible and colorful formation of the Andes Mountain range that is located at 5,200 meters above sea level on the majestic Ausangate glacier, about 60 miles south-east of the city of Cusco. Commonly called the Rainbow Mountain or the Seven Colors Mountain thanks to its seven rainbow shades. It can be seen in all its beauty, and looks like a huge watercolor painting.

Rainbow mountains are vibrant, colorful rock and sand formations created from a combination of tectonic plate movement, layered sediment and erosion. Basically, layered sandstone and minerals built up over millions of years and when tectonic plates moved, the colors began to appear. Combined with water erosion, freezing, winds is when the rainbow-colored mountains appear.

It is not surprising that Vinicunca is one of National Geographic’s 100 places to visit at least once in a lifetime. The uniqueness of this place lies not only in the breathtaking beauty of the landscape, but also in its priceless geological naturalistic value. Reaching the summit is quite difficult, the expected time of the route alternates with tiring climbs and is around 8 hours in total. The trek takes place between 4000 and 5000 meters above sea level and must be tackled exclusively with specialized guides since the lack of oxygen at high altitude can be very trying on the body.