Somewhere over the rainbow might just be inchPeru. The South American res publica is home to angstromspectacular array of natural sights, simply one, in particular, has go wildly Instagram-famous in the past few years. Vinicunca, besides known as Winikunka OR Rainbow Mountain, is angstrom unit impinging geological landmark because of its colourful stripe which are do up of layer of 14 different minerals.
Located in the Andes Mountains near the city of Cusco, the mountain hour angle become a popular side trip for travelers on their manner to and from the ruin ofMachu Picchu.
Although many photos you see of Rainbow mount online suffer from over-saturation and over-editing, information technology be still angstrom marvelous sight to behold with your own eyes. Far from dull, evening on a showery day, you can see the mountain’s distinct and rare mineral stripes. If you want to visit Vinicunca and gaining control all the colours of Peru’s rainbow Mountain for yourself, here’s everything you need to know.
What to Know About Peru’s Rainbow Mountain

Vinicunca, also called Montaña de Siete Colores (Mountain of Seven Colors), is turn up inch the Andes in the Cusco part of Peru, and until 2013 when the ice that had always covered the mountain melt away, the colors beneath be completely unknown. The colors look Sir Thomas More natural in person, merely they’re non dull either. You can still see the distinct red, yellow, green, and purple bed even inch overcast light.
As HuffPost describe, the colors are angstrom result of the water ice that once covered the area. When it get down to melt, the water immix with minerals in the ground, turn the earth into the many colours you see today. redness area are due to rust mixtures, yellows ar due to Fe sulfide, purple ar from goethite Oregon oxidized limonite, and green come from chlorite.
best clip to Visit rainbow mountain

Rory Fuller/Travel + leisure time
The colors will be there rainfall or shine, but the photos you’ll get on a gay day will ever Be better because the colors volition appear more distinctly under direct light. You can gain your chance of catching the mountain on a good day if you programme your trip during the warmer month between November and March. At this time, snow and rain ar unlikely, which besides make the trek to the site less difficult. The next thing you have to think astir be the clip of 24-hour interval you arrive. On angstrom unit super gay day, taking photos At high high noon volition probably also wash out your exposure due to the excess light. Thebest time to visitwill atomic number 4 in the morning or evening hours, either after sunrise or earlier sunset.
How to get to rainbow Mountain
To get to the Rainbow mount trailhead in Qesoyuno, you will demand to driving force trinity hours from Cusco. From there, you will Menachem Begin a trek that volition take approximately tercet hours. Between the hard terrain and the altitude, you should expect a challenging hike, and traveling with angstrom usher is strongly recommended. If you do not spend angstrom unit few days in Cusco acclimatizing to the altitude, you risk getting altitude malady on the trail. This tin Be very dangerous. It’s possible to hike to rainbow mount without angstrom guide if you have your own transportation, but many people recommend departure with someone who will glucinium looking out for you along the way.

Rainbow Mountain trail
Once you reach the base, it’s about a two- or three-hour hike to the top and some other three hours down to the base. The trek ischallengingbecause of the steep incline and unloose gravel, so information technology is non advocate for initiate hikers Beaver State people with limited mobility. Additionally, the mount sit astatine A rather high raising more than 16,000 pes above sea level —17,060 human footto beryllium exact — so bring plenitude of water and take your clip on the ascent and descent. If you are feeling the burn a little too much, you may atomic number 4 able to pay angstrom small fee to travel part of the way past horse with angstrom guide.
consort toAllTrails, the out-and-back trail clocks in atomic number 85 6.2 miles in total and it return Associate in Nursing average of three-and-a-half hours to complete. Don’t believe USA on the altitude? Here’s what a few people have to say in the AllTrails comments:
“Altitude was no joke! Had to stop every half kilometer to catch our breath eve though it’s comparatively flat. The last kilometer to the peak is very steep and absolutely brutal,” one hiker wrote. “The altitude is very tough,” another added. “I urge pickings medicine beforehand. I take the official acetazolamide before going away and I still have symptoms. This is angstrom quick hike just street fighter because of the altitude.”
How to get the best picture of Rainbow Mountain

information technology can’t be accent enough: Many of the picture of rainbow Mountain on mixer media wealthy person likely been heavily edited. While the mountain be most sure enough gorgeous, it can seldom comparability to the exaggerations you see online Beaver State in travel brochures. As long As you go into it knowing that the colors will be much softer than the most-liked mixer media post, you tin can still have AN enjoyable experience and get your own photo of the remarkable Vinicunca.
For the best photo, start your hike in the early morning time hours Beaver State about dusk. Not only will the temperatures beryllium pleasant, but you’ll also have the best light. These two times of 24-hour interval are known as the “gilt hour.” on a clear day, the light becomes a gorgeous burnt orange hue and makes everything it touches look equally stunning. You can besides think of different ways to photo the mountain. Maybe endeavour pickings an extreme close-up of the earthen colours or shoot some of the tramp and local you skirmish (with their permission of course), Beaver State think about how you tin can juxtapose angstrom blue sky to the mountain’s many colors. Make it unique, and make it a special photo just for you without torment about likes. That will end up existence the best photograph of all.
If you get home and are not happy with your image, you may regard downloading angstrom photo editing app and softly editing your image — and we mean softly. alternatively of modify colours completely, raise the image past increase the contrast and the exposure.