I have always had so many dreams of my wishes and one of them was to visit Rainbow Mountain Hike 2 Days in Peru. In the first place, a sacred peak to the Incas in which sacrifices were made to the gods, in second, a natural spectacle created by mother nature who enjoyed painting a Rainbow mountain hike 2 days . I don’t know exactly how long I’ve been dreaming of exploring this rare pearl of the universe … Weeks, months, maybe years. The fact is that finally I did it and it was an even more beautiful and exciting experience than I imagined.
For this reason, National Geographic has included Vinicunca Mountain among the 100 places to visit at least once in their life , and I couldn’t agree more with them.
How to Reach Rainbow Mountain?
Unfortunately, over the past few years, the disarming beauty of Vininunca has been discovered and disseminated en masse. So, contrary to a few years ago, it is now a very popular tourist destination (which does not surprise me at all) and is easily accessible. There are in fact numerous organized tours that depart from Cusco and accompany you to this earthly paradise, giving you an unforgettable day. The current price for exploring Vinicunca is around 60 SOL (15 €) including breakfast and lunch.
I have to recommend this tour to you, I highly recommend organizing yourself. Why? Because a half-day trek to Vinicunca is not enough! This is not all those who leave on an organized tour reach the summit also because, to be able to do the whole route. You will be immersed in a spectacular landscape that winds through scenarios that change from day to day. Snow-capped peaks, fiery red peaks, narrow swamps rich in llamas, alpacas, horses and birds will frame your path to the end. I will be greatly discounted. To keep the age-old culture and the Peruvian traditions intact, the native animals with a precious coat the Andean highlands for centuries. I therefore recommend organizing DIY trekking at Vinicunca!
-> There are two key villages to organize your DIY tour: CUSIPATA and PITUMARCA.
Once in both, you will be able to stay in the rainbow mountain Andean Path Travel. There is also a hostel at the entrance to the classic and tourist mountain trail. I am moving on your own is not all complicated, indeed.
How to Prepare the Trekking
Vinicunca is a mountain of 5,200 meters above sea level which is part of the Cordillera of the Andes, so the trek will take place at a very high altitude, a factor that does not facilitate breathing. It is therefore advisable to prepare the body in advance by spending days at these altitudes, thus allowing a suitable acclimatization to face the effort.
There are also bottles containing a natural liquid to be snorted to allow the brain a better oxygenation and a decrease in mental pain caused by altitude and frost. Getting one of these bottles is easily done at the entrance to the trek.
The climate during the trek is not particularly cold, but as soon as you reach the top, the temperature becomes cold and often snows. For this advice, dress up as an onion carrying a backpack to use to make life easier. Even if you visit Rainbow Mountain in the summer remember that we are still at 5000 meters!
If you think you are not fit enough to tackle this trek, don’t worry because you can adopt the horse option that you can take at the entrance of the mountain or during the journey itself. The price they will charge you at the starting point is higher (around € 20 return ), but if you decide later on the route – even if you meet fewer free horses – the price goes down considerably.
What makes Vininunca so special?
When the ice that covered the mountain dissolved, it revealed to the world the incredible beauty that it hid, or the different mineral layers of which the rock was composed. The red comes from oxidized iron (also known as rust), the yellow is due to the presence of iron sulfide , the brown purple comes from goethite or limonite oxidized , and chlorite is what causes the different shades of green (excluding vegetation).
Are the colors of Vinicunca really so vivid?
Time plays a fundamental role in determining how vivid colors are with the naked eye, but on a bright and clear day the mountains really look like a wavy rainbow. Before tackling the trek I was convinced that in every photo circulating on the Internet there was a hand of Photoshop, but surprisingly I changed my mind once I reached the top of the mountain…
Is it worth it?
There is no denying that trekking in Vinicunca is one of the most strenuous things you will do, especially if you are not passionate and used to trekking, but I assure you that it will also be one of the most beautiful and memorable experiences you can have. The Ausnagate & Rainbow mountain 3 days is in fact in all its magnificence only once it reaches the top: the sediments of stones and minerals of different colors create one of the most beautiful natural spectacles in the world and the view enjoyed from the top is something incredible that you it will repay all the effort.
Read also: What Are the Benefits of Having a Proper Tour Operator When On an Adventure Vacation?
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