Vinicunca

Peru · mountains · nature

Rainbow mountain stripes. Vinicunca's slopes burst with natural bands of red, yellow, purple, green, and blue rock. These colors come from different minerals in the stone, each one creating its own bright stripe across the mountainside.

High Andes peak. This mountain stands 5,036 meters (16,522 feet) above sea level in the Cusco region of Peru. That makes it tall enough to feel thin air and cold temperatures year-round.

Recently discovered treasure. For a long time, snow and ice covered Vinicunca's colorful slopes, hiding the rainbow stripes from view. As the climate warmed, the snow melted and revealed this natural masterpiece to the world.

Popular hiking destination. Today, thousands of adventurers trek to Vinicunca each year to see its incredible colors in person. The hike is challenging because of the high altitude, but the views make it worth every step.