Peru
Rainbow Mountain
Welcome to Peru's high Andes! Rainbow Mountain, known locally as Vinicunca, is striped with bands of pink, gold, and turquoise rock — colors that stayed hidden under a icy cap until recently.
Why is it famous?
Its slopes are striped with natural bands of pink, red, gold, and green, like a rainbow painted across the mountainside.
It sits incredibly high in the Andes, at over 16,000 feet above sea level.
How was it formed?
Different minerals in the rock layers create the colors — pink and red come from iron-rich clay, gold from limestone with sulfur, and green from minerals with magnesium.
For a very long time, glaciers and snow covered the mountain, hiding its colorful stripes completely from view.
Amazing facts
The glaciers that once covered Rainbow Mountain melted away around 2013, finally revealing its colorful stripes to the world.
The mountain's local name, Vinicunca, comes from the Quechua language spoken by Andean communities.
Quick facts
- The glaciers that once covered Rainbow Mountain melted away around 2013, finally revealing its colorful stripes to the world.
- The mountain's local name, Vinicunca, comes from the Quechua language spoken by Andean communities.
- It sits near another towering peak called Ausangate, which local people consider sacred.
- Herds of llamas and alpacas often graze in the valley right below the colorful slopes.