I sat there in silence, in awe of the beauty that appeared just outside the window. It was just after 5 am and we had been traveling since 2:30. Sleeping next to me in the van was my boyfriend, behind me were our two travel companions, and in front were our tour guide and driver.
For a few moments, I forgot that someone else was there. He was so consumed by the beauty of nature that time stood still. Then a bump in the road brought me back to reality and I woke up my boyfriend so he could see what I was seeing. He immediately grabbed his camera and started clicking on the photos.
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Little did we know, this was just the beginning. . .
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We were on our way to hike up Rainbow Mountain in Peru. We had googled images of what the mountain looked like and honestly we were a bit concerned. All the images appeared to be heavily Photoshopped and we thought we might get to Rainbow Mountain to find her not so colorful and amazing in person. However, this thought could not be further from the reality we live in.
I can say that without a doubt Rainbow Mountain is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. And that comes from someone whose job is to travel. However, the beauty of this place is not just about the mountain itself, but about the entire journey to get there. The cliche saying “it’s about the journey, not the destination” has never been truer in my life than when I visited Rainbow Mountain. My boyfriend couldn’t take more than three steps during our eight hour hike without stopping to take another epic photo. And I couldn’t stop saying “wow” and feeling like there was no way this was real life. I felt like I was walking in a dream. (And yes, the colors of the mountain are even more beautiful in real life than what you see in the photos.)
The magical journey we experienced was made possible by the company we did our trek with, Flashpacker Connect. Although it is a bit more expensive than some of Rainbow Mountain’s other hike options, it is worth spending more. The 2:30 am pickup time seemed questionable at the time (and honestly brutal), but when we got to the Rainbow Mountain trailhead it all made sense. There were no other tourists in sight. It was just the six of us and the locals who lived in the area (mostly the local alpacas).
The journey took us through the most impressive valley you have ever seen, with colorful mountains on the left and majestic streams, lakes and glaciers on the right. Add to that the llamas, alpacas, horses, and locals dressed in colorful traditional clothing, and the fact that we basically had the mountain to ourselves, and it has all the ingredients for a life-changing experience. Being the only explorers on the mountain made the trip that much more beautiful.
When we reached the nearly 17,000-foot summit of our trip, we turned around and saw hordes of people the size of ants crawling up the trail. How amazing it was to have Rainbow Mountain to ourselves and enjoy the beauty without other tourists on the way.
I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a bit of a physical struggle getting to the top. As a girl from Los Angeles, I live a few blocks from the beach at sea level and 17,000 feet posed quite a challenge for my body. Slow and steady wins the race and luckily we had the freedom to be slow and enjoy the ride without the rush of the crowds behind us.
We enjoyed our time at the summit, soaked in the glory and beauty of Pachamama (the Peruvian word for Mother Earth), and when the tourists behind us joined us at the top, we were ready to return.
While most people go down the same path they took, our tour guide Joaquin (if you decide to do this hike you must request it as your guide) took us a different route on the way down. So we got an additional experience we weren’t expecting and as on the way up we had this trail completely to ourselves. Words cannot even describe the feeling I had when looking and seeing a field full of alpacas eating grass at the base of a mountain with a river running through it and glaciers behind it. I could have stayed in this valley for hours longer, immersed in all its grandeur.
This trip up Rainbow Mountain was one of the best days of my life.
And this experience made me more curious about the history behind Rainbow Mountain, so I did some research. It turns out that Vinicunca (as the locals call it) wasn’t discovered until 2014, when the snow that covered it melted, revealing the stunning rainbow of colors underneath. The locals have been living in this area for a long time and despite the recent addition of more than 1,000 tourists a day visiting the area, the local communities live almost exactly the same as before the tourist explosion.
For Peruvians, this is a sacred place. They consider Rainbow Mountain as a symbol of masculinity and father and believe that the mountain fertilizes Pachamama (Mother Earth).
So how did Rainbow Mountain get its vibrant coloring? Of the 14 different minerals that make up the mountain, each one showing a different color. There is a dormant chain of volcanoes in this area and when the volcanoes were active they brought to the surface minerals that had been deep within the Earth. These minerals were then placed in different layers and environmental conditions caused the colors to change and become brighter. This mountain is likely not the only one in the area that has this color, it is just that the exterior of Rainbow Mountain has been melted and erased to reveal the magic underneath.
While Rainbow Mountain certainly stole the show before my eyes, we experienced so much beauty in Peru that it was almost overwhelming. From Machu Picchu to the Sacred Valley, from Cusco to Huacachina, Peru is a truly magical country that rekindles your soul and spirit.
Where to stay
When you travel to Rainbow Mountain, the Flashpacker Connect tour and other tours usually depart from Cusco, so that is where you want to stay. Cusco is a city that deserves a few days of adventure on its own, so be sure to book your stay in time to walk the beautiful streets of this city and experience the delicious food, shopping, markets, culture, and breathtaking views. .
Our favorite place to stay in Cusco was Casa Andina Premium. This five-star hotel provided us with all the comforts of home with a touch of luxury to make our stay truly special. After our 18-hour trip to Rainbow Mountain, lying on the hotel’s soft king-size bed felt like the greatest luxury of our lives. I love hotel robes and slippers, and the ones here were top notch. The included breakfast was great too and packed with a variety of options for all dietary restrictions. Peru prides itself on fresh and organic food and Casa Andina Premium definitely delivers.
The hotel is centrally located and places you just steps away from most of Cusco’s main tourist attractions. It is the ideal base to explore all that this city and its magical surroundings have to offer.
Click for more information on Casa Andina Premium.
Click to learn more about Flashpacker Connect’s Rainbow Mountain Trek and other experiences around the world.
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