AUSANGATE PERU - RAINBOW MOUNTAIN ROUTE

According to the research, the coloration of the rainbow mountain is due to the composition of minerals that it has: the pink color is for the red clay, fangolitas and arilitas. The whitish, for the quartzose sandstone and marls, rich in calcium carbonate. The red is composed of the clay (iron) and clays belonging to the upper tertiary. The green is due to the compound of phyllites and clays rich in ferro magnesian. The earthy brown is a product of fanglomerate composed of rock with magnesium belonging to the Quaternary era. And the mustard yellow color for the calcareous sandstones rich in sulfur minerals, the vinicunca mountain is rich in all these minerals. RAINBOW MOUNTAIN INFORMATION

Useful Information

- Starting Altitude - 3800m / 12,467ft..
- Highest Altitude - 5000m / 16.404ft.
- Meals - 2 breakfast, 2 lunch, 1 dinner
- Overall Difficulty - Moderate
- STARTING POINT: - Cusco at your hotel
RAINBOW MOUNTAIN ITINERARY 
DAY 1: CUSCO – OCONGATE – UPIS
This first day we’ll leave Cusco very early for our three-hour trip in a private vehicle to the small village of Tinqui (3,800 meters). We will go by beautiful landscapes and several traditional villages as Urcos, Cattca and Ocangate. In Tinqui we will have lunch, after lunch we begin to walk through beautiful mountain landscapes with great views of Mount Ausangate. We walk for an average of 4 hours to reach the hot springs in Upis (4400 meters). In this place we will have dinner and spend the night.
DAY 2: UPIS – PUCA COCHA
After breakfast, we head to the first pass called the Abra Arapa (4850 meters). After passing the Abra we will have lunch, After lunch we continue on to Lake Pucacocha- a blue lake and a perfect stop for a break. Along the way you will see local herders and llamas, Ausangate mountain to your left, and you will have your expert guide explaining the history of the locals and talking about the landscape along the way. If you're lucky you may see condors and vicuñas at our campsite where you will be surrounded by high mountains and incredible glaciers- watch for the Ausangate glacier crashing into the lake below! As always camp will be set up for you to change and rest your weary legs and dinner will be prepared.
DAY 3: PUCA COCHA — ANANTA
After breakfast, We will start with a steep ascent of Puca Cocha pass. While is partially difficult, this pass boasts incredible views the entire way. The higher you get the more impressive the lake is below and Ausangate mountain sitting directly across from we. Take some time to enjoy these beautiful views. We will have plenty of time to take wonderful and impressive photographs. After conquering the pass we continue through a vivid green valley with llamas grazing everywhere. As you approach our destination for the day we will have camp set up for you to enjoy your surroundings and relax.
DAY 4: ANANTA — RAINBOW MOUNTAIN — Q´ESIUNO — CUSCO

We will wake you up extra early in the morning so you will can be the first people to the top of the Rainbow Mountain. After a hot breakfast, and some coca tea we will start with the first uphill climb- Ananta pass. Here you will see the beautiful Rainbow Mountain in the distance. From here you descend to a large valley and continue walking until we are presented with one final climb to the Vinicunca Mountain. We are going be the first ones at the Rainbow Mountain to enjoy the place at all with plenty of time for photographing, walk around and enjoy the beauty of the area. After we hike downhill for 2.5 hours to Qesoyuno where you have a delicious lunch surrounded by mountains. After lunch the car from the company will pick up us to drive back to cusco for 3.5 hours to take you back to your hotel.
WHAT TO BRING

• A backpack
• A beanie hat or ear warmer
• Sun hat
• Scarf
• Gloves
• A mid weight sweater
• A longsleeve t-shirt
• 1 – 2 t-shirts
• A lightweight suater or vest
• A pair of long pants
• Hiking shoes
• An extra pair of shoe
• 2 – 3 pairs wool socks
• A jacket
• A small towel
• Rain gear
• 1 – 2 pair shorts
• Sunglasses
• A small headlamp
• Waterbottle
• A toothbrust and other personal toiletries
• Toilet paiper
• Sun cream
• Camera and film
• Original passport (International Student Identity Card “ISIC” if applicable)
• Extra money for drinks.
• Emergency money at least 300-450 extra soles (USD$ 220)

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The different colors of the Rainbow Mountain in Cusco

Many people ask the question of why the Colors of the Rainbow Mountain, in this article we will answer all your questions and you will find some other things.
The Vinincunca mountain of colors has come to fame very quickly, becoming one of the most visited tourist places in Peru by tourists from all over the world, for the great attraction of its colors and its beautiful landscape view of its snow-capped mountains that has captivated More than one visitor, if we look up at the horizon we will be able to see the rocky mountains, the red valley, that if they could speak for sure they would tell us a lot of stories from past times and tourists who visit it day by day. RAINBOW MOUNTAIN INFORMATION:

The concern to know the reason for its colors leads us to ask ourselves many questions and to obtain the answers we go back to approximately 24 million years ago.
Rainbow Mountain Formation Processes
The formation of the 7-color mountain according to studies dates from the Campanian era, which is part of the geological era belonging to the Cretaceous; where the continents were already separated and many of them covered with seas, so the seven-colored mountain was also covered with shallow sea.
Geological era of the Cretaceous and Paleocene
After many millions of years the Cretaceous geological era goes down in history with the extinction of the dinosaurs, as a result of the fall of a meteorite, so the climatic conditions begin to change and some seas dry up, that is where the geological era of the paleócene many mountains covered with sea are discovered and among them the mountain of seven colors appears, the mountains that appeared in the light were massive rocks that with the climatic conditions of many millions of years these have been eroding and becoming different colors according to its composition elements.
If we visit the Vinincuca mountain and approach the safety rope that protects the mountain, we will be able to observe that it is not really fine colored sand as we might think, but rather it is particles of rocks in the process of erosion.
If we do not have the opportunity to get closer to the mountain, we can be very observant along the way, we will surely find some eroded colored rocks, there we can better observe and feel them.

Among its colors we can find the following composition:

• Pink color: Composition of red clay, mud and sand.
• Off-white color: White quartz sandstones
• Brown, brown and purple color: Composed of limonites and marls, rich in calcium carbonate.
• Red color: Composed of clays and clays rich in iron
• Green color: Composed of phyllites and clays rich in magnesium iron.
• Brown color: They are earthy is a product of rock fanglomerate with magnesium.
• Mustard yellow color: Composed of calcareous sandstones rich in sulfur minerals.

ALL INFORMATION OF RAINBOW MOUNTAIN AND AUSANGATE

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RAINBOW MOUNTAIN INFORMATION

Its name comes from two Quechua words: "Wini", for the rounded and heavy black stones that abound in the place, which 'em called "wini rumi" (stone). The second is "Kunka" which means neck, 'cause the narrowness of the hill resembles a neck step. Initially, the arrieros of the high plateau and the settlers knew it like "Qolla Ñan" or "way of the Qollas".
RAINBOW MOUNTAIN PHOTO

Why is it a Mountain of Colors?

Its coloration is natural and this due to the large amount of sedimentary stones in erosion, what makes it so beautiful and impressive is how these stones are formed to give it the appearance of a rainbow.
That's why many studies were done to know the reason for the colors and the following conclusion was reached:
The report revealed that the colors of the mountains are due to the mineralogical composition that has: the pink color is for red clay, fangolitas (mud) and arilitas (sand). The whitish, by the white quartzose sandstone. Brown, brown and purple, by limonites and marls, rich in calcium carbonate.
The red one made up of the claystones (iron) and clays belonging to the upper tertiary. The green is due to the compound of phyllites and clays rich in ferro magnesian. The earthy brown is the product of the fanglomerate composed of manganese rock belonging to the Quaternary era. And the mustard yellow color for the calcareous sandstones rich in sulfur minera'em.

How to get to the Mountain of Colors?

Our tour begins in the City of Cusco from where we will depart to Andahuaylillas, Quiquijana and Checacupe. After 3 hours we arrived at Pitumarca.
From our arrival in Pitumarca we have to ascend one hour, approximately, to reach a horse station. The price for the horse rental service, is between 70 and 90 so'em round trip or depending on your decision can be single or only return.
Then we have to climb on foot 'til reaching the summit, at 5,200 meters above sea level, where there is a viewpoint. From there we will observe all the splendor of this fantastic Mountain.

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