Before the start of the hike
Peru 2023
Day 26: September 14
Rainbow Mountain
Peru 2023
Itinerary
Today we set off on a tour to a place I had dreamed about almost as much as Machu Picchu.
This place is called Rainbow Mountain.
Why with a tour? Because it’s impossible to get there by public transport.
Either a tour or a rental car.
It’s interesting that this place only became popular about 10 years ago.
When the snow melted off the mountains as a result of global warming and the beauty that the snow had been hiding (or preserving) underneath became visible.
Now, according to the statistics, it is the second most popular place after Machu Picchu. And for good reason!
By 3:20 a.m. we were already sitting in the minibus.
An hour and a half later we had breakfast, which was very timely.
While we were eating, it became fully light, and the mountains all around us came into view.
An hour later we arrived at the parking lot near the start of the trail to Rainbow Mountain.
The drive took three hours.
The parking lot is at an altitude of 4,600 m above sea level. We need to climb to 5,030 m.
At such an altitude, everything is different.
You can ride a horse to the start of the steep ascent, which is almost 70% of the way. The horses here are very funny and shaggy, as if they have adapted to the local climate. The horse guides, both women and men, are dressed in national costumes.
Trail to the Rainbow Mountains. Beginning.
At first, the trail was gentle. I walked very slowly.
It was a bit hard to breathe. I didn’t want to disrupt my breathing rhythm.
Halfway there, the guide poured some liquid into our palms and told us to inhale it deeply through our noses.
The liquid smelled so nice! The guide said this stuff clears the nose and helps you breathe more freely.
It was a great liquid — after it, it really became easier to breathe. I don’t know whether it was psychological or whether it actually works somehow….
Later, a steep climb began. I slowed down even more.
I давно understood that it’s better for me to walk slowly but steadily.
Many people go at a fast pace, pass others, and then stop to rest and breathe heavily, because of course their breathing rhythm gets thrown off — in the end, that makes it slower.
The Rainbow Mountains are incredibly beautiful. And not only them — there are so many mountains all around, many of them still covered in snow.
The start of a steep climb. Below the mountain, you can see the trail we walked along.
Rainbow Mountains. This isn’t Photoshop! They really look like this. I didn’t believe it either until I saw them myself :)
Snow-covered mountains
We saw a real circular halo! It’s not visible in the photo, but it was incredible — a circular rainbow around the sun.
After the Rainbow Mountains, we set off for Red Valley.
Not everyone in our group wanted to go there, probably people were very tired.
It was so beautiful there! Red mountains, here and there covered with green vegetation.
A river flows below in the valley.
It seemed to me that this place is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen in my life.
Maybe it’s the altitude affecting me? :)
We sat for a little while with a view of Red Valley.
The guide told us about the mountains, about how they were formed.
Trail to Red Valley
Red Valley!
Isn’t it beautiful? I think the photos convey only a tiny part of what it’s really like there....
Incredible otherworldly landscape
Then there was a long, long descent to the parking lot.
When we got home, we felt how tired we were.
Serzhyk had a terrible headache.
But it was very joyful. We saw it!
We’re heading back to the parking lot. On the way back, there were many more people on the trail! How good that we arrived so early!
On the way back, we saw an upside-down rainbow again
One of the minibuses is ours. When we arrived, there were only three like that. When we came back, the parking lot was full!