Ausangate: Where does this mountain of Peru get its exotic hues from?  

Are you fond of rainbows? Well, this riot of colours, found in the sky after a bout of heavy shower, are sometimes visible in other gifts of nature too, like waterbodies and mountains. Peru’s Ausangate Mountain is one such geographical wonder that gives a rainbow vibe and it’s rightly nicknamed as The Rainbow Mountain.  

Introducing the Rainbow Mountain 
If you have ever been to the mountains, you would know what to expect – the rugged terrain, zig-zag roads, cold weather and exotic peaks. If you are lucky enough, you would even get to witness vast stretches of snow. But if you trek all the way to the summit of Ausangate, which has an elevation of 20,954 feet, and stare below, you can see all the colours of rainbow at once. 

This very sight attracts millions of tourists to the South American country of Peru. The Rainbow Mountain stands tall 60 miles southeast of the city of Cusco as part of the Vilcanota mountain range in the Peruvian Andes. Locals, however, know it as Vinicunca and consider it as a holy site.  

Interestingly, at the Rainbow Mountain, one can also find two of the most exotic animals, the llamas and the alpacas. Wait, there’s a bonus too: A rare sight of hanging glaciers! 

Okay, so what gives the Rainbow Mountain its tag? 
Well, if you look at the pictures of the Rainbow Mountain, you would know how perfect is its name. Its steep slopes and ridges are endowed with beautiful colours such as gold, maroon, green, lavender and turquoise. But what gives the mountains its exotic hues? Well, that would be layers of sediments infused with unique mineral content that have eroded over the course of history. For instance, the reddish tones are likely from the iron oxide reposits, while the goldenish tinges are from deposits of goelithe and oxidised limonite. Moreover, the yellow colours owe their origin to iron sulphide, while the green shade comes from chlorite formations.  

Okay, so how exactly does one reach one of world’s greatest geological wonder? Well, one can always hike. However, the most suitable option perhaps is to travel by bus to the Rainbow Mountain trailhead and then start climbing from there.