This rainbow-striped mountain in Peru may resemble an abstract painting but is, in fact, an entirely natural phenomenon, drawing visitors from far and wide committed to finding out if the candy-colored rumors are true.
Vinicunca, otherwise known as Rainbow Mountain or Montaña de Siete Colores (Mountain of Seven Colors), is part of the South American Andes mountain range in the Cusco region of Peru. Its peak rises 17,060 feet (approx. 5,200 meters) above sea level.
The mountain’s colorful facade owes to exposed sedimentary rock layers. As ice covering Vinicunca gradually melted, the ground continued to erode, and different mineral layers were uncovered leaving a myriad of colors.
Yet while the rainbow phenomenon is real, viewers need to be aware that some photos can be misleading, since many have been tempted to use editing software to augment the colors before posting photos to social media.
Historically, lithium miners have targeted the mountain, but all mining activity at Vinicunca stopped in 2018. The site was declared a Regional Conservation Area the following year.
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